Exhaust Wrap
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 28
Likes: 2
From: Phoenix AZ
Exhaust Wrap
I have always been curious on exhaust wrap. I never thought I might need to use it, but I decided to get more information on it; starting with the basics:
1. What is it's main purpose?
2. Is it necessary?
3. Can it only be used on exhaust headers?
4. Can it be used on exhaust pipes?
5. What would happen if I were to wrap my whole exhaust pipe, from cats to tips, with it?
Thanks guys,
Ray.
1. What is it's main purpose?
2. Is it necessary?
3. Can it only be used on exhaust headers?
4. Can it be used on exhaust pipes?
5. What would happen if I were to wrap my whole exhaust pipe, from cats to tips, with it?
Thanks guys,
Ray.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 6,314
Likes: 508
From: South-central Missouri
I have always been curious on exhaust wrap. I never thought I might need to use it, but I decided to get more information on it; starting with the basics:
1. What is it's main purpose?
2. Is it necessary?
3. Can it only be used on exhaust headers?
4. Can it be used on exhaust pipes?
5. What would happen if I were to wrap my whole exhaust pipe, from cats to tips, with it?
Thanks guys,
Ray.
1. What is it's main purpose?
2. Is it necessary?
3. Can it only be used on exhaust headers?
4. Can it be used on exhaust pipes?
5. What would happen if I were to wrap my whole exhaust pipe, from cats to tips, with it?
Thanks guys,
Ray.
Some say exhaust velocity is assisted by way of sustaining more of the heat in the exhaust gasses. (Technically is true, but to what significant effect is debatable)
Some or all of the exhaust can be wrapped, I suppose.
Ceramic coatings are (more or less) as effective, and esthetically are much better.
Depending on air flow around them and proximity to floorboards, for example, either wrapping or coating the headers/exhaust tubing and/or installing some insulation between the exhaust system and the cabin will control the heat (and to a lesser extent, quiet the exhaust noise inside the cabin too).
To each his own. I have uninsulated headers now and on many cars in the past. With exception of some barrier insulation shielding between the pipes and the foot-well, I've never felt the need to insulate the headers.
FWIW, Paul.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,783
Likes: 15
From: Northern California
Generally, Exhaust Wrap is used to keep heat in the exhaust and out of the engine bay. It is also, used for looks on exposed exhaust parts such as on motorcycle engines.
.
Last edited by GKK; Nov 17, 2014 at 09:36 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,054
Likes: 120
From: AZ
Having had my first header set wrapped, on the stock L83, I witnessed:
1- there was a seat-of-the-pants changed, due, I surmise due to improved thermal efficiency (scavenging).
2- while residing in a quite corrosion-free climate, I also used the ThermoTech wrap paint which is not easily sourced, while the wrap is. This eliminated the water soaking issue, increased the life of the wrap and its adhesion. I found it at an aircraft supply store, and it's not cheap.
3- I greatly prefer ceramic coating, for appearance, clearance of header bolts and overall ease of installation. I'll never install headers without it. The wrap is intended to keep contain the heat, improving the efficiency, as above, but may not look great long term.
Using it further back in the system may help reduce cabin heat but I'd expect little performance gain.
1- there was a seat-of-the-pants changed, due, I surmise due to improved thermal efficiency (scavenging).
2- while residing in a quite corrosion-free climate, I also used the ThermoTech wrap paint which is not easily sourced, while the wrap is. This eliminated the water soaking issue, increased the life of the wrap and its adhesion. I found it at an aircraft supply store, and it's not cheap.
3- I greatly prefer ceramic coating, for appearance, clearance of header bolts and overall ease of installation. I'll never install headers without it. The wrap is intended to keep contain the heat, improving the efficiency, as above, but may not look great long term.
Using it further back in the system may help reduce cabin heat but I'd expect little performance gain.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 28
Likes: 2
From: Phoenix AZ
Cheap/quick DIY insulation mainly against heat transfer/radiation, and too can provide some sound deadening (muffling).
Some say exhaust velocity is assisted by way of sustaining more of the heat in the exhaust gasses. (Technically is true, but to what significant effect is debatable)
Some or all of the exhaust can be wrapped, I suppose.
Ceramic coatings are (more or less) as effective, and esthetically are much better.
Depending on air flow around them and proximity to floorboards, for example, either wrapping or coating the headers/exhaust tubing and/or installing some insulation between the exhaust system and the cabin will control the heat (and to a lesser extent, quiet the exhaust noise inside the cabin too).
To each his own. I have uninsulated headers now and on many cars in the past. With exception of some barrier insulation shielding between the pipes and the foot-well, I've never felt the need to insulate the headers.
FWIW, Paul.
Some say exhaust velocity is assisted by way of sustaining more of the heat in the exhaust gasses. (Technically is true, but to what significant effect is debatable)
Some or all of the exhaust can be wrapped, I suppose.
Ceramic coatings are (more or less) as effective, and esthetically are much better.
Depending on air flow around them and proximity to floorboards, for example, either wrapping or coating the headers/exhaust tubing and/or installing some insulation between the exhaust system and the cabin will control the heat (and to a lesser extent, quiet the exhaust noise inside the cabin too).
To each his own. I have uninsulated headers now and on many cars in the past. With exception of some barrier insulation shielding between the pipes and the foot-well, I've never felt the need to insulate the headers.
FWIW, Paul.
