Another F430 manifold quandary!!

[dvb247]

Apologies in advance and YES I've read all the old posts on this subject but still have questions to ask.

So far this is my understanding of my choices

1. OEM mk2's = Will break again so NO
2. Capristo = To expensive and don't like the nappy, NO
3. Refurb existing = To expensive and lack confidence with this solution, NO
4. AP Racing manifolds with Zerotec coating = a recommend solution, great value, A CONSIDERATION
5, Nouvalari manifold on eBay = No idea about this make??
6. Capristo bracket set = should this be done whatever manifolds you choose???

Is there any other recommend solutions out there I haven't considered? would hate to pull the trigger and then find that someone has some manifolds at £250 available with free fitting haha!!!

[dvb247]

Excellent, my research appears to be spot on, to know that this is a solution recommended, tried and tested gives me the confidence I need before purchase.

Just seems an obvious thing to do purchasing the Capristo brackets, had to ask all the same. can you tell me what you charge for the fitting job inc parts? PM if you'd prefer?

Thanks Cerberaherts

[dvb247]

Ummm, have now heard that the Capristo brackets are a step in the wrong direction, reason being that whilst they do allow linear expansion, it does it at the expense of bolting to the chassis!!
So not a no brainer as previously thought

[dvb247]

Didn't feel it was my place to name my feedback sources but happy that this topic will help others, my thoughts are to get my AP manifolds ordered and wait for a bracket solution to hit the market👍

[dvb247]

They are on there way, 3100USD, the Zercotec is much more than first quoted, £695 +vat but I understand they are the best in the business, I'm edging toward RED, not concerned with a colour match at all, think they look great!!
Will let you know what the final bill come to after fitting costs

GG33 said:

I had arrived at the same conclusion re AP manifolds, I would be interested to hear where you plan to get them from and what the eventual landed price is?

Cheers

GG

[dvb247]

More questions!!!
At least this thread will answer all Q's before other F430 owners go their own way, like death and taxes ALL F430 OWNERS WILL GO THROUGH IT!!!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7. Challenge OEM manifolds? only £800+vat per side, maybe use Zercotec coating on them also???
8. Capristo will not sell the nappy or their brackets separately, why not?
9. Anyone else sell a sprung bracket solution?

[dvb247]

sorry its the heat blanket they don't sell separately!!

[dvb247]

They look stunning!! I've been quoted £695+vat at Zircotec, is that right?

Mine have just arrived from the U.S.

[dvb247]

will do
Any before and after YouTube vids? do share

[dvb247]

I understand from Zircotec that their method is unique, there warranty is 3 years and will take temps of 900 degrees C, no road car will ever get that hot, their words off course!! hoping they stand up, if they don't, like you have done, I will inform others so they are armed with all the right info.
Again, I need to thank Voicey, he just go a message to me in time for me to change my order to supply only from the U.S. and coat over here at Zircotec.
Fingers crossed!!

[dvb247]

I spoke to Liz at Zircotec this morning, guided her to this thread, she new straight away that the white coating was painted on, she talked in detail about their coating and again pointed out that they are the only company to guarantee race cars as well as road cars, I don't want to quote all she said verbatim but she did mention an Aston Martin Race Team that is still using their coating in to it's 5th race season!!! she called it "coat and forget" so lets hope, the expansion point doesn't hold water either. the photos show complete loss of coating all over.
Has to be said, the lagging looks as good if not better than the Capristo nappy lol

[dvb247]

I have a contact that will do just that and take out the pre cat too as its the pre cat that can disintegrate and bits fall down into the engine?
There is a company in Macclesfield that have been reconditioning 355 manifolds for years and now 430's at a cost of £800 per side approx, thats more than the Scud OEM ones with pre cat deleted so doesn't add up to me, but there are welders out there that will repair and remove the pre cat for a fraction of that price. Not a route I wanted to take, can't image they would look very nice but that said you can't see them anyway.

[dvb247]

Okay, I've read all the posts, searched the numbers, yet there does not seem to be a couple of simple pics showing the difference between Mk1 & Mk2 manifolds/headers so one can easily identify?

Just replaced mine fully expecting them to be Mk1's but the (only!!) code on each says "EM-WUC 131E-R and L" which looking at others for sale and a google search appear to be Mk2's??

Can't find a Ferrari 7 number part code beginning 21 for Mk1 or 24 for Mk2's anywhere on my old manifolds?

I just want to be sure exactly what they are and whether they are actually broken?

