Pics of my cracked headers | FerrariChat

Pics of my cracked headers

Discussion in '348/355' started by Tape32, Nov 28, 2017.

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  1. Tape32

    Tape32 Karting

    Apr 23, 2011
    50
    Las Vegas NV
    Full Name:
    Scott
    [​IMG]Well, after owning this car for several years I finally came to the conclusion that I was not going to have time to complete the actual repair until sometime in 2019. I finally made the decision to send the car to Fast Cars in Redondo Beach for repair.

    The car is receiving it's engine out service along with replacing the valve guides with sintered steel valve guides, #7 cylinder liner, replacement valves for that cylinder, new hyperflow CATS, and rebuilt headers as well as new tires, CV boots, etc., etc., etc., LOL!

    Fast Cars shipped my headers back to me so that I could remove the shields and send out for a rebuild. The pictures show the number 2 cylinder pipe with a quarter size hole in it. All of the other pipes are severely distorted with very little insulation left on the header. The other header while not having cracked yet is showing signs of failure.

    The CATS were failing on my car which appeared to create the problem. Really looking forward to driving my car!
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  2. krazykarguy

    krazykarguy Formula Junior

    Apr 17, 2014
    716
    Fort Mill, SC
    Full Name:
    Matt
  3. Tape32

    Tape32 Karting

    Apr 23, 2011
    50
    Las Vegas NV
    Full Name:
    Scott
  4. Gated

    Gated Formula 3

    Dec 21, 2009
    1,117
    What the ****?!?
     
  5. Lotaz

    Lotaz Formula 3

    Nov 18, 2016
    1,537
    Las Vegas
    Full Name:
    Scott
    Wow it looks like they got very VERY hot at some point and time.
     
  6. krazykarguy

    krazykarguy Formula Junior

    Apr 17, 2014
    716
    Fort Mill, SC
    Full Name:
    Matt
    :eek: Wow!

    How many miles on this car?
     
  7. phrogs

    phrogs F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 13, 2004
    7,113
    Michigan
    Thats not cracked its f-ing melted.
     
    flat_plane_eddie likes this.
  8. Enzojr

    Enzojr F1 World Champ

    Dec 12, 2013
    14,001
    West of PDX
    Full Name:
    Tomy
    Yeah that is WAY beyond cracked.
    And you are going to rebuild or replace them ?
     
  9. Drock28

    Drock28 Formula 3

    Jan 13, 2013
    1,429
    Montreal
    Full Name:
    Tony
    not sure why the shock..? that's what all stock 355 headers look like when you open them..

    even if they haven't cracked.. the primary tubing is always bent/distorted melted looking etc..
     
    f355spider likes this.
  10. Fabspeed Motorsport

    Sponsor

    Feb 5, 2009
    3,056
    Fort Washington, PA
    Full Name:
    John S
    A header only a mother could love!
     
    fedgery77 and flat_plane_eddie like this.
  11. POLO35

    POLO35 Formula Junior

    Feb 21, 2005
    712
    Treasure Coast Florida
    Full Name:
    MATT
    I'll quote someone from a few years ago... "You mean it's actually okay to drive these cars?"
     
  12. WATSON

    WATSON Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Sep 9, 2010
    21,611
    WI
    Subtle. Very subtle.

    hahahahaha
     
    Fabspeed Motorsport likes this.
  13. WATSON

    WATSON Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Sep 9, 2010
    21,611
    WI
    So that's why they have ugly shields....errr ...heat sheilds on the OEM ones them. :)..
     
  14. Nader

    Nader Formula Junior

    Feb 12, 2011
    990
    East of Seattle
    Uhh, those aren't just cracked.
     
  15. johnk...

    johnk... F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jun 11, 2004
    10,630
    CT
    Full Name:
    John Kreskovsky
    Maybe that's the way they are made to start with. :D
     
  16. Drock28

    Drock28 Formula 3

    Jan 13, 2013
    1,429
    Montreal
    Full Name:
    Tony
    indeed, and completely unacceptable that they put such a poor quality critical component on to the car.
     
  17. Robbe

    Robbe Formula Junior

    Aug 22, 2013
    609
    The Netherlands
    When I opened up my shields, my headers were pristine. So not all look like that. (but will do so eventually??)
    I still have the bends as I could not throw them away as they were still ok...
     
  18. Tape32

    Tape32 Karting

    Apr 23, 2011
    50
    Las Vegas NV
    Full Name:
    Scott
    They are pretty bad. I sent them to GP headers for a rebuild using 321 stainless. He is reinstalling the shields. That is the primary reason I went with GP rather than Fabspeed, the Fabspeed headers look nice but I wanted the shields reinstalled. I also like the idea of having the headers built with 321 stainless.
     
    taz355, f355spider and Dave rocks like this.
  19. Nader

    Nader Formula Junior

    Feb 12, 2011
    990
    East of Seattle
    Why did they melt like that? Catalytic converter issue? Frequent pulls to redline with sustained high RPMs for the sound?

    You know why air-cooled Porsches had two-valve heads for the longest time? They experimented with four-valve heads, and couldn't keep the head temperatures cool enough with the air cooling. I bet some of that is to blame with Ferrari's five-valve heads screaming at over 8K RPM. Not enough aluminum in the head to dissipate heat with all those steel valves and seats taking up the combustion chamber's space. That's my theory, anyway.
     
  20. jimmym

    jimmym Formula 3

    Sep 30, 2008
    1,967
    Northeast U.S.
    Full Name:
    Jim
    Scott, it sounds like Zack is willing to reinstall the OEM shields again. That is good news if you want to keep the OEM look with a significant upgrade in stainless and also maintain the 4-2-1 design. He did a great job on my F355 headers. I will probably have him build a set for my Pantera in the not to distant future.
     
  21. johnk...

    johnk... F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jun 11, 2004
    10,630
    CT
    Full Name:
    John Kreskovsky
    Jim, does GP wrap the header in insulation before replacing the shields?
     
  22. f355spider

    f355spider F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 29, 2001
    17,913
    USA
    No just poor material selection for the exhaust manifolds by Ansa, the oem supplier. The cat failures is another thing completely. The ceramic cores where never secured properly by Ansa. So they cores start to move and crumble, and even roll around inside and disintegrate. Some say the reason for this is the engine pulses...but if the cores were simply secured really well, then no problem. With the 1999 model year, Ferrari/Ansa supplied catalysts with metallic cores...those seem to last properly, no issues. What is most disturbing, is the majority of "goodwill" replacement catalysts by Ferrari offered to owners in the late 1990s to mid 2000s, were still using left over crappy ceramic catalysts (and exhaust manifolds)...they knew they were junk, but they had tons of them left, and by replacing them, kicked the can down the road a few more years until long beyond having to help any customers with them again. ;)
     
    Dave rocks likes this.
  23. f355spider

    f355spider F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 29, 2001
    17,913
    USA
    Just make sure they wrap them or install some sort of batting material under the shields, or they will likely cause rattles and buzzes otherwise.
     
  24. jimmym

    jimmym Formula 3

    Sep 30, 2008
    1,967
    Northeast U.S.
    Full Name:
    Jim
    Hi John, when Zack was working for Chris, they did put insulation on before the clam shells. As others have stated, I was concerned with the potential for rattling. I am not sure what Zack is doing now. Dave had stated that he wasn't doing the clamshells awhile back, but with this thread, he seems to be doing them again. I think dealing with the shields might have been a pain in the butt for him, just guessing though, as the primary tubes are a little bigger than stock.
     
    SeattleM5 likes this.

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