Don't use this stuff.

Sure, it reduces underhood temps, but where does all that heat that isn't dissapating under your hood go? Thats right, nowhere. It stays right there in the metal and destroys the header. Oh yeah, it also holds moisture when the car is parked. Moisture and steel... hmmmm... good mixture.

I just got the wrap off of the once super trick Delta Group header that came on my car. It is one year old and looks like I found it buried under a minivan in a junkyard. It also had several cracks in it (at the bends) that I had to get welded up. What once was a sweet piece of header is now a ridiculous piece of ****.
I'll keep using it until It either completely deteriorates or I just can't stand looking at it anymore (seriously, it looks like it has some sort of Exhaust Tube Eboli virus). Then I'll buy another one and not let header wrap get anywhere near it.

Header Wrap. Just Say "No"

 

Header Wrap - the best thing ever for the header business.

Bead blast and paint once a year and don't use as a motor mount, the header will last a long time.

 

header wrap on mild steal = bad

header wrap on stainless = good ****

 

I would think the heat is carried further down the exhaust path.

 

so its ok on stainless steel? anyone else agree

 

header wrap on intake header wrap on mild steel header

 

I guess it'd be OK on stainless. Might discolor it.

But I haven't seen many stainless headers in race applications. Kind of a waste of money.

 

Pretty much... SMSP is mild (offers coating), delta is mild (i'm sure could coat as well).. Mine's rusted, hell, who's isn't

 

Unless your header looks like *** in the first place. Then header wrap is a good way to hide it

Not that I've ever had this problem

 

Time for my annual plug for Jet-Hot (or the high quality ceramic coating of your choice). I have yet to encounter a down-side to this stuff. Had my MG's header coated 4 years ago and it still looks new, even on the inside. made a noticeable difference in underhood temps too, curing my vaporlock problems. I'm a big fan.

 

I agree, JetHot is the way to go.

that said, I just wrapped my header last night... It will have to do until I can get the part off the car and send it out for a real Ceramic coating.

I did run header wrap on my old crummy pacesetter header, it didn't seem to hurt it, even as a daliy driver in Michigan...
I think it only will trap moisture if you drive when it's wet out and put the car away wet.

Scott

 

Cracks are usually a result of the mounting constraints, the engine moves all around, and if the header isn't free to move with it, it usually fails at the bends or corners of the flanges.

The wrap does promote general oxidation.

 

yeah...but what if your header is old and "crappy" already...in this case would it be okay to use it?

 

If you pre-coat the header with some ceramic paint (as I did on my Accord), properly wrap it, and then seal with silicon spray, you shouldnt experience any of the fore-mentioned problems.

This was on a DC Sports SS header:

 

I sent mine off to HPC Coatings, works great, reduced the underhood temps quite a bit.

Austin

 

header wrap does its job. thats why its not considered snake oil.

It transfers the heat. Nobody ever said it was good for the headers!!! It just does its job.. Besides, nobody EVER said racing was cheap... @least nobody who knew what they were talking about

 

I dunno, the welds on a SS header are still as vulnerable a material as on a mild steel header, so the SS header Welds will show premature wear.... no thanks!

 

Wouldn't the header be hot enough to evaporate the water?

 

Water isn't the only thing that speeds oxidation on steel...high heat increases the speed at which rust forms too.

 

i run header wrap on my stainless header. works well for heat. if it cracks, i will unwrap it, fix the crack and rewrap it. works for me

 

as long as the flanges are stainless as well and the welds are quality there shouldnt be any problems. i had my greddy SS header wraped for the 45k miles i had the header and it looked the same when i pulled it off hte car as it did when i put it on

 

Anyone w/ long-term experience using a header coated with JetHot? I had it done to my brand new JDM 4-1 before it was installed about 1.5 years ago. Granted, my family truckster is not a race car, but the coating/finish looks the same today as when I put it on the car. Good stuff in my book.

 

http://www.mvpvolvo.com/frm_index.cfm?gear=3P3&tooth=7

I have that piece on my Volvo.. after several years and many miles the coating looks like crap and is flaking off.

 

Bringing this to the top.. I just wrapped my stock header with some header wrap. Did this because the stock metal shield rattled too much. I dont plan on keeping the header for more then a year.. I shouldnt have any problems right?

 

I wouldn't think so... we wrapped the headers on my brother's car. It's necessary, because his car generates enough underhood heat that it would cook all the wiring under the hood. We stopped melting stuff after wrapping the headers.