Header heat wrapping

[grybrd123]

After I got my Superformance Daytona coupe, I found that the amount of heat in the engine compartment was unacceptable - it made the cabin too hot and heated up all the engine compartment components to way too hot. I was worried that they might actually melt, burn, or just plain fail on the road. The first thing I did was reverse the rotation direction of the under engine fans to blow up and help the air rise, rather than down against the normal air flow; it helped, but not a whole lot. Then last fall, I had my headers heat wrapped from the heads to the bottom of the collectors where they go through the body lower panels. It made a HUGE difference (cut header temps in half, from 600 to 300 degrees!) and I've been very happy with it until now.

Today I heard that it may cause the headers themselves to fail, and worse, it may damage the cylinder heads eventually. I understand that the heat has to go somewhere, and the heat wrap undoubtedly keeps the headers much hotter than they were when unwrapped, but I hadn't heard that it would cause serious mechanical problems.

So, does anyone out there have experience with this issue, and what are the heat-reducing solutions other folks have come up with?

Looking forward to hearing from (I hope) lots of Superformance coupe owners! Sign me confused

grybrd123

[Hotfingrs]

The header wrap, because of the high heat retention, causes the metallurgical make up of the metal to change. The metal will actually crystalize. That being said, I've used header wrap for years, and never had a problem.

[Woodz428]

It's pretty common knowledge that uncoated headers do fail after using heatwrap. Haven't heard the head concern before but I would doubt it. That may be if the headers deteriorated and were left that way, creating a hole and possible lean condition on a cylinder or 2. I haven't heard anything but speculation on the HPC coated headers. Since they were introduced at a time when header coating was still fairly rare, the standard header issue has been long known. You obviously have a Roush engine, ours doesn't generate much heat but the Roush engine one we did had heat waves in the video we made of it on fire up. It isn't a noticeable thing on ours, but they were very vivid with the Roush 402. HP equates heat. The reversing of the lower fans was a good move,with them the other way they tended to keep the fan sensor under the passenger header hot all the time. Drawing cold air up and exiting it through the top allows the sensor to cool down instead of gain heat when it kicks on.

[Hotfingrs]

Another thing that I found with the wrap, the super heated exhaust gas, stays heated longer, and the velocity of the exhaust lasts longer and scavenges the cylinders more efficiently. Generally speaking you'll have to up your carb jets about 2 sizes, or you'll have a lean condition, also causing your engine to produce more heat.

[ERA Chas]

I don't think there are "lots" of SPF Coupe owners...

So from an ERA owner, my experience is that as long as the car is not kept in damp/wet conditions and used at least bi-monthly, no harm comes to the pipes or flanges. The wrap will burn out at some bends after 3 or 4 seasons before the pipes rot. Just re-wrap. It's even better if the pipes are ceramic coated (in and out) or stainless- then wrapped. Wrap was good for 2 or 3 hundredths at the track-not a huge improvement.

The big criticism is that they corrode the mild steel. Never had cylinder head woes but I do have Manley Severe Duty valves. I stopped using wrap when I had the headers Swain Coated-over 10 years now.

[lineslinger]

I have seen headers all the way down to the collector as well as the side pipes ceramic coated inside and out which made a big difference in actual surface temp. of the metal.

[grybrd123]

My headers were recently ceramic recoated here in the USA because the original coating was failing (before wrapping them). So, they are heat wrapped over brand new black ceramic. I don't know if they were coated inside but I can find out.

grybrd123

[SPC0127]

So, to summarize this thread, and please correct if I got it wrong:
Metalergy within the heads will change and can lead to premature failure
Ceramic coatings inside and out will extend their life
Did I get this right?

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by SPC0127

So, to summarize this thread, and please correct if I got it wrong:
Metalergy within the heads will change and can lead to premature failure
Ceramic coatings inside and out will extend their life
Did I get this right?

No Hotfingers is referring to the headers crystalizing-not the heads. The heads suffer no damage in my experience. The headers can corrode with wrap if uncoated and left in damp environments. Mine never did.

[Hotfingrs]

Right, the headers, not the heads.

[mdross1]

I too have used header wrap for years and never a problem.My car has "Tubular Automotive" custom built headers,and wrapping was a must because four of the tubes go directly under the oil pan.

[601HP]

My primary header pipes are nearly 16 years old. They were hot-coated from day one. They have been wrapped for 13 years or more. The last time I re-wrapped them was 2 years ago. The pipes did not show evidence of deterioration, at all. They may outlast me. I turn 57 next week.

If I had wrapped un-coated pipes 13 years ago, I expect they would have failed years back.

David

[CowtownCobra]

I wrapped my (coated) headers. Worst mistake I ever made. The tubes became brittle and broke completely through. Had to replace both sides (not cheap). Only took about 2 years for this to happen. Don't wrap headers

[601HP]

I'm curious. Were they hot-coated prior to wrapping?

David

Originally Posted by CowtownCobra

I wrapped my (coated) headers. Worst mistake I ever made. The tubes became brittle and broke completely through. Had to replace both sides (not cheap). Only took about 2 years for this to happen. Don't wrap headers

[CowtownCobra]

Yes they were ceramic coated and had been fine for 4-5 years when, for no better reason than boredom, I wrapped them......doh

Originally Posted by 601HP

I'm curious. Were they hot-coated prior to wrapping?

David