Thank you,
Ray!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,482
Likes: 196
From: folsom california
I had very good luck with header wrap; only difference, instead of using water to soak the wrap during installation, I soaked the wrap with repeated applications of high temperature exhaust paint; very nice; very waterproof. Temps went down from not being able to hold your hand near the exhaust to actually being able to briefly touch the exhaust (huge difference)
On my corvette I used an insulating blanket that covers the top half of the exhaust pipe and is held on with worm clamps and when properly installed, allows some air space between the pipe and the blanket. My main reason was to provide some insulation / heat protection for the rear fiberglass spring.
On my corvette I used an insulating blanket that covers the top half of the exhaust pipe and is held on with worm clamps and when properly installed, allows some air space between the pipe and the blanket. My main reason was to provide some insulation / heat protection for the rear fiberglass spring.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,752
Likes: 276
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Hi
Yes you can wrap your headers with the exhaust wrap, however i advise against it.
Here is my experience, new headers a couple of years ago, was the plain painted type. The heat was shocking in the engine bay and floor of the cabin, i spent a lot on header wrap and wrapped the headers to the CAT. I would not recommend wrapping around the cat...
After a year and a half i started getting some leaks in the headers, i had to put patches on because the headers had gotten real thin due to the extreme heat it just destroys the headers.
Six months later they were trash i could poke holes in the headers with my fingers.
Now another new set of headers...$$$....
Beautiful shiny Hedman HTC coated headers, will see how long they last.
My vette is not standard, being supercharged so there is more heat than standard. It is common knowlege that header wrap really shortens the life of the headers.
It was nice and cool in the engine bay and cabin floor.
Yes you can wrap your headers with the exhaust wrap, however i advise against it.
Here is my experience, new headers a couple of years ago, was the plain painted type. The heat was shocking in the engine bay and floor of the cabin, i spent a lot on header wrap and wrapped the headers to the CAT. I would not recommend wrapping around the cat...
After a year and a half i started getting some leaks in the headers, i had to put patches on because the headers had gotten real thin due to the extreme heat it just destroys the headers.
Six months later they were trash i could poke holes in the headers with my fingers.
Now another new set of headers...$$$....
Beautiful shiny Hedman HTC coated headers, will see how long they last.
My vette is not standard, being supercharged so there is more heat than standard. It is common knowlege that header wrap really shortens the life of the headers.
It was nice and cool in the engine bay and cabin floor.
Last edited by gerardvg; Nov 17, 2014 at 09:06 PM.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 28
Likes: 2
From: Phoenix AZ
Hi
Yes you can wrap your headers with the exhaust wrap, however i advise against it.
Here is my experience, new headers a couple of years ago, was the plain painted type. The heat was shocking in the engine bay and floor of the cabin, i spent a lot on header wrap and wrapped the headers to the CAT. I would not recommend wrapping around the cat...
After a year and a half i started getting some leaks in the headers, i had to put patches on because the headers had gotten real thin due to the extreme heat it just destroys the headers.
Six months later they were trash i could poke holes in the headers with my fingers.
Now another new set of headers...$$$....
Beautiful shiny Hedman HTC coated headers, will see how long they last.
My vette is not standard, being supercharged so there is more heat than standard. It is common knowlege that header wrap really shortens the life of the headers.
It was nice and cool in the engine bay and cabin floor.
Yes you can wrap your headers with the exhaust wrap, however i advise against it.
Here is my experience, new headers a couple of years ago, was the plain painted type. The heat was shocking in the engine bay and floor of the cabin, i spent a lot on header wrap and wrapped the headers to the CAT. I would not recommend wrapping around the cat...
After a year and a half i started getting some leaks in the headers, i had to put patches on because the headers had gotten real thin due to the extreme heat it just destroys the headers.
Six months later they were trash i could poke holes in the headers with my fingers.
Now another new set of headers...$$$....
Beautiful shiny Hedman HTC coated headers, will see how long they last.
My vette is not standard, being supercharged so there is more heat than standard. It is common knowlege that header wrap really shortens the life of the headers.
It was nice and cool in the engine bay and cabin floor.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/he...make/chevrolet
Thanks man,
Ray!
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 9,758
Likes: 49
From: Houston Texas
So with these specific headers, are they specifically made to fit a 1993 Corvette? Because I tried googling and searching for these but they say they only fit Caprice's. There is the option of them to fit 350 small blocks, which is what I have obviously haha, but I'm afraid that they won't fit my specific LT1 because I know not much about headers and whether general headers can fit in engine bays perfectly. I know that headers that fit 350 small blocks will fit, yeah. But wouldn't there be other factors that would get in the way? Like what if I were to buy those headers that say are made to fit a LT1 Caprice, wouldnt other parts around my LT1 Corvette engine bay get in the way because they're not made for the car? I don't know if you know what I'm trying to say lol. Like would these headers fit in perfect on my LT1 Corvette even though they don't mention it fitting an LT1 Corvette but an LT1 engine such as the Caprice's?
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/he...make/chevrolet
Thanks man,
Ray!
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/he...make/chevrolet
Thanks man,
Ray!
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 34,988
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From: Riverside County Southern California
Co-winner 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
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I use it on my cat back systems. It was not enough to eliminate the heat from going thru the tunnel so I installed removable shields.
Like Paul said, it does helps to calm the drone (if you have magnaflow)down.
Like Paul said, it does helps to calm the drone (if you have magnaflow)down.