Question on F430 stock exhaust

Very difficult to answer on-line. If possible get someone familiar with the 430 to take a drive with you? Maybe there's a cars & coffee meet in your area where you could hook up with other owners?

They're not the quietest cars but generally there shouldn't be a droning noise (although some of the after market exhausts will create resonance at certain RPM).

 

I get droning at about 3800 rpm and tire/axle noise at 75mph in my f430. From what I understand, it's pretty common.

 

The droning is at 3500 revs or so and is when the bypass valve opens. I love it as it sounds awesome but maybe you don't but completely normal.

Drive it and enjoy!

 

The 430 does not drone at any speed (i.e. nothing that an enthusiast would call drone). The exhaust sound in Sport or Race mode can be fairly loud, though. When the muffler bypass valve opens, the system certainly jumps in volume and intensity, but there's no reverberating, cabin-rattling drone.

You can try switching the manettino to the Wet setting (the one under Sport) which keeps the muffler valves closed longer. In this setting, the exhaust is very quiet well into the mid-rpm range. If you still hear droning, there is something wrong somewhere.

 

Great advice Rob!!!

 

I haven't noticed this in two years of ownership. I even made a 700 mile road trip on the interstate, and my car is a spider.

The car is definitely louder than most. One of my friends commented on that right away at start up.

I have never found it annoying at any speed or RPM.

 

If the previous owner defeated the valves on your exhaust, you may experience droning from that....

 

When I had Fabspeed headers and testpipes and Capristo Twin Sound on my 430 coupe, it droned like an old granny at 3500-3800 rpm. It was really unbearable but who stays in that range anyway.

So, yes, it does drone at that range even on stock exhaust systems, just not that bad as compared to some aftermarket options. It's due to the valve opening.

 

No offense, but you bought a Ferrari, not a Lexus. Long freeway trips suck for the most part, same sound, that's why mountain passes are so fun, you hit the higher revs often, and not much time around 3k rpm.

 

I have an 05 spider, and I do hear the exhaust at all times, although the volume goes down as the rpm goes down. I thought that was part of the Ferrari experience. While I like the sound, the only time it becomes a bit much is if I want to listen to music, and the exhaust drowns out all of the low end, even with subwoofers.

 

Not to hijack, but my dealer said not to drive around long periods in Wet mode. I thought at times it would be preferable, even if it's not wet (like if I have to do phone calls and want things a bit quieter). Is this true?

 

I haven't heard that, but I doubt driving around normally in Wet mode could do damage. What if you're out driving in the rain for an hour using Wet mode? Is it gonna damage the car? Maybe pushing the car hard in dry conditions using Wet mode is not advisable. I would check the manual and see what it says about that. Using it here-and-there while making a phone call should be fine.

I seem to remember that Wet mode is also considered the standard driving mode. Sport is for spirited driving and Race is for track work or aggressive driving.

 

The manettino positions alter the e-diff and traction control intervention, lowering their thresholds. So driving normally or spiritedly in those positions will have both of the above systems working overtime.

 

That's probably it. I reconnected the valve vacuum hose as the loudness was starting to get to me and the drone at 3500 is gone. I'm kind of liking the stock sound again as it sounds more like a growl at idle. Plus, I feel a noticeable gain in torque at the low end.

 

Ah Ha! Good piece of detective work Sherlock! I have a switch to open mine but I leave it in auto most of the time having played with open till I got tired of it.

 

I recommend the Capristo wireless exhaust controller. From a key fob sized wireless remote you can make it loud or stock. I flip it to stock if I am returning home late at night, get a call, or want to have a conversation, otherwise its in LOUD mode. For ~$600 USD its well worth the control, and its plug and play.

Disclosure: No affiliation with Capristo, just a happy customer.