1995 355 Factory Cats

Just took a quick ride down to the beach after 7 days of not driving my 355. I started hearing a rattle in my exhaust, at low RPM's, so I took to the tool box. An hour later a few bloody knuckels, yep 1st cat is shot, going to pull the second in the morning. Anybody who did an 355 exhaust upgrade care to part with thier factory cats let me know. .-MICHAEL

 

Hello Michael,
I have a 99 and my left cat is shot, the right one seems fine though. I will know by Tuesday for sure if the right one is ok. I do not know which one is the 1st cat.
--tony

 

I assume in a 99' the dealer will replace what ever you need under warrenty. From what I've heardm nake them change both even if they say the 2nd one is ok, I think it's better if thier changed in pairs.

 

Well just got the 2nd cat out, shot too...car is out of EPA warranty, and I just looked up Texas lemon law (where I got the car) and it says it only cover new cars, any advice is appreciated....

 

Thanks for the advice. I will call Ferrari of San Francisco Monday to see what they say. I am still leaning towards just getting the Hyper-flow ones.

Good luck with you cats.
--tony

 

Tony have you researched the hyper flow? Cost?, will car pass inspection with them?-MICHAEL

 

The factory cats, the new ones are, hold your breath, over 3k each.

Art

 

I just got this car 5 weeks ago, only put 829 miles on it, and apparently Texas doesn't have a used car lemon law....

 

Tony check these out
http://members.aol.com/SportsCarConvert/index.html

 

This is a very trustworthy,competent,and 25 yr Ferrari mechanic who can have the cat rebuilt for you for a fraction of cost of replacment.

I recently researched this for myself but didn't need to replace it.
He comes highly recommended.

Heres his shop tel # Arizona time zone.
ANDY 480 836-7915

 

Thank you for your input. I think due to the bad rep of the 355 headers burning through, I thought this maybe a good time to be proactive. Instead of going factory new or rebuilt I will try something that will help move the heat away from the headers more effciently, seeing how the CATS are the most restictive part of the exhaust.

Option #1-
http://members.aol.com/SportsCarConvert/Italian.html
Max-Flow Cat.355, left, part #1857.6100 $328.57
Max-Flow Cat.355, right, part #1858.4721 $328.57

Option#2-
http://hyper-flow.com/355.htm
Description: Hyper-Flow Converter Part Number:F13358 Model: 355 Fits: 355 RH Year: 1994- Price: $1145 ea.
Description: Hyper-Flow Converter
Part Number:F13359 Model: 355 Fits: 355 LH Year: 1994-
Price: $1145 ea.

Anyone have any input into either of these cats your opinion is welcome, why they are supposed to be almost the same and the Maxflow is 1/3 the price of the Hyperflow is beyond me. As is way is the Maxflow 1/10 the price as the factory ANSA is even a better question.

 

I put the Hyper-Flow cats on the other day after running with test pipes for a year. I did not like the sound of test pipes. Too loud and too much bass.My exhaust also smelled with test pipes. The sound is much better, alittle louder than just a Tubi, and the smell is gone. As far as performance, I didn't notice any difference between the new cats and test pipes.

 

Thank Meddav!

I just finished speaking with Bruce at Ferrari of San Francisco and he said F355 cats are always going bad and that he would replace mine under warranty. He said he would not do both if the other one was not bad. The earliest he could get me in is the first week in July. I asked him if he had any comments on the hyper-flow or max-flow ones and he said he only works with OEM......

If the OEM ones are crap, I do not want to put them back on. He also said I should truck the
car up there because I am in danger of cloging the cat and destroying the manifold.

Now to decide which to choose. Help

--tony

 

Tony I spoke to Troy from Hyper-flow, and as many others about the CATS as possible. The factory cats have a bad rep, and are very restictive, (which I also believe slow the heat from escapeing the headers fast enough and we know about them already). Another poster thought that the SPort Cat coverters may just be generic with the approprite flanges welded to the for each different car. I went with the Hyperflow cats today, they sound like alot of work and R&D went into thier developement. I got them a liitle below regular cost and should have them by Thursday or Friday. I still have stock muffler also, I will report back after the install-MICHAEL
BTW I'm doing the job myself in my garage if you have a decent set of hand tools, it's just alot of wrench turning...

 

When I put my Hyper-Flows on, all the threads needed to be retapped, the flanges where not round and did not fit without shaping them with a hammer and the pyros bottomed out on the cat material. After all that, they fit fine. Hope you have better luck with the install. Mine were some of the first made so they may have gotten better. All the problems were with heat when thing were welded. Once one, they are beautiful.

 

Wow Bob, this would have been better information shared before 3PM when I ordered them! How long ago did you get yours? I'm doing this job myself in the garage, I don't want to start retapping and hammering! I understood this was a R&R like an OEM part.-MICHAEL

 

That is great news Michael. I am not much of a mechanic, but I can turn a wrench. I will know for sure if I am getting the hyper-flow ones by Wednesay morning. I drive my car everyday to work but now I may not drive it until I get the new cats, I do not want to risk breaking something else with a cloged cat.

--tony

 

These are not terrific problems. Retapping is no big deal and mine was an early cat when they were just making them. I bought them about 9 months ago and just put them on four weeks ago and was running test pipes for a year. They still sound so much better than test pipes and the reduction in engine heat is great. My engine bay would be very hot after a hard run and with these cats as was with the test pipes, engine bay heat is greatly reduced.

 

Whew, I thought you JUST got them, hope they worked the kinks out, I should have mine by Friday. Are you running factory or Tubi Muffler, do you still have the original factory headers on?

 

I have Tubi muffler but stock headers. I have a Challange chip and the
GruppeM intake.

 

What difference does the GruppeM intake and Challange chip make over the standard equipment ?
thanks,
--tony

 

The Challange chip is supposed to make 15Hp and raise the rev limit to 9000rpm which it does. It was off a Challange car from NY. The GruppeM intake filter is just like the ones used on the Audi and Corvette LeMans cars. It is a K&N filter. The car is much more responsive above 5000rpm then it was before and pulls harder. I have not put it on a dyno, but have driven other F355 from 95 and my car is faster.

 

bob, do you want to sell the test pipes. Im looking for a used set for a 95 2.7. Also If you ever want to get rid of the gruppeM Intake/chip tell me, ive been looking for a used on. they want 3k for a new one.

 

i put a tubi and hyper flow cats on my f355 1995 10500m i have the OME cats if you need.
Thanks f355b

 

Thank you anyway F355B, but my Hyper-FLows are on the way. Very generous of you though.