Things They Don't Tell You!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,904
Likes: 28
From: Vancouver Washington
Things They Don't Tell You!
I was about two hot laps into the first session of the Tri-Club's HPDE at Portland International on Friday when smoke filled the cockpit coming out of turn 6. I thought to myself "This probably isn't good." By turn 8 they're frantically waving the meatball flag at me and I headed for the pits. It seems that if you wrap your over the axle pipes with header wrap (per instructions) then spray paint it with the header wrap company's finishing coat (per instructions) it will smoke like a NASCAR winner's burn out until it's "seasoned" (not mentioned in the instructions anywhere). They let me back out and a couple laps later all was fine. The end product looks fine, but a little heads up would have been nice. 
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,590
Likes: 1
From: Littleton Colorado
That stuff can be embarrassing :o My experience was at a dyno day, filled the place with smoke LOL... THEY should TELL US about these things LOL... Glad you did not have a real problem 
Just a heads up, that header wrap is like a sponge to any types of oils that may be around, like trans fluid, brake fluid, engine oil. It will then be like a wick waiting to burn. Spraying them with a coating should help a lot, but not sure if it fully cures the issue. I think its just high temp paint?? I removed mine from over the axel because I got trans fluid on it when trying to add some fluid, it smoldered some and it may not be hot enough that far back to ignite but seeing how I go WOT I was not going to take the chance. I did not have it coated though.
Also, for anyone else, the 'seasoning' will not be done by just around town driving, the high heat of high revs and WOT is the only way
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,059
Likes: 38
From: Menifee CA
i also used hose clamps with my header wrap... way better than the clamps u get from them.... i have my exhaust wrapped from headers to trips for the last 3 years with no problems!!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,904
Likes: 28
From: Vancouver Washington
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,904
Likes: 28
From: Vancouver Washington
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Hey,,,they use that Technique in the NAVY to sneak through the enemy lines. That might be a way to eliminate the competition.!! If they cant see when there behind you, there less likely to pass.
Glad it was nothing serious!
BC
If they cant see when there behind you, there less likely to pass. Glad it was nothing serious!
BC
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 3,210
Likes: 1
I've known about the smoking issue because I've wrapped other exhaust parts but the part about them absorbing fluids and acting like a wick always worries me. All you need is a little oil on a hot header and you could have a nice toasty fire to make s'mores.