Having never used header wrap can someone who has tell me if this is any good? Thanks

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DEI-010127-2-x-50ft-Titanium-High-Temperature-Header-Manifold-Exhaust-Wrap-Roll-/380647289954?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item58a058b462&vxp=mtr#ht_5462wt_961

 

I used header wraps once on a previous vehicle, until I blew a coolant line and the wraps ignited when coolant got on them. Luckily someone nearby had a fire extinguisher.

 

 

Yeah that would be bad

 

Tony--

I used DEI wrap on my exhaust... Was a great product to work with... Don't know yet about longevity... Kind of scary about the coolant thing, though...

Rogman

 

I've got the exact same thing on order...

 

I had some large tube headers on a big block Chevelle. They didn't have any ceramic coating on them and the under hood heat was terrible. I wrapped the whole length of both headers. I then painted them in VHT flameproof silver paint.

The wrap works great for keeping the heat in the header and not the engine compartment. I can't say that I like the looks of it but it does what it is intended to do.

 

I know of at least 1 header manufacturer that strongly advises against using the stuff. Visit Stan's headers web page for their take on header wrap.
I went with ceramic coated headers myself.
This is copy and pasted from his FAQ page.
"Wrapping headers should not EVER be done. Wrapping headers will destroy them and there is no header manufacturer that will warrantee a wrapped header. The best way to keep anything from the heat is to wrap the part you want cooler, like starters or fuel lines. Another way is to have them "ceramic" coated. The engine compartment is made for "heat" and a cast iron manifold conducts more heat than a header does."

 

Mine are ceramic coated and I'm still being baked alive in mine! Screw them, I'm going to wrap it. I'd rather replace the set every three or four years, than be BBQ'd after an hour in the car. I think many of the problems people have with exhaust wrap is that they have the overlap way too 'overlapped'. DEI advises a 1/4" or 1/2", as more than that, holds too much heat in and changes the molecular properties of the metal.

As Street Rat said, they're ugly, but it works. That was my initial resistance, but now I'm plunging in.

 

I believe that

 

I have it on my dads big block Camaro, only where it is close to sensitive areas, works pretty well

 

It works great on Harley header pipes! it even changes the tone a little!

 

U.G.L.Y......but it works on my '34 Street-truck SBC daily driver...7 years....no problems....1/4" to 3/8" overlap.....no rust!

 

Thanks guys, I'm going to order that wrap and like F22 said, if I have to replace them every 3 or 4 years then so be it. Just can't take this baking while trying to enjoy my Vette!

 

How many of those did you order? Not sure how many feet I'll need.

 

They told me I'd need a 100 feet. Sounds about right, because you're not just running it length wise. 8 header tubes, wrapped around and around, all the way down and then up and around the collector, maybe. If I have excess, then I'll keep wrapping it beyond that.

PS: I ordered from Ebay the "stainless steel flat locking cable ties" 25 for $15 in the four inch lengths for the header tubes and longer ones (11") to go around the collector at the end (better too much, than too little, I say!).

 

Yeah I was thinking two as well. Thanks Will check on those cable ties too.

 

I'm curious, as very little of the header is actually under the car, are you going to wrap the exhaust pipe that actually runs under the floor pan? This would seem to be the place to really put it to use.

Has anyone put a digital temp gun to the header, before wrap then after? Just to see what the real temp difference is.

Have any of you insulated the fire wall and floor pan, looked for air leaks from the firewall, or otherwise addressed the heat transfer?

I went to DEI's website. Not only does it claim the header wrap can reduce underhood temps by 50% the claim is made that it will give your car more h.p. and better fuel economy to boot! Amazing. I find it interesting there are absolutely no charts, graphs, or supporting data to back the claim.

I'm really not saying it doesn't work somewhat, I'm sure it helps the thinner walled pipes in sound deadening, and I'm sure it does retain the heat of the metal pipe longer. Their claim.

Oh well, visit the website they have handy calculators for you to estimate exactly how much product you need, also complete kits with paint and metal ties.

Ok I'm putting on my dei titanium wrapped flame suit now so flame away!

 

Fair enough question. We covered this extensively in the 'Interior Heat' thread and really, it was inconclusive. There are those with headers and no heat problems, factory manifolds and they're baking, factory manifolds and no problems, it's all over the place!

I have a temp gun and I'm gonna test it, where the problem is, on my particular C3; the steering column support plate, that eminates a constant 148 degrees, right from the bottom of the steering column, where it enters the drivers footwell.

As far as fuel economy or that, I'm not sure either and I doubt it, but who knows, the thermal efficiency may be picked up a tiny bit, but I'm not going there. I'm only doing it to kill the gawdawful heat in my C3, that I suffer from!

As far as how well it works, one of my buds has been driving stock cars for over twenty years, has owned more vehicles, then I will in ten lifetimes and uses header wrap on his race car. If he tells me it works, then I'm gonna believe him. He's highly knowledgable as well and even constructs his own cars.

Oh, I've tried insulation, heat shields, space-age materials and nothing has worked yet. The only good thing that's worked, has been the hood grills and those are doing a really good job at getting rid of the heat, when the car is sitting there in the parking lot after a long run.