F430 Exhaust Manifold Header Install DIY : Fabspeed

F430 Exhaust Manifold Header Install DIY using Fabspeed headers

Background: After having my second set of MKx Ferrari OEM headers fail I decided to source an aftermarket header without pre-cats. This will solve the issue where foreign objects can get trapped between the pre-cats and the exhaust valve. Gravity pulls the trapped objects toward the exhaust valve, and exhaust gas reversion can pull the debris into the combustion chamber. If a piece of weld or cat material is sucked into the combustion chamber it can damage the cylinder walls, head, valves, valve guides, plugs, etc. In some cases this causes very expensive engine rebuilds as some here on chat have had to repair. The aftermarket headers are stronger, less likely to fail, and if they fail any pieces will get blown downstream and get stuck in the main CATs where they will not be prone to get sucked in the engine causing damage.

Q: Why do the Ferrari Headers fail?
A: Because they are not very strong, the exhaust brackets offer no thermal expansion, and there are 2x engine mounts and 1x transmission mount thus the headers are bolted to the engine and the silencer is bolted to the transmission, all but insuring flex. This thermal expansion and mount flex will eventually cause the weakest link in the structure to fail [ Exhaust_Manifold -> Main_CAT -> Silencer -> Tips ].

Q: Is there anything I can do other than installing aftermarket Headers?
A: Yes. You can install Capristo exhaust brackets that relieve the stress from thermal and mount_flex. ~$550 USD.
[ http://www.capristoexhaust.com/index.php/shop-online?page=shop.product_details&flypage=vmj_color_plus.tpl&product_id=87&category_id=76 ]

Choices:
1. Capristo : ~$6k : Includes heat blankets
2. Fabspeed : ~3.5k : No blankets offered, but for $400 can apply a ceramic coating. *I made my own blankets, see:
F430 Header Blanket Creation DIY [ http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php? t=380105 ]
3. Ferrari MK2 : $4-6k (Ricambi or Ferrari dealer). Will still likely fail unless capristo exhaust brackets are installed.

Reading:
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The F430 workshop manual is available online for free. Go to page 245 in Workshop Manual F430 Spider.pdf.
Download here: http://www.ferraridatabase.com/The_Downloads/Manuals_Workshop.htm

DIY Time:
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1. Jack and belly pan : 1hr
2. Remove headers : 2 hrs (if you have the right tools and dont find a frozen bolt)
3. reinstall new fabspeed headers : 1 hr

DIY Steps:
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1. Protect vehicle with blue tape at engine bay edges, thick mats on fenders (I use something that looks like a yoga mat). Wear good 3M non-fogging safety glasses.
2. Remove O2 sensors and temperature probes, easier to reach UN jacked.
3. Remove 3x header->CAT bolts. Depending on where they are aligned it might be easier to get them from the bottom. I removed two from the top, and one from the bottom of the car.
4. Jack vehicle and remove belly pan. I used the wheel ramp method.
a. Jack at rear jack point using hydraulic racing jack
b. Insert jack stand under front jack point
c. Insert Rhino ramp under rear tire (see image)
d. carefully lower car onto jack stand and rhino ramp
e. Put a second jack stand under rear jack point to secure car (safety, not structural)
f. Repeat a-e for other side of car.
g. Remove all 20 or so under-tray bolts
h. Remove under-tray
5. Use WD40 or other rusty bolt chemical on all bolts. Let sit.
6. Remove hard to reach bolts first. (you are in better shape physically, and if you remove the hardest bolt last the header weight will make it more difficult). The removal of the MK2s was quite difficult needing some special tools (image from page 248 of Workshop Manual F430 Spider.pdf). I did not have the special tool, so I used the tool [A] (stubby 3/8 drive 12mm wrench) and (short 12mm box wrench). Also needed is [C] a 3/8 torque wrench to tighten the header bolts to 25Nm. The ratcheting 12mm also speed things up [D].
7. Slide out old headers (easy)
8. Install Fabspeed headers (easy). The included self locking brass nuts should be inserted funny side OUT. Torque bolts to 25Nm using small torque wrench. I used a 3/8 drive from amazon at $20.
9. Put high temp Anti-Seize Copper Lubricant on O2 and temperature sensor threads and reinstall (I used Permatex 77124 Nickel because it was handy).
10. Reset main power to force a ECU relearn of the new headers. This can be done by using the master switch in the front trunk. Turn it off for a 10 minutes then back on. *Make sure you have your Radio codes FIRST!
11. The new headers will smoke. Drive it where you wont be embarrassed. If you put blankets on, they will smoke a LOT! This will continue for a while. If you have a spider, put the top up so the smoke will not get in your car during the smoke in process.

General Notes:
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Installing the Fabspeed headers was a snap compared to the removal of the MK2s. You could reach all but one 12mm with a standard 3/8 ratchet, and the one lone bolt was easily accessible with a 3/8 spring universal joint adapter.

