Hey guys, I'm just finishing up the SW LT with RT cats and I have some worries about how close some of the pipes are to the floorboard of the car and damage from heat. I'm toying with the idea of either wrapping the pipes with 2" header wrap from the collectors back or from cats back, or buying some more adhesive thermotec blanket to stick on the floor boards. I got a 1'X2' abdesive blanket already for the brake booster and a few other small things, but the floorboards are a larger area. I figure I could use the blanket where it is close and it would be about the same $ as wrap.
So, which should I do and are there issues with wrapping the cats? I'm sort of leaning towards the wrap because I feel the overall heat contianment would be better. Thoughts???

 

Not a bad idea. I've recently installed the SW LT headers, and the floorboards and center console area are now noticably warmer than before. Wish I'd thought of that before...

 

We have used a material called peel and seal that we picked up at the lumber yard. It is a plastic asphaltic based about a 1/4" thick with a aluminum backing that just sticks to anything that is cleaned. We have used it in several locations on the firewall and the interior floor of several vehicals and it seems to hold up quiet well! It is simular to the stuff you pick up at the high end sound stores put a hole lot cheaper, it is available in several different witdth's and easy to cut with a razor knife. WRO

 

What happens to the heat if you delete the cats? Would there still be any hot spots? I ordered mine coated so it doesnt matter. I was just curious.

Thanks

 

The Stainlessworks pipes with 2-1/2 collectors and 'Y'-pipe into
a single cat have NOT perceptibly raised under-floor temps on
my car.

What size collectors do you have and are the cats under the
composite foot box, or further rearward?

Have you read tjwong's thread about floor damage and cat
placement? He has a very nice Dr Gas 'X'-pipe and (edit: change
'rear' to read 'front') front mounted cat set-up that I think he has
made copies of for other members.

Any chance your tune is off and causing surplus fuel to be
burning in the cats?

As for wrap versus blanket material, I wonder whether cats
require surface area to shed heat - wrapping them might shorten
their life. Blanket fabric may present an issue as to getting it to
remain attached. Formed SS heat shields are a third option if
you have access to material, equipment and skill. Off-hand,
the blanket material seems like an easy, effective route to try
first.

For a method of determining how hot local spots get, seek out
the TempilStik type of heat sensitive crayon or Tempilaq° type
of heat sensitive paint. These change colour when heated
past their intended ceiling. The crayons are available from
welding supply vendors, the paint may be, too, but I've only
noticed it at Pegasus Auto Racing on line.

.

 

The 2 cats are under the composite floorboard, attaching directly to the header collectors. I am looking to avoid any heat issues now that the factory shielding is gone. I have some blanket thermotec on there now and will get some more as it seems like the easiest route and I havent seen cats wrapped before. My tune seems fine, nothing is overheating, just looking to aviod damage before it happens...

 

tjwong's threads

Results from a bad tuner

Adding LT Headers and relocating CATs BEWARE






.

 

BTW - you may be interested to hear about how some C4 cars
that served in Japan were fitted with thermocouples in the
vicinity of the cats. These were hooked to warning lights
mounted in the cockpit.

Here is a thread that mentions them
.

 

go with the heat shields & blankets, the heat wrap will burn from heat if oil gets on the wrap it goes up quickly. I used the blanlets near primary tubes & collectors where I could I then used a heat blanket before I installed new carpet. made a big difference. I have gone without it before floor & console gets real warm.