Header blankets vs wrap
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 30,856
Likes: 293
From: Boston, Dallas, Detroit, SoCal, back to Boston MA
Header blankets vs wrap
I really want to keep the heat down under the hood of my car with the blower install.
I am going to thermal wrap the headers, but not the way most do.
I want to do it this way
Not this way
http://www.streetperformance.com/pro...ompany_id=1043
That way there's less surface area exposed, and less places to trap things like oil.
I think if I do it right, I can also install/remove it while the headers are installed in case I need to work on anything.
Thoughts?
I am going to thermal wrap the headers, but not the way most do.
I want to do it this way
Not this way
http://www.streetperformance.com/pro...ompany_id=1043
That way there's less surface area exposed, and less places to trap things like oil.
I think if I do it right, I can also install/remove it while the headers are installed in case I need to work on anything.
Thoughts?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 2,029
Likes: 63
You do have some kind of heat blocking coating on the headers, right?
Can't say anything about the blanket but on the subject of keeping the heat down under hood: have you considered letting the heat out instead of trapping it inside the engine compartment? I mean louvers of some kind. Like the functional Greenwood hood louvers or something similar?
BTW. like you said you need to be able to remove the blanket easily as there is no access to plugs with it.
Can't say anything about the blanket but on the subject of keeping the heat down under hood: have you considered letting the heat out instead of trapping it inside the engine compartment? I mean louvers of some kind. Like the functional Greenwood hood louvers or something similar?
BTW. like you said you need to be able to remove the blanket easily as there is no access to plugs with it.
Last edited by ToniH; Dec 20, 2007 at 11:22 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
I would think a good coating would be sufficent, but being as boost creates more heat maybe the blanket idea would help. Not a big fan of wrap because of concerns with soaking up oil. I think youll find youll love the coating.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 2,029
Likes: 63
BTW. if the heat wrap is cloth type which is more likely to soak up oil, like the 2nd type in Brian's pictures, you can paint the wrap with fire proof paint. The paint seals up the cloth so oil does not absorb into it so easily.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 30,856
Likes: 293
From: Boston, Dallas, Detroit, SoCal, back to Boston MA
I hoping to keep the heat in the exhaust which will then exit the car.
I've also seen formula cars where they run cooling ducts to chambers created by the wrap. Kinda like a heat stove in reverse.
As far as venting the hood, that's in the works. Though the nice thing about the Vortec is that it fits under the stocker.
I've also seen formula cars where they run cooling ducts to chambers created by the wrap. Kinda like a heat stove in reverse.
As far as venting the hood, that's in the works. Though the nice thing about the Vortec is that it fits under the stocker.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 2,029
Likes: 63
I bought the Greenwood louvers and I think they do the job nicely when installed. Looks nicer too than just cutting it
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Racer
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 346
Likes: 33
From: OKC OK
If you get a chance call the people at Swain Technologies http://www.swaintech.com/. They have some coatings that work very well on headers & other Hot Section parts. With a good coating you don't have to worry about oil soaking into a fiber/cloth type material and the added fire risk.
Last edited by metal tech; Dec 20, 2007 at 09:48 PM.
Drifting
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,979
Likes: 48
From: Lakeport CA
I used to use the header wrap on my old V8 Vega, it was a foot cooker. But I also remember reading somewhere later on that wrapping header tubes close to the head traps too much heat & caused uncoated headers to crack from heat fatigue.
YMMV...
YMMV...
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 30,856
Likes: 293
From: Boston, Dallas, Detroit, SoCal, back to Boston MA
BTW They are coated.
I just unwrapped the EM LT's today.
The quality of the jet coating is amazing, they looked like they were chromed
Gaskets and hardware came with it
I just unwrapped the EM LT's today.
The quality of the jet coating is amazing, they looked like they were chromed
Gaskets and hardware came with it
