Has anyone out there wraped their exhaust and or header with exhaust wrap on a race car. Are there any gains? Anyone had stress cracks form on the headers?

or is there any better way to keep the temperature down in the engine bay?

 

If you want a cheap & easier way - wrap your intake to avoid heat-soak. It's not quite as effective, but if you've ever tried to wrap your headers, you'll find it's a royal PITA. Unless I was competitively racing, I wouldn't even consider the header wrap.

.02

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BudMan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If you want a cheap & easier way - wrap your intake to avoid heat-soak. It's not quite as effective, but if you've ever tried to wrap your headers, you'll find it's a royal PITA. Unless I was competitively racing, I wouldn't even consider the header wrap.

.02</TD></TR></TABLE>

hahahahah true

 

I wrapped my header it works great

yes it was the most royal PITA

try c & R gold reflective film

http://www.crracing.com/

 

That gold reflective film stuff was all over the Rolex Prototype cars at VIR a couple months ago. Can you tell me more about it? Like how thick is it, is it adhesive-backed, etc. Looks like it could be worthwhile for protecting balljoints and wrapping the intake, among other stuff I'm sure.

 

it reflects radiant heat keeping it away from electronics the firewall ect. It has a continous heat rating of 450 degrees it says which is to low for anything other than stainless header IT to have a comfortable saftery margin.

This stuff works wonders and was used extensively in the Mclaren F1

U would bot use wrap as I've it claim a couple of exhaust manifolds especially where it overlaps.

Now I either used BBQ paint or if it was really important there is a shop in OC that does incredible surface coatings.

 

U would bot use wrap as I've it claim a couple of exhaust manifolds especially where it overlaps.

OK, I give up. I've read this sentence 4 times and I still don't know what it means.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Mohudsolo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

U would bot use wrap as I've it claim a couple of exhaust manifolds especially where it overlaps.

OK, I give up. I've read this sentence 4 times and I still don't know what it means.</TD></TR></TABLE>

=I would not use wrap as I've had it claim a couple of exhaust manifolds especially where it overlaps.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Mohudsolo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">OK, I give up. I've read this sentence 4 times and I still don't know what it means.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thanks for the translation jsi, but man...I was thinking the exact same thing

 

The problem with header wrap on steel headers is that moisture gets
trapped between the header and the pipe causing rapid rusting. Best
way to reduce underhood temps and gain performance is aluminum/
ceramic coating. I have been in that buisness for 10 years with different
companies and the best yet is Diversified Finishers in Statesville, NC.
Ask for Jinx (longtime Honda racer). 704-878-2912

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by gjsolo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The problem with header wrap on steel headers is that moisture gets
trapped between the header and the pipe causing rapid rusting. </TD></TR></TABLE>

ive not ever seen this problem, but heard it regurgitated many times over the internet. i can speak for my wrapped header that it was fine when the wrap was taken off (some bums tried to steel it and destroyed the wrap).

 

Rather than wrap the whole header I've used it to cover portions that are too close to something else, ie: wiring to the driver's side cooling fan and where the header wraps under the driver's side axle. It stopped melting the insulation off the wires and the inner axle joint seemed cooler after track sessions. This was on a ceramic coated DC header. I did not notice any rust issues under the wrap, but it was only partial wrapping, and the ceramic coating does a decent job of resisting rust anyway.

 

Which reminds me I need to rewrap my header. Little accident with a jack going through my condenser and part of the header wrap.

But couple of people I talked to before I wrapped my header was prepping the header correctly. I sprayed high temp paint on the header itself. Then wrapped (I actually didn't think it was too bad). Let the wrap dry overnight, install on car, and let the car idle for 20-30 minutes. And watch smoke form Take off header and respray with some more high temp paint to prevent water from getting in between the wrap.

I've so far haven't had any problems with leaks, and I'm curious (since I have to rewrap it) if any problems are underneath.

 

I've heard this "it traps moisture" thing a bunch too. What I don't understand is how it doesn't just instantly vaporize. A header gets...pretty hot.

 

be sure to let us know so we can kill the header wrap myth.

 

I've had header wrap on my daily driver since 1999, with never a lick of rust. 5 years of that time was spent in an area with nearly 60 inches annual rainfall (east TX). Maybe the fact that my car is daily driven helps keep the rust away. Similar to the fact that you can see rust on your brake rotors in less than 12 hours, but when used on a regular basis, there isn't any damage.

The thing I like best about header wrap is the amazing insulation properties. No coating comes close. I can drive my car for an hour and there about the same amount of heat coming of the manifold (turbo manifold...) as the radator hoses. I can even touch it (briefly) with the motor still running. Try that with a coating and you'll leave at least one layer of skin behind... I also experimented with a remote sensor thermometer, and recorded under hood temps 25 degrees cooler. My wiring harness likes that.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by krshultz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I've heard this "it traps moisture" thing a bunch too. What I don't understand is how it doesn't just instantly vaporize. A header gets...pretty hot.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I would think the problem of moisture would come into effect once the header cooled off (after you turn the car off). The cooling of the header would cause condensation to form in the air pockets between the header and the wrap. I'll bet your car spends more time off than on...

 

that doesnt even make scientific sense. if you wanna talk strictly cooling off transition period, condensation is not going to occur because its already been dried off. so wheres the moisture going to come from? dont confuse it with condensation on a soda can or a morning dew.

condensation occurs at night due to radiation from the surface to an open space being considerably lower temperature (outer atmostphere/space). notice condensation never occurs inside your garage or under a shelter with the same moisture/pressure conditions.

 

Ahhhhhh...