The Fabspeed headers are of excellent quality and were designed with ease of installation in mind. They came with new gaskets and bolts. The Fabspeed headers are 10x better engineered than the MK2s.

The blankets smoked for quite a while as did the new headers and everywhere WD40 touched including around the Capristo exhaust brackets.

Fabspeed Sound?
=======
VERY loud (stock CAT, stock silencer, stock tips, Capristo valve control module in LOUD mode). I just wish the wicked backfires would stay forever. They are so hypnotizing I might just reset the master battery switch often to hear them. The backfires at 5K gear change in Race from 1->2nd sounds like a 22 cal pistol going off!

Fabspeed Performance?
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Who knows, it has been 5 weeks since I have driven it. It feels a lot faster at 3-5k rpm range but its just a seat of my pants dyno and I really don't care so much.

DISCLAIMER:
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This DIY if for informational purposes only. Please use trained professionals, in Las Vegas these may look like ordinary women.
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Jack stands put the car at a perfect height to lay on my back. I find it far less fatiguing than standing and reaching up. If my garage had very high ceilings and a nice 2 post maybe my story would be different, but it was really not an issue or complaint about the job.

 

Interesting feedback on the Capristo install. The Fabspeed headers "seemed" like they were designed with an easy install in mind, it really was a snap with all but one 12mm on each side directly reachable with a 3/8 ratchet+extension+12mm socket (per memory, maybe it was 2). This makes torquing them easy because you need to get a 3/8 torque wrench in there as well.

If there was a prize for the fastest header install, I could probably do both sides in 30 minutes total (second time around) *assuming MKx were already removed, car jacked, pan off. Also assuming I had an air ratchet for the Header->CAT bolts, they are spring loaded and would be a wrist breaker with a ratchet, but a snap with an air ratchet.

I did not move the AC unit to remove MKx or for the Fabspeed header install. Would it have been easier?
-For removal of MKx (YES it would have saved me 5-10minutes, but the removal and reinstall of AC compressor would have added at least 30 because the accessory belt needs to come off.)
-For install of Fabspeed (Not really, I could reach everything just fine). Do the non-AC side first!

UPDATE:
I forgot to mention it was far easier to reinstall the O2 sensors with the 10mm wiring clamp removed. This is the clamp that holds the O2 wires to the engine compartment frame to prevent them from dangling. The wires were a bit snug with the bolts in, but I assume this varies from car to car.

 

Great pics; Can you post a pic with the headers in the blankets?

I cant for the life of me figure out why Capristo would put air rails on the F430 headers? I realize they plug them, but it clearly makes them harder to install reducing access to the bolts and is an un-nessesary part. *I realize the main install issue is not the air rails, but the routing of the pipes. Just curious...

I do not want to turn this into a Capristo Vs Fabspeed post or thread. But the fabspeed header pipes do not have seams (apart from the unavoidable places like the collector), the Capristo headers have numerous radial seams. If I was to order headers based on the two images side by side (all in this thread), I would have to go with the fabspeed. That does not mean the fabspeed headers are better and certainly does not mean the fabspeed headers make the most horsepower, but they are clearly easier to install (important for DIY or paying by the hour), and are made from single pipes with multiple bends as opposed to many smaller sections with single bends then welded together.

 

I did install the Capristo brackets. Great product and cheap insurance. Getting the tips centered in the bumper with the brackets took three heat cycles, but no big deal. You just cant go "too far" because the locking nuts destroy the bolts as they go on. So too far is too far, or new bolts. Necessary? Yes. Eventually the fabspeed headers could crack for the same reason the OEM ones did, stress. The only differences are:
1. Fabspeed headers have a lifetime warranty, so just send them back to be fixed.
2. The fabspeed headers do not have a pre-cat, so the failure would not cause catastrophic engine failure.

Just fabulous. Loud as heck on cold start with valves OPEN (loud setting). Great driving sound. Loud 1-2 and 2-3rd shift backfires. Just wonderful. Also feels like more power, but more power was not needed.

 

Really I dont have quite enough information to address that question:
1. How much extra heat is the engine compartment exposed to with:
.a. Factory Headers
.b. Aftermarket Headers "naked"
.c. Aftermarket headers wrapped in a blanket
.d. Aftermarket headers wrapped in a cloth directly on header
.e. Aftermarket header ceramic coated

A. Too much heat trapped in the headers will make them expand and contract unevenly, this can lead to cracks, fatigue, premature failure.
B. Too much heat can degrade material and weld MTBF

I leaned toward the Blanket because it keeps the headers the same temperature throughout the blanketed portion, and shields the engine compartment. My DIY blanket failed because the material datasheet basically lied about the maximum temperatures tolerated. I have since found material that would meet the requirements, but have not saved up the free time and urge to complete the blanket project, yet again. So I run without blankets, just bare untreated Stainless. But I also do not drive at full load for more than a minute before running out of road or points on my license. In my case heat is likely not a factor.