Hot floors and exhaust wrap
08-11-2015, 04:54 PM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
Hot floors and exhaust wrap
I've done a search for posts discussing wrapping the exhaust pipes with header wrap but find nothing. Hard to believe it's not been tried so I'll ask the question here: Why not wrap the exhaust system to keep the heat in it and not in the adjacent bodywork? Are clearances the problem? Being a new owner, I haven't yet had a good look at the underbody of a C6.
Pilgrim
Pilgrim
08-11-2015, 05:53 PM
#3
Race Car Tech
There are many negative articles on the net regarding wrapping headers, and exhaust components. According to the articles, exhaust wrap tends to make the exhaust headers and pipes rust out faster, and crumble due to the lack of heat dissipation from surrounding air flows. Wrap also acts as a wick for water, oil, and other contaminates to adhere to.
I know in the older cars of yesteryear, wrapping was known as Wicks, because they would catch oil leaks, smoked when they got hot, and some even caught fire.
The purpose of a wrap is to protect the surrounding areas from extreme heat from headers and exhaust pipes.
There is a reason why Header Manufacturers DONT WARRANTY their headers if a wrap is installed on them.
Check out the web on wrapping articles, and then you can make your own decision as to how to proceed.
I know in the older cars of yesteryear, wrapping was known as Wicks, because they would catch oil leaks, smoked when they got hot, and some even caught fire.
The purpose of a wrap is to protect the surrounding areas from extreme heat from headers and exhaust pipes.
There is a reason why Header Manufacturers DONT WARRANTY their headers if a wrap is installed on them.
Check out the web on wrapping articles, and then you can make your own decision as to how to proceed.
08-11-2015, 06:27 PM
#4
Instructor
Thread Starter
Nope, no cooking smell, Manny, but as many here know, the console will heat a metal object in the bottom to the point of being uncomfortable to hold, and one does not want to drive a long way home with heat-sensitive groceries in the back end.
I know there are products to insulate the floors, and I may turn to them, but if possible, I'd rather keep the heat out of the body entirely.
LV, thanks for the response. I'm familiar with some of the wrapping problems from my Harley days. I never did it but I had friends who did (especially with the Twin Cam engine and heat from the rear pipe) and discovered some of the problems you note. That being said, all the exhausts that I knew of were chrome over mild steel and were thus badly subject to rust. I read somewhere that the Corvette exhaust is stainless steel and hoped that perhaps it would resist corrosion and rust. I'll do some Internet research; so far my efforts were focused here.
Side Note: I'm lead to believe there is a performance benefit to be had from wrapped exhausts (as well as interior ceramic coating), or at least there used to be in the days of less well-developed IC engineering. Keeping heat in the exhaust system maintains a higher exhaust velocity with a consequent increase in cylinder scavenging but I'm not pursuing that in this case. Anyway, if the cam is not ground to take advantage of the effect it's probably wasted effort.
Pilgrim
I know there are products to insulate the floors, and I may turn to them, but if possible, I'd rather keep the heat out of the body entirely.
LV, thanks for the response. I'm familiar with some of the wrapping problems from my Harley days. I never did it but I had friends who did (especially with the Twin Cam engine and heat from the rear pipe) and discovered some of the problems you note. That being said, all the exhausts that I knew of were chrome over mild steel and were thus badly subject to rust. I read somewhere that the Corvette exhaust is stainless steel and hoped that perhaps it would resist corrosion and rust. I'll do some Internet research; so far my efforts were focused here.
Side Note: I'm lead to believe there is a performance benefit to be had from wrapped exhausts (as well as interior ceramic coating), or at least there used to be in the days of less well-developed IC engineering. Keeping heat in the exhaust system maintains a higher exhaust velocity with a consequent increase in cylinder scavenging but I'm not pursuing that in this case. Anyway, if the cam is not ground to take advantage of the effect it's probably wasted effort.
Pilgrim
08-12-2015, 06:46 AM
#5
Safety Car
There are lots of threads about this, here' a couple to get you started 
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...highlight=heat
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...highlight=heat
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...highlight=heat
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...highlight=heat