Wrap or not to wrap

[Cjhols]

Hi all,
Interested in knowing people’s opinions on whether to bandage wrap headers or not?
Merry Christmas

[stevieturbo]

In almost all cases, no, unless there is some very specific reason to do so. And even then, I'd only wrap the areas deemed essential.

[Ian Anderson]

Another here for not to.

Better idea would be ceramic coating

Ian

[ChrisJC]

It's something I will do to my install one day. Simply to reduce the noise levels.

Thinwall headers are much noisier than cast iron ones.

Chris.

[Cjhols]

My headers are very close to the inside wheel well and are ‘browning’ the paint work. They have been ceramic coated but are trying to think of ideas to soften the effect on the engine bay.

[scudderfish]

That's what I love about this forum. I saw the subject and thought someone would be asking about changing the colour of their car with vinyl; but no it's much more practical than that

[stevieturbo]

My headers are very close to the inside wheel well and are ‘browning’ the paint work. They have been ceramic coated but are trying to think of ideas to soften the effect on the engine bay.

The best option is always a heat shield between the two parts.

Wrap, even with all the best intentions, is still attached tight to the hot part, and hence it gets hot too. Recently on a first startup I tried a IR temp gun on some parts of mine, and the temp reading on the wrapped part, was just the same as on a bare metal part.
This may be due too just sitting idle for a while, and there may be a lag time with shorter large heat events where it might offer something, but in this instance I was quite surprised..
Of course, it was only a couple of layers, I guess if I wrapped the poop out of it, with multiple layers it might offer more, but then look totally ridiculous.

IMO, wrap really isn't what it is cracked up to be, but wrapping the wrong parts can lead to that part cooking.

IMO, good plain air gaps and airflow are the best first choice., Heat shielding second, where that shield/barrier is not attached to the hot part itself.

[ChrisJC]

On my Land Rover, (with the noisy tubular header), I did have a problem with the air suspension pipes being melted. So I put in an aluminium heat shield which stopped that problem.

Chris.

[stevieturbo]

[Blown v8]

Do not wrap mild steel headers ! It makes them rust quicker,
Don’t ask how I know
I have stainless headers that I wrapped, really reduces underbody heat,

[SuperV8]

I wrapped my stainless headers.
I think it made a difference.
Just about 300mm inside the engine bay before they poke out the side. I wouldn't wrap exhausts external to the body.
I can hold my hand near them, which I would be able to do without it! much reduced radiation.
I can even use it to fault find cylinders which are not firing - I can briefly touch the wrapped header to determine the cooler one which isn't firing. I wouldn't dream of doing that without wrap.