you don't need to cut it up at all. lol just UNROLL it! then wrap the header. it might take linger, but it'll be done right...

 

Very nice website!

 

You should see the car in person. BEAUTIFUL.

 

I wrapped my exhaust today...here's a description of how I did it.

Here's the "before" shot.


I used Thermo Tec exhaust wrap and their Snap Strap stainless steel clamps to hold it in place. I measured the pipe and used the chart that came with the wrap to estimate that I needed about 8 1/2 feet for the long pipe. I cut it to 10 feet, and that turned out to be about 2 1/2 feet short. I cut the other piece for the shorter pipe to 13 feet, and that was about 1 1/2 feet too long. Then, I got a bucket of water and dragged the entire length of the wrap through it to make it wet. I suspect there are two reasons they suggest this. 1) I think it keeps the fibers from getting into the air and 2) I think it makes it easier to wrap it tight and tends to help it stay in place.

Here's the way I started the first wrap.


I tried holding the wrap in place with nylon tie wraps, but they weren't long enough so this didn't work. It tended to stay in place pretty well though, so it wasn't a big deal. This also shows how I had to wedge the pipes apart with a screwdriver to get the wrap between the pipes where they almost touch. This worked ok, but I think I tore the wrap a little bit when I did this for the second pipe.


Here's the first pipe nearly finished.


This shows how much I came up short on the first pipe. I cut another piece and overlapped by about two wraps to finish it up.


And here's the finished first pipe.


And here's a couple of shots with both pipes finished.

 

64mgb wrap to your hearts content

header wrap will not harm your header (unless its a POS) which RB headers are not (More like the luxo barge model of headers).

What exactly is an engine? its a heat pump. Underhood temps aside, keeping the exhaust hot, keeps the velocity of the gases up hence making for more power. the exhaust will scavenge better, the intake charge will be cooler, (and your passengers feet will not bake as quickly)

yes its hotter in the pipe as a result. this is a good thing and nothing to worry about unless you are rolling garbage, and If I have you pegged correctly crap is the last thing you would install on any of your toys.

Kenn

 

Wierd, i was planning on wrapping a road race setup all the way back to the presilencer, you figure if you can retain the heat, its like a forced hot air heater.. blows out the exhaust. I always thought thats why they powder coated exhaust pipes...? Especially on old school harleys.

 

Gees. What are you thinking? Less is more. Racing Beat did the research. Just drive faster. I've photographed racing engines for years. Nobody wraps the pipes much if any.

 

well it definitely made a difference on my setup. and i have more heat than these guys

 

I didn't do it for extra horsepower or anything...I did it to keep my engine bay cooler so the fuel charge would be cooler.

Rich

 

There you have it guys, expert testimony. Better unwrap those headers!




PS - lower inlet temps = more power.

 

lower underhood temps = happier rotary

 

No offence Snapshot, but I have raced in several differant classes, and I have always wrapped, (as well as the majority of my competitors) with nary a problem. Yes it will void some makers warranty as the pipes will be hotter, but get real, a header is cheap when you crunch the numbers. whats 300~400 dollars on a serious project car? a drop in the bucket (and one more purse or pair of shoes to buy the wife to compensate)

on My current project, I am sending my turbo headers out to get them coated inside and out, and then... you guessed it I am going to wrap them suckers. the cooler I can keep underhood temps the happier I am.

BTW I used the same racing beat header from the time I bought it when I was stationed on Okinawa (1985) until I sold that particular car on mainland Japan 1995, and it was a bridgeported 13b making around 250 hp.

hmmm, Okinawa....small island surrounded by salt water......rust.......bad....RB header......thick *** chunk of pipe.....9+ years....... WHATEVER

kenn

 

I bought a used RB header from a guy in FL. Maybe 5 years used at the time? It had surface rust and two spots size of a quarter that had flaked off.

I wrapped the header, drove it 2 years on street then dedicated track car. 12aSP 1700*F EGT measured 22" from exhaust flange @ 8500rpms.

1 year later rear pipe cracked at the bend closest to motor. When I unwrapped that puppy you should have seen the rust debris that came off. It was all over. Including several, several flakes ranging from size of a dime to a quarter.

I thought the 1st gen approved method of wrapped started with wrapping the header with aluminum foil first, then fiberglass wrap ontop. That way when the wrap absorbs moisture, it won't seep that moisture directly onto the header. Reducing rust liklihood.

So I bought a stainless header and had it JetHot 2000 coated for another $300.