I agree I think its your straps that go around the muffler also, as its pretty straight forward. Make sure oxygen sensor wires are upluged and out of their clips so you can lower it once all the bolts are loose, their are 2 on each side. Then the 8 bolts that go to the turbo's with 1 small green bolt holding heat shields in place on the side so 10 in total. Then the last thing is get some good lighting and slide the clamps off the center bracket that holds them and it will still feel tight but you just have to pull real hard and down it comes! I did one yesterday.

 

The straps go around a bracket on the engine, you have to shift them laterally to get them off.

 

I take some pictures on Monday evening. However, I am 99 percent certain at this point that it is the straps and they have to be pulled. The muffler is too loose for a hard connection.

By the way, if Vwnkatreddyts is still on board, how does he use his F430? I almost traded the Turbo for a new F430 but I use the TT daily (about 7,000 miles p/year) and with the nearest dealer almost 90 miles away, got scared away about reliability. I know the Ferrari will take a beating with mileage on resale but if it is reliable, I'll worry about it five years down the road.

 

The straps don't have to be pulled, just shine a light up behind the muffler and you will the tabs that the straps slide over, all you have to do is take a screwdriver and push the strap out past the tab and under it and instead of over it and it will be loose enough to pull out.

 

Old Man

On the subject of taking out the bolts that are behind the bracket that go into the engine case "This is what my installer had to do to get the muffler off" as my muffler was loose and would not come out. I am not stating that this had to be done, but what had to be done to get the darn thing off. I have yet to read a thread where someone else had to do that.

On the subject of F430, I drive it more then most F car owners who polish and wax them.
I drive it to work once/twice a week weather permitting.

It has been very reliable not one unscheduled service needed so far, I am told it is the most reliable Ferrari to date. It is a blast to drive the F1 is soooo good.

 

Ran out of the office at 5 PM, changed clothes and went to the garage.

Evidently, the problem was the straps. It is nearly impossible to see (perhaps possible if on a lift but not on the ground), the straps wrap behind the bracket and must be moved laterally to the outside of the car (left & right respectively).

On paper, it appears to be nothing of a job but I have perhaps 5 hours into it and many more hours of frustration plus two bloody knuckles.

Tomorrow night the headers come off and hopefully the new ones go on. Target is to get the car running by the weekend.

Again, thanks to everybody.

 

Good luck!

 

damn that stinks, sorry to hear your having so much trouble with it, its kind of a pain because like you said you cant see where and how those annoying straps attach to the mufflers as well and more importantly to that engine bracket they attach to. Good luck and hope your car screams by the end of the weekend.

 

how did the maxspeed exhaust work out for you. I am eager to hear the end of the story. Can you give us a report. thanks

2008 997 tt tip cab red/beige pccb 20" chrome - otherwise stock

 

It turns out that the system is everything I wanted. The sound is a little deeper but not at all like a small block with a roller cam (from the late 1960s). The fit is perfect without any modification whatsoever and Nello walked me through every step once we figured out that the straps were holding the original muffler. I decided to use the original tips to keep the appearance OEM. Besides for the sound, I believe four things are apparent (1) power is more instantaneous, (2) the engine feels smoother - more like a big V8 than a turbo 6 (3) you can feel the extra power (a lot of people have written that they could not feel any increase with other system) and believe the low end torque is up.

 

I'm very familiar with a small block and a roller cam..........

 

So am I - from a long time ago. Today, I'd rather be pushed back into the seat when accelerating, stab the breaks hard before going into a turn and than be pushed against the seat bolsters (the sport seats are great) while accelerating out of the turn - all with the stereo playing oldies and the air conditioner keeping it cool (we live in Florida).