Starter blanket and header wrap?
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 14,130
Likes: 7
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Starter blanket and header wrap? (ld85)
Hey LD,
Cool idea with the starter...I have the starter blanket too,just never installed it.Unsure about the header wraps,becauseat a car show some years back,this guys 70's Nova with header wraps caught fire and since then it scared the heck out of me.Didnt think they burned or maybe he got JC whitney knock off.
Also,if you need a starter metal plate heat shield,let me know and I can get one.(unsure if headers will make it too tight to fit)
Theres a alternator/starter repair shop down the street run by mennonites(nicest people in the world btw,fix my alternator bearings for me)
that sell these kinda cheap.
:cheers:
Cool idea with the starter...I have the starter blanket too,just never installed it.Unsure about the header wraps,becauseat a car show some years back,this guys 70's Nova with header wraps caught fire and since then it scared the heck out of me.Didnt think they burned or maybe he got JC whitney knock off.
Also,if you need a starter metal plate heat shield,let me know and I can get one.(unsure if headers will make it too tight to fit)
Theres a alternator/starter repair shop down the street run by mennonites(nicest people in the world btw,fix my alternator bearings for me)
that sell these kinda cheap.
:cheers:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 6,366
Likes: 34
Re: Starter blanket and header wrap? (ld85)
I had mine wrapped and I decided to not wrap them again.
I had a little bit of oil drip in the wrap when I filled it, and it was smoking, I kept pouring water on it as it was running trying to get it to burn off withtout lighting up on fire.
Also it is a PITA when you do an oil filter change because it drips on it there too. I set up a procedure for changing oil which was rags all around the filler, and plastic bags around the drivers side headers when changing filters.
I just had an oil pressure sensor let go and spray down my engine a bit. I have the stock exhuast on it now and it was smoking, if I had the headers with wrap, it probably would of been worse. Unless that wrap is really not suppose to burn, but I would not count on it.
maybe I will take a piece and put some oil on it and see if it will burn.
I had a little bit of oil drip in the wrap when I filled it, and it was smoking, I kept pouring water on it as it was running trying to get it to burn off withtout lighting up on fire.
Also it is a PITA when you do an oil filter change because it drips on it there too. I set up a procedure for changing oil which was rags all around the filler, and plastic bags around the drivers side headers when changing filters.
I just had an oil pressure sensor let go and spray down my engine a bit. I have the stock exhuast on it now and it was smoking, if I had the headers with wrap, it probably would of been worse. Unless that wrap is really not suppose to burn, but I would not count on it.
maybe I will take a piece and put some oil on it and see if it will burn.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 12,772
Likes: 17
From: Indianapolis IN
Re: Starter blanket and header wrap? (bill mcdonald)
Thanks guys, I had not planned on wrappnig the entire header only localized problem spots like next to the starter and fuel line at the fron of the car and a couple of spark plug close spots.
I wondered if wrapping hte header next to the starter blanket was overkill or not?
I wondered if wrapping hte header next to the starter blanket was overkill or not?
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 18,484
Likes: 1
From: Everyday you must choose between the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. Fredericktown, OH
Re: Starter blanket and header wrap? (ld85)
I knew a couple guys that wrapped the headers on their race cars over the years. Both of them experienced the same thing. Several years later they took off the wrapping to put on new (gets kinda dingy) and the headers were severely rusted. The wrap apparently trapped moistured from the air. These were drag race only cars and never got driven on the street or rain.
Unless others have bette experiences to share, I would not recommend wrapping the exhaust.
Unless others have bette experiences to share, I would not recommend wrapping the exhaust.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 8,183
Likes: 3
From: Santa Maria, CA
Re: Starter blanket and header wrap? (ld85)
only localized problem spots like next to the starter and fuel line at the fron of the car and a couple of spark plug close spots.
I took the wrap off recently after approx a year(?) of it being on. Mostly OK, except when I revealed the collectors. There is bubbling corrosion/rust at the flange :(
I put the headers/exhaust system back on a couple hours ago. No wrap. I know I am gonna melt some stuff now.
Don't you feel the starter blanket will also keep some heat in as well as keeping some out?
I think I want to add on of those metal shields.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 6,366
Likes: 34
Re: Starter blanket and header wrap? (ld85)
I wondered if wrapping hte header next to the starter blanket was overkill or not?
I have 2 starter blankets on my starter(that went out before). I put header wrap around my fuel lines, and I made a blanket/jacket for the brake booster, since mine was cracked open. I also have ceramic spark plug boots (they would melt in 10 minutes).
The header wrap really kicks butt! I had an issue with melting spark plugs, after the wrap, no problems at all, it was like the engine did not even get hot. I did not need the ceramic spark plug boots anymore.
When I get my TPIS headers on, we'll see how that goes, I might get a set of those header blankets that only cover the primaries a little bit.
