header wrap? pro's / con's

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j par

j par

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Well I wanted to just fully wrap the headers for the reasons I read people do it for keeping the heat out of the motor compartment. I end up wrapping the passenger side in the oil filter area to keep the heat off of that and I wrap the driver side where it touches the milodon oil pan to keep the heat off of that. So now I'm just thinking wrap the whole damn thing before I even put them in there. Of course they're my favorite cheap Summit headers.
Of course for every up there's a down so I don't know if getting the heat out of the motor compartment is going to put it back into the motor and have adverse effects there? I'm trying to get heat out of the motor as the motor will be to taken from the 100ll that it's always been ran on to regular 91 octane gas. I guess the last thing I want to do is create more heat in the head.
 
j par said:
Well I wanted to just fully wrap the headers for the reasons I read people do it for keeping the heat out of the motor compartment. I end up wrapping the passenger side in the oil filter area to keep the heat off of that and I wrap the driver side where it touches the milodon oil pan to keep the heat off of that. So now I'm just thinking wrap the whole damn thing before I even put them in there. Of course they're my favorite cheap Summit headers.
Of course for every up there's a down so I don't know if getting the heat out of the motor compartment is going to put it back into the motor and have adverse effects there? I'm trying to get heat out of the motor as the motor will be to taken from the 100ll that it's always been ran on to regular 91 octane gas. I guess the last thing I want to do is create more heat in the head.
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The idea is that the heat stays more in the exhaust and exits through it instead of hanging around in the engine compartment.
It doesn't make the engine hotter anywhere.
 
I believe the wrap will insulate the pipe which keeps the heat out of the engine compartment but also helps the exhaust scavenge better. The major downside to wrap is the headers will rust much faster. If its a fair weather driver and is garage kept it probably wouldn't be so much of an issue.
 
as they cool moisture forms in the wrap and will def expedite a cheap set's demise, they also smell freaking horrible when they get wet..
 
ceramic headers will lower under hood heat. A functional hood scoop will lower under hood heat. Wrapping headers will lower under hood heat. Factory cast manifolds will lower under hood heat.
  • Like all new cars, having your car breathe in fresh air will make it care less about under the hood heat, because it won't be breathing it in. .
  • Ram air works like the above, but only better :)
  • Forced induction (turbo) through an intercooler would be best :D
Bottom line, I've never wrapped headers.
 
If you wrap them, use the spray they sell to coat them. I spent LOTS of time wrapping mine as perfectly as possible but didn’t spray coat them. After a year, the wrap started fraying every time I touched it. Tore it all off. Live and learn.
 
Thank you guys and I forgot to mention that when I posted that I would appreciate everyone's input good bad or otherwise.
Since I wrap a portion of both and that needs replacing...
Thinking out loud :
Aesthetically the wrap (maybe a colored one?) nicely done would look better than the bare 3 or 4 year old cheapies that were never painted. It should also carry my 70's custom theme I seem to like so much?
I was hoping it would keep underhood temperatures down thus keeping the cab cooler also would help? I do again plan on using that hood and cutting holes in it for the Dual quads air cleaners. I don't plan on hooking up the windshield wipers so there'll be no rain play to worry about "I hope".
 
I run uncoated TTIs and aluminum heads. Plus A minimum water temp of 205. It is hot as Hades under that bonnet . Before I put the carpet in, I put some insulation down, not dynamat. I haven't noticed the cab particularly warm.
I ventilated my hood.
I don't recall anyone in hi-school running header-wrap; I was 18 going on 19 in 72. Shoot most of us never heard of header-wrap,lol.
 
