Hey all, I've been looking at what's available for tuning my 458 to squeeze more power and torque out of the engine. It's currently all stock and I'm basically trying to make sure I get the most out of it with minimal impact to its durability. So I've compiled a list of tunes for under $3K, sorted by price. The HP and torque numbers are what they claim the car will make (562 hp, 398 ft/lbs is stock). DME Tuning https://autotalent.com/products/dme-tuning-obd-ecu-upgrade-for-ferrari-458-italia-2010-2015?currency=USD&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&variant=29289956114476 $1,859.07 -- 600 hp, 425 ft/lbs (stage 1) Softronic https://soulpp.com/product/ferrari-458-softronic-ecu-tune/ $1,995 -- 600 hp, 421 ft/lbs Eurocharged https://www.eurocharged.com/product/ferrari-458-ecu-tune/ $1,999 -- 600 hp, 425 ft/lbs (stage 1) Mase https://maseflash.com/products/ferrari-458-ecu-flash?variant=5949287432220 $2,195 -- 590 hp, 421 ft/lbs Vivid Racing https://www.vividracing.com/tuned-ecu-flash-tune-ferrari-458-italia-1015-p-132448.html $2,550 -- 590 hp, 413 ft/lbs So you can see the hp and torque difference isn't large but that's expected when tuning an NA engine. Still, they claim that the difference is noticeable. Is it? If that's the case, which one would you recommend (or perhaps avoid)? Thanks, Alvaro
I have M engineering tune on my Speciales. The gain is only about 30 hp, but more low end power and removes CEL for my decat. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
A tune won’t do much unless you replace headers and cats. I put in a DME tune and haven’t noticed a huge change, except it smoothened out the jerkiness at low RPM, and some of the burbles and pops returned (apparently Ferrari tuned them out after 2011). In that regard, I consider it a success. Mine is catback. The 458 with headers and decat is too aggressive for me, but I think that’s where the improvements lie. I see these claims of massive hp and torque improvements from a simple electronic change to the engine and I’m skeptical. Ferrari wouldn’t leave that kind of power on the table, IMO.
What exhaust do you have? I'm also considering the IPE catback to get back some of that F1 sound I used to hear from my 355. I'm wondering if the catback alone won't make much of a difference sound-wise unless I pair that with high-flow cats (I need it to keep passing smog). It's just a lot of money and I'm actually fine with the current sound, even if it sounds more like a Huracan. I'm now more interested in squeezing a few more horses to bring it closer to Speciale levels (~600hp) and maybe down the line consider upgrading the exhaust. Thanks for the DME recommendation, which as a bonus, happens to be the least expensive.
I think you previously said that you wouldn't run headers without a tune. I forgot the reason behind that.
I have the Kline SS catback exhaust. I also have a new set of Kline 200 Cell cats that I never installed, PM me if interested. And a Capristo Wizard. The Kline is not overwhelming by any degree and is a vast improvement over the stock sound wise. TBH I never dyno'd the car before or after the tune, just going by 'feel' and what I've been told. Bear in mind the car will be much louder with headers, speaking from experience........
I have a few different setups: 1. Speciale coupe: IPE headers, IPE Decat, IPE exhaust with tune. Feel more lower end power, sound is perfect F1 pitch. 2. Speciale Aperta: Bodenhaus decat, Bodenhaus exhaust with tune. Similar feel. Sound is a tad lower pitch and for some reason a bit louder than coupe. I feel, perhaps, headers may clean up and refine the airflow and noise. 3. FF: Kline 200 cell cats, Novitec X pipe, Novitec exhaust, no tune. V12 howls and screams high pitch. I will likely add a tune to add a bit more power. 4. TDF: pending Kline 200 cell cats, IPE X pipe. The stock V12 exhaust sounds glorious. My goal is increase pitch a bit and to increase Volume!! Regarding tunes, on an NA engine it doesn’t increase power tremendously, it may crisp shifts, it will get rid of a CEL. With headers and/or decat you will likely need a tune to get rid of a CEL. With 200 cell cats my FF so far is ok without a tune, regarding a CEL. However, I’d like to squeeze just a bit more power. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I didn't try it.. But one of my friends add it to his car and its really works well.. He feel the difference.. Plus its lighter than the oem.
Thanks for the info! I have yet to install a full Kline Inconel exhaust w/ 200 cell cats on my Speciale. Doing it for the sound and hopefully to get rid of the drone that the current Novitec catback emits. Just want to make sure I'm not doing anything detrimental.
Open Flash! The tuner has a 458 and knows what works and what doesn’t. https://www.openflashtablet.com/product-category/automotive/ferrari/ Sent from my iPad using FerrariChat
^^^^ I wouldn't' recommend open flash - I had a bad experience with their customer service in regards to transfer of a tablet and tune - I now have a brick tablet here. In short it's more how they don't enable a license transfer. So if you buy the tune for $2K. and if you wish to resell the tablet/tune to someone else to sell the car or what have you, you're unable to do it. It's a single use license.
I have Fabspeed headers with IPE 200 cel cats and exhaust...tune is coming up soon. One thing to note about IPE is they add a mini-cat inside the O2 sensor bungs to scrub the exhaust before it get to the O2. My 200 cels are quite "aromatic" but no CEL. Have heard of people with IPE decat pipes getting no CEL, but can't confirm that's true. I thought that was a solid solution to include with the pipes. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Sorry to hear that. But most care more about the quality and features of the tune than reselling the tablet. OpenFlash allows not only improvement in power, torque, and driveability, but they can put in burbles found in 2010s, alter the throttle sensitivity so it’s more linear (contrasted with stock, which is almost on-off), and change the load points at which the exhaust valves open so it’s more seamless (compared to stock, which makes them annoyingly “hunt” between open and closed). Sent from my iPad using FerrariChat
I too have OpenFlash, here’s my setup: 2013 458 italia S-Line Test Pipes and Valvetronic Exhaust Forza valve controller Shiv, the owner at OpenFlash does a pretty good job, and does have his own 458 to test on. Once you plug the tablet into your car, it is paired to your car forever and you can’t sell it. It’s not an issue for me as I switch tunes every 2 years to pass emissions testing. I have 4 tunes loaded in my tuner that I can flash between, and Shiv is responsive and can tailor the tunes to your needs. The tune I’m currently running has a power bump, burbles activated and CEL deactivated (emissions sensors deactivated) - before I need emissions I’ll install the cats and flash with the same tune minus the emissions system deactivation. *one thing I cannot recommend enough* Don’t get the throttle smoothing in your tune. For me, it made my car shift funny and slip the clutch too long during takeoff in first gear. Sure it makes it nice to not have such a sensitive throttle, but the shifts and DCT are controlled partially by the throttle position, it’s wise to not mess with this in my experience.
Whatever tune you get, I suggest you use a CTEK 7002 battery maintainer on supply mode (or equivalent) to be sure you have steady and sufficient power to flash the memory correctly. Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
I purchased a 13' 458 Spider. It had modifications done prior to my purchase. (exhaust, suspension, tune?) I've had to put theExhaust back to stock for emissions cert and registration but the (unknown) Tune is likely set to ignore the catalyst and not trip a check engine light due to the straight pipes that were on it. HOW DO I FIX THIS? 1. Ferrari says "we can't really tell if there's a tune but we can send the ECU back to the factory to check it THEN likely will have to buy a new ECU" 2. trying to reach out to the previous owner to see if I can identify who did the tune? can they set it back to stock so the cats read ready? 3. Can I overwrite the current program with a new tune so it reads the Catalyst Ready (probably a stage 1 with stock exhaust program?) Really just need some troubleshooting help
