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Exhaust heat wrap...

pvfjr

pvfjr

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Anyone ever use it or have any advice? I'm about to switch to headers, and was wondering if this might be worth a shot, I don't want to fry the starter or raise underhood temps. I don't really know how well this stuff works though. If so, how much would I need to cover a set of headers? 50 ft do it?
 
everyone I've known to run it says it causes the headers to rust and sometimes crack. If you are really worried about heat and the starter get some of that heat wrap for the starter or one of the heat shields. I was really worried about heat soak on my suburban but I've driven 5 hours straight, stopped, and started it 5 minutes later no problem.
 
I was afraid it might have some drawback unknown to me. That's why I run stuff by you guys before I ever buy. Thanks.
 
Most header companies (I know hedman does) says running wrap voids their warranty.

FWIW, I have no problem with heat soak and my starter, and it's just a stock starter.
 
I am running it on mine due to a major heat soak problem that I was battling. Ever since I put mine on I have had no more heat soak problems. As far as rust I live in AZ so the moisture is a little less that up in WA. lol There is probably some rust action goin on in there though. I believe I purchased two 50' X 2" rolls just cause I was unsure of how much to use. One of the headers took almost the entire roll and the other one I had enough to do the header on my YZ 426. If you do decide to do it take your headers off! My neighbor tried for two days to wrap them while on the motor. :screwy: :haha:
 
Mine are wrapped and I've had no problems to date, 1 year of use. It's much cooler under the hood and I wouldn't go back. I used the Summit kit, Two 50ft 2" rolls for small block headers.

If your in the mud and water most of the time I wouldn't recommend it. CO is dry though so it isn't a problem here.

Just my .02
 
If you do wrap them, be sure to use the 'paint' that seals the wrap from oil. MISF dang near lost his '69 Gran Prix to fire b/c a trans cooler line ruptured and spewed ATF on the headers.

I think the various coatings like Jet-Hot are a better, though more spendy, solution.
 
Is the Jet Hot for the heat wrap, or instead of the heat wrap? How does it work? I think I might just slap them in and see what happens. If I need it, I'll get it.
 
http://www.jet-hot.com/techinfo.html

There was a car craft article a few years back that monitored the temp in the engine bay after using headers coated inside and out, and the difference in temp was quite high.

Apparently anything Jet-Hot does is coated inside and out, from what I can tell.
 
Last edited:
TSGB said:
Why do headers rust so often, and so badly?
Click to expand...

Because they're made out of steel just like your exhaust pipes. Basically by adding headers you realize that unless they're coated and you don't burn the coating off, you'll be replacing your headers with the pipes because they'll rot out together.
 
In my experience it was a great upgrade. I did it on an old carb'd motorhome. Doing the wrap allowed me to go down 2 jet sizes on the carb and the low-end response improvement was awesome. Keep in mind that it was a new brand of headers for me also.

They were aluminum coated headers and there was no mention of voiding a warranty or anything but it was a few years ago.

I installed the wrap to keep noise and heat down so the other gains were bonus. In this application it would more than pay for itself by the time it caused accelerated failure of the headers IMHO.
 
think I'm gonna get my headers jet hot coated. They are located in southeast PA so I'd save shipping. My goal is reduced underhood heat.
 
Mine are jet-hot coated. It's not very durable. I'd suggest those of you don't waste the money unless it's a strictly street driven rig.
 
84_Chevy_K10 said:
Mine are jet-hot coated. It's not very durable.
Click to expand...

Are you sure the coating was actually done by Jet-Hot? Or is it a similar coating done by another company?
Jet-Hot does coating for aircraft jet engine parts (hence the company name...), and the environment in a turbine engine is far more abusive than anything our trucks will ever see. If Jet-Hot's work survives inside a jet engine, it's good enough for truck headers.
 
I'm bringing up a really old post for a question and not start another thread.

Will this wrap have the same effects on exhaust tubes as it does on headers?
I may have to route my exhaust very close to some poly bushings and was thinking this would help a bunch. I have thought of coating but this seems cheaper and works a whole lot better at keeping heat in.
Thanks for any replys.
 
chevysmithz71 said:
I'm bringing up a really old post for a question and not start another thread.

Will this wrap have the same effects on exhaust tubes as it does on headers?
I may have to route my exhaust very close to some poly bushings and was thinking this would help a bunch. I have thought of coating but this seems cheaper and works a whole lot better at keeping heat in.
Thanks for any replys.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking it would have the same effect, maybe it would take longer for it to rust through.

Do you have room to put in a heat sheild?
 
Never much understood the debate about header wrap causing headers to rust out.

Comparing strictly a set of painted headers vs. painted wrapped headers.

Paint is gona burn off and you'll end up with bare steel which will rust. Some say the the wrap holds moisture against the tubes which causes them to rust. I just can't understand this claim. Considering how hot your exhaust gets, your tubes and wrap will be dry in a matter of seconds. In fact, when installing the header wrap, its common to make the wrap wet to allow it to stretch. When drying it shrinks and becomes very tight.

I have also seen the warranty voids for using it but to this day do not understand why.

I have it on my blazer and I do like it. I have it on the headers alone from head to collector. I can see it being somewhat of a fire hazard if oil sprayed on it but again, oil or some other combustible material sprayed on a hot header is a fire hazard regardless.

One last thing, Using it on another part of the exhaust or another component such as a starter. Something that doesn't get hot enough to burn off the moisture, now theres something that may speed rust.

just my .02 worth of ramblings.
 
The exhaust is hot during and for awhile after the engine is running. Anything other than that, and it will hold the moisture in.

I suspect a lot of that plays on the humidity of the region you live in(?) and how often the vehicle is driven. The more often it's driven the less the problem would be. It may also have something to do with the salt used in many places in the winter.

It should accomplish the same thing anywhere on the exhaust system. How close to the engine is the bushing location? If it's far enough from the engine, it may not affect the poly depending on the distance between the pipe and bushing. I'd go with a sheet metal heat shield or routing the pipe a bit differently if possible.
 
I used the Thremo-Tech blanket for my starter since it is less than 3/8" away and it seems to make a world of difference.
 
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