Ceramic Headers vs Wrapped?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,881
Likes: 9
From: staten island ny
Ceramic Headers vs Wrapped?
Whats better, ceramic coated headers or those that are wrapped. What lasts longer? I know which looks better. If you bottom out with wrapped headers and the wrap gets torn or damaged will it unravel? How expensive is it to wrap a set? ANy better brand of wrap?
ESU
ESU
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 9,993
Likes: 1,136
From: League City Tx
Wrapping your headers will CERTAINLY rust them out in no time. Ask me how I know. I even had a stainless steel header on one of my bikes rust due to wrap.
Get ceramic coated for sure.
Get ceramic coated for sure.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 2
From: Meriden CT
Depends what your looking for. Wrap works great for reducing underhood temps, but you run the risk of premature failure of the headers. They will retain moisture and rot quickly.
As for dragging the header, anytime I've made contact with speed bumps, its just the header flange that hits, so, in this case, the wrap would not be damaged. Now, if you take a real good whack, and hit the collector, yes, you could tear your fresh wrap job.
Ceramic will look nice for a long time, but underhood temps will be much higher. I was planning on wrapping mine, but installed my ceramic headers last night without doing so... I really wanted to reduce the temps under my hood.... but said F it. Wraping them is a PITA.
As for dragging the header, anytime I've made contact with speed bumps, its just the header flange that hits, so, in this case, the wrap would not be damaged. Now, if you take a real good whack, and hit the collector, yes, you could tear your fresh wrap job.
Ceramic will look nice for a long time, but underhood temps will be much higher. I was planning on wrapping mine, but installed my ceramic headers last night without doing so... I really wanted to reduce the temps under my hood.... but said F it. Wraping them is a PITA.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,028
Likes: 2
From: North NJ
Some will argue that even though the wraps collect moisture once the engine is running the wraps will dry right out. But once you shut the car off the wraps will collect moisture once again due to condensation.
I've used wrapped headers before and they do rust much quicker, I now have ceramic coated headers but haven't run them yet to see the heat diff.
If heat is your main concern and you don't mind buying new headers every few years then wrap them.
If you want longgevity then go ceramic...but make sure the coating gets done at a very good place!
I've used wrapped headers before and they do rust much quicker, I now have ceramic coated headers but haven't run them yet to see the heat diff.
If heat is your main concern and you don't mind buying new headers every few years then wrap them.
If you want longgevity then go ceramic...but make sure the coating gets done at a very good place!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,881
Likes: 9
From: staten island ny
Some will argue that even though the wraps collect moisture once the engine is running the wraps will dry right out. But once you shut the car off the wraps will collect moisture once again due to condensation.
I've used wrapped headers before and they do rust much quicker, I now have ceramic coated headers but haven't run them yet to see the heat diff.
If heat is your main concern and you don't mind buying new headers every few years then wrap them.
If you want longgevity then go ceramic...but make sure the coating gets done at a very good place!
I've used wrapped headers before and they do rust much quicker, I now have ceramic coated headers but haven't run them yet to see the heat diff.
If heat is your main concern and you don't mind buying new headers every few years then wrap them.
If you want longgevity then go ceramic...but make sure the coating gets done at a very good place!
ESU
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 310
Likes: 0
From: Oak Park IL
Jet hot baby
www.jet-hot.com I am running jet-hot headers and pipes they run cooler and will not burnout as quickley as ceramic at least that is their claim and what I've read in other forms. You can order new headers from them directly or send yours to them to coat.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 313
Likes: 0
From: Fairfield PA
I have recently wrapped my Hooker Super Comp. It doesn't look that great and I have heard the headers rust faster but I got them cheap so who cares. But it drastically reduced under the temp.
OFF TOPIC: How are your digital gauges working. Within the next week or two I am getting started installing mine.
OFF TOPIC: How are your digital gauges working. Within the next week or two I am getting started installing mine.
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Drifting
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,438
Likes: 3
From: Florissant MO
Bought myself a set of Dynomax Ceramic Coated headers for Christmas. Haven't put them on yet, but they look good.
I had a set on my 67 Camaro's 327 and they lasted for three years without discoloring. I then sold the 67.
I had a set on my 67 Camaro's 327 and they lasted for three years without discoloring. I then sold the 67.