I did have all the indicators, noise on startup, ticking etc, visually I can see the heat marks/discolouring on the shield and some of the fibre coming out the sensor holes, despite all this I want to make absolutely sure beyond all doubt so I will remove the heat shields asap?

[dvb247]

I've now got my AP Racing manifolds on, so I guess my engine is safe from the dreaded OEM precat debris at least, my first thoughts are that they are much louder than stock, only driven a short distance but that is my initial first impression, I will have a couple of runs out in the coming weeks to see how I feel about them, it may be that because my car is a spider the noise is more noticeable, on my short journey I did go through the Manchester airport tunnels with the roof down, to say it sounded like armageddon is an understatement.
Would really like to compare the Challenge OEM sound level to the AP Racing manifolds and I'm interested in any thoughts regarding their opinion on AP Racing manifolds?
I have booked the FOC Oulton Park track day and I'm concerned that I will now fail the 105db test lol

[dvb247]

You don't need to unplug the exhaust valve vacuum with these manifolds trust me, it would be unbearable !!

[dvb247]

There are several indictors, cold start noise, fibre being push out of sensor holes, and discolouration of the OEM manifold heat shield, the ONLY way to be sure is to remove them, grind of the heat shield and physically look for cracks, people have mentioned smoke test but I haven't come across anyone willing to do this job or guarantee that they are okay or not following the smoke test, potentially as soon as you drive away having been passed your manifolds could crack, it's a known weakness, they will fail at some point and for me I didn't want to be forced into purchasing a new engine, peace of mine I now have is worth the cost.

steelej said:

Why are fibres coming out the sensor holes a indicator of failure? I have fibres at my sensor holes in both of my manifolds but I think they've always been like that although I can't be sure.

Mine are MKII and I have capristo brackets.

John.

[dvb247]

I'm going to start a new topic, but this thread is fairly active so I thought I'd update you all here first with my AP Racing manifolds story so far.

A cautionary tail !!
I've just come back from a UK Ferrari Owners Club, Oulton Park track day, lots of Ferrari's as you'd imagine, race/track/road cars all in attendance, yet who had the loudest exhaust, yep, me!! black flagged within 10 mins.

If you buy AP Racing manifolds you WILL find they're way to loud for track days, I got a reading today of 107.5db on track, the limit was 92db, my iPhone videos bring home the difference to all other Ferrari's out there and now I'm at a loss as to what to do to sort it out.

I've been told all decat manifolds sound the same, LOUD!!!, is this the case?? if I bought a Capristo would that stop me going on all UK track days with the standard UK wide 105db static limit?? this seems an utterly ridiculous issue to be having and some advice is required from any and all in the know?? I know several owners who are going down the AP Racing exhaust route without the knowledge they need so I hope this thread can help owners make the right decision for them.

I am going to have a few choice words with Vivid Racing in the coming days, I'll let everyone know what they say,

MY NEXT QUESTION IS, WHAT CAN I DO TO REDUCE THE NOISE? WHY IS MY CAR NOW LOUDER THAN LEGITIMATE FERRARI RACE CARS, LET ALONE EVERY SINGLE FERRARI MODEL ON TRACK TODAY?? IF NO AWSWER THEN MY ADVICE TO ALL IS STAY WITH OEM STOCK MKII'S, IT'S REALLY NOT WORTH USING ANY AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT, YOU'LL FIND MINE ON EBAY AS SOON AS I HAVE THE MONEY TO GET RID OF THEM!!!!!!!!

[dvb247]

Yes I'm sure the stock would be well under the static 105db and on track 92db

Russell996 said:

Is a stock F430 able to meet a 92db limit? (Is that the correct figure?)
I have a complete Capristo system on my 16M for the road and an ffcorse track day muffler for track days - but even that is 102db while the Capristo is simply offensive.

Edited by Russell996 on Wednesday 22 July 00:27

[dvb247]

I'd be interested in your Mk2's, I believe Ferrari had an offer on recently for a pair of Mk2's for £1100 but I doubt its still on now!!

Lee-0r5hq said:

I have just fitted the capristo bracket.

If you don't want the car loud you could fit one of the remote valve controllers and run it closed, wouldn't help performance. You can also modify the valves to be only partially open.

I have a brand new set of capristo manifolds that Im not going to be fitting if anyones interested. Also I will be taking off a set of used OEM mk2 manifolds with under 3k miles on them.

[dvb247]

Yes I could avoid track days but we are missing the point, my car is now louder than everything else on track, that has to be wrong? all these race cars can't be standard exhausts?

There must be a way to get stock sound and volume without the OEM manifolds? ANY IDEAS?????