I haven't had any major overheating problems with my stock radiator, proform electric water pump, and my homemade fan shroud with two electric fans behind it.
BUT, that was very limited street use with 100ll keeping it a little cooler likely. I wouldn't be likely to drive the car in weather conditions above 90°.
 
j par said:
I haven't had any major overheating problems with my stock radiator, proform electric water pump, and my homemade fan shroud with two electric fans behind it.
BUT, that was very limited street use with 100ll keeping it a little cooler likely. I wouldn't be likely to drive the car in weather conditions above 90°.
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Plan on upgrading cooling system for extended street use, I'd be looking for a larger radiator.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I don't like it.
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"I hate the dam stuff"! I bought a used set of 2" tti`s that were chromed, w/ wrap on them. I repaired a couple of tubes, and re wrapped the headers w/ new wrap, figuring I`d have them coated later, but wanted to makes sure everything would fit. I must have got some cheap stuff, or my engine bay was too hot, as it`s already deteriorating some. I used the best of the orig. wrap to wrap my complete 3 1/2" exhaust system, even my home made mufflers. I have vents in my hood, and run extra alum heat gaurds that have wrap on them to keep from melting my valve cover gaskets. Starter motor wrapped also. Even have a couple of tubes putting fan blade air to the hot spots on the valve covers. All this crap is working, BUT, dam I HATE THAT STUFF! Oh, buy the way there was no rust on the used headers when I first in wrapped them, doesn`t seem to be a problem . ????
 
I think I read somewhere that the melting point of steels are in the range of 2000 to 2200; about double the combustion gas temp as it exits the heads with a proper street tune, at full load full power,lol. Which happens how often again? How about almost never, cuz most of us build engines that spin street tires to well over 65 mph,lol. And the engine ain't a workin' 'til the tires quit a spinnin'.lol
 
Kind of the way I'm customizing this car is more of a late seventies I would probably say more disco era then flower power era of the late 60s early 70s of the make of the car. I would think just a few years after new the Interiors of these cars we're starting to wear out by the late 70s and that's when people were starting to do what was custom then? Diamond tuck and fur- that kind of stuff LOL.
So I'm thinking I'll order plain colored kind of gold-ish wrap. I'd like the blue colored, but the reviews are saying the color fades to white very quickly? Maybe that's on motorcycles and daily drivers that get wet or maybe just heat? Anyways, all experience, knowledge, and ??? Welcome :thumbsup::thankyou:


AJ/FormS said:
I don't recall anyone in hi-school running header-wrap; I was 18 going on 19 in 72. Shoot most of us never heard of header-wrap,lol.
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Cheaper steel wil fatigue quicker if the heat is contained by wrapping. Personally I hate the stuff. Everything in the engine bay is meant to run in heated environments. We are not. Test with a temp gun what you think is hot - it's not in terms of operating temps.
 
What you're saying makes total sense and actually the way you're saying it for some reason makes sense to me. I'm going to give it a shot because it's never been tried by me and I like to learn the hard way. I guess this way in the years to come the next Ding-A-Ling like me that comes along we can tag team and tell him it's a stupid idea? LOL
The good part is there cheap summit headers that are a few years old and probably on their way out anyways. Might be a good excuse next year for something nice?

moper said:
Cheaper steel wil fatigue quicker if the heat is contained by wrapping. Personally I hate the stuff. Everything in the engine bay is meant to run in heated environments. We are not. Test with a temp gun what you think is hot - it's not in terms of operating temps.
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If you use it, wrap it tight! and us the paint for it. The key here is not to burn off the paint but to cure it.............if it's cured, it won't rust. But thats from someone that keep it in the garage except when it's at the track........vary minimal moisture. My hooker super comp heads was used in 3 different motors and and the last three years with header wrap...........someday i will have to replace them expensive headers. Id say i got my moneys worth.
 
j par said:
Kind of the way I'm customizing this car is more of a late seventies I would probably say more disco era then flower power era of the late 60s early 70s of the make of the car. I would think just a few years after new the Interiors of these cars we're starting to wear out by the late 70s and that's when people were starting to do what was custom then? Diamond tuck and fur- that kind of stuff LOL.
So I'm thinking I'll order plain colored kind of gold-ish wrap. I'd like the blue colored, but the reviews are saying the color fades to white very quickly? Maybe that's on motorcycles and daily drivers that get wet or maybe just heat? Anyways, all experience, knowledge, and ??? Welcome :thumbsup::thankyou:
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My black wrap (2 diff. brands) has turned white, even after header wrap paint was put on them twice .
 
Yeah that's why I wasn't going to try the colored it just seems the reviews are saying that turns White. That's why I'm going to start with the lighter color to begin with so won't piss me off.

famous bob said:
My black wrap (2 diff. brands) has turned white, even after header wrap paint was put on them twice .
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