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,629
Likes: 4
From: Somers CT
I'd go with the ceramics for sure, whatever brand you choose you'll notice a real good reduction in under the hood temps. I bought a set of Flowtech's last year and ran them all summer, they're excellent. Bolted right up easily and I believe the flanges may be slightly thicker than Dynomax. Can't verify that, someone told me.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 6,798
Likes: 25
From: Pine Bluff Arkansas
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-‘19-'20-'21
If I ever do it again..they will be coated. I have a set of Hedman, that I wrapped about 3 years ago....no problems yet. I quess it's about time to cross my fingers, tho.
Larry
Larry
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,881
Likes: 9
From: staten island ny
I have recently wrapped my Hooker Super Comp. It doesn't look that great and I have heard the headers rust faster but I got them cheap so who cares. But it drastically reduced under the temp.
OFF TOPIC: How are your digital gauges working. Within the next week or two I am getting started installing mine.
OFF TOPIC: How are your digital gauges working. Within the next week or two I am getting started installing mine.
ESU
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,008
Likes: 38
From: Space Coast Gator Territory
If you are buying new headers buy the jet-hot coated ones for sure. I just wrapped the entire exhaust on my 79 and they came out looking fine, but don't know how long they will look that way. The headers were old ceramic coated units that looked OK, but there was way too much interior heat and I was having vapor lock problems in slow traffic. With the wrap it is much cooler inside. I bought my wrap from Advanced Auto on sale for $42.98 a 50' roll x 2". It took five rolls to cover everything back to the mufflers and my balance tube. Everything was already painted with VHT silver. I did it with everything on the car, I love to punish myself! It is cost effective to just buy the coated headers, but I didn't have the time to do the work right now and then the exhaust would require modification to fit because of the balance tube. BTW...I found that harbor Freight has s/s tie wraps for $4.98 a bag of 25 or so. There is a technique to getting them to stay tight, but they worked for me. Here are some pics. The pics were taken after about 100 miles were put on the meter.
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Last edited by Red 69; Jan 10, 2007 at 03:57 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 9,993
Likes: 1,136
From: League City Tx
Condensation from the pipes heating up and cooling down. Plus humidity in the air.
I am telling you I F'd up two bike headers and a set of car headers. One of the bike headers were stainless and I thought for sure it wouldnt rust....WRONG.
ALSO the wrap still gets VERY hot also. Hot enough to melt plastics on a bike. I wrapped the bike headers to reduce heat in the radiator and plastic bodywork but the lack of clearance due to the thick double wrapping actually melted the plastic worse. That header wrap is junk, its a joke. It looks like $hit flat out and it will rust yours pipes out, not to mention look like a ratty tampon within 6 months.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,876
Likes: 1
From: Jersey Shore Exit 98
Cory, did you fix the heating problem yet? I was talking to FBI Bob. I told him about the "stuff" all around your radiator. Bobo agrees w/me that you should take all that crap out of there it keeping heat in. Chg the thermostat to a 180 and add the below 40* to a 50/50 mix of good antifreeze. If your still running hot your water pump may need to be replaced. Check the clutch fan while your chging the w-pump.
Jim
Jim
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,881
Likes: 9
From: staten island ny
Cory, did you fix the heating problem yet? I was talking to FBI Bob. I told him about the "stuff" all around your radiator. Bobo agrees w/me that you should take all that crap out of there it keeping heat in. Chg the thermostat to a 180 and add the below 40* to a 50/50 mix of good antifreeze. If your still running hot your water pump may need to be replaced. Check the clutch fan while your chging the w-pump.
Jim
Jim
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,441
Likes: 0
Condensation from the pipes heating up and cooling down. Plus humidity in the air.
I am telling you I F'd up two bike headers and a set of car headers. One of the bike headers were stainless and I thought for sure it wouldnt rust....WRONG.
ALSO the wrap still gets VERY hot also. Hot enough to melt plastics on a bike. I wrapped the bike headers to reduce heat in the radiator and plastic bodywork but the lack of clearance due to the thick double wrapping actually melted the plastic worse. That header wrap is junk, its a joke. It looks like $hit flat out and it will rust yours pipes out, not to mention look like a ratty tampon within 6 months.
I am telling you I F'd up two bike headers and a set of car headers. One of the bike headers were stainless and I thought for sure it wouldnt rust....WRONG.
ALSO the wrap still gets VERY hot also. Hot enough to melt plastics on a bike. I wrapped the bike headers to reduce heat in the radiator and plastic bodywork but the lack of clearance due to the thick double wrapping actually melted the plastic worse. That header wrap is junk, its a joke. It looks like $hit flat out and it will rust yours pipes out, not to mention look like a ratty tampon within 6 months.
