1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

To wrap your header or not

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 02-28-04, 09:48 PM
  #1  
Chad Carson

Thread Starter
iTrader: (29)
 
Fire85GSLSE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: South of Nashville TN. USA
Posts: 7,010
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
To wrap your header or not

Wanting your input on wrapping the header.
Pros and cons - likes and dislikes.

Pics also good.
Old 02-28-04, 10:26 PM
  #2  
FD Daily

iTrader: (26)
 
K-Tune's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gulf Breeze, FL
Posts: 3,308
Likes: 0
Received 13 Likes on 13 Posts
voids header waranty, prone to cracking

greatly reduces engine compartment temps.
Old 02-28-04, 11:46 PM
  #3  
I Push My Car Real Fast!

 
81Rex6port13b's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Riverside CA
Posts: 1,072
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally posted by FBDrifter
voids header waranty, prone to cracking

greatly reduces engine compartment temps.
yea thats basicly it in a nut shell.. its not realy nessisary for a street car. if your car is running hot i highly doubt its because of the heat from your header.

IT IS good tho to thermo wrap your electrical wires tho. it will help keep them from cracking and pealing from the heat over time.
Old 02-29-04, 12:54 AM
  #4  
Full Member

 
Stoops417's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Simpsons Land
Posts: 144
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
also, in some cases, wrapping your header can basicly retain so much heat as to compromise the structural integrity of the material of the header itself. Of course this is MOSTLY only in Turbo applications... but we all know that rotaries run HOT exaust.
Old 02-29-04, 01:00 AM
  #5  
Administrator

iTrader: (8)
 
mar3's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 1998
Location: So. Arlington, TX!!!
Posts: 12,974
Likes: 0
Received 59 Likes on 36 Posts
The big problem you have is that as it cools down, moisture in the air wicks on the fabric and metal. It stays there because of the wrapping. Think cold glass and go outside on a hot, humid day. Same thing, basically. After a couple of hundred cycles of heating and cooling, the metal of the header will have gone through the equivalent of a salt spray torture test. It takes YEARS off of the header life. Go JetHot 2000......once coated, you can get your hand within 1.5" of the header while the car is running and not get burned....
Old 02-29-04, 01:55 AM
  #6  
Rotary Enthusiast

 
abeomid's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Posts: 815
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
With NA rotaries you will crack the header if you wrap it. If you are trying to keep the temps down, try ceramic coasting inside the header, that will help the underhood temps to go down.
Old 02-29-04, 08:08 PM
  #7  
Rotary Freak

iTrader: (1)
 
elwood's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: https://t.me/pump_upp
Posts: 1,540
Received 24 Likes on 19 Posts
I'd have to agree that wrapping the header would pose a threat to header life. The reason for wrapping headers is to lower underhood temps and potentially avoid frying something important that is near the header(s). On RX-7s, since there is only one exhaust side, Mazda was able to locate most of the temperature critical stuff away from the header area, so I don't think there's much need on our cars.

Also, header wrap will marginally deteriorate your exhaust flow. This difference is so small, I doubt you would notice the difference, but I wanted to dispell the notion that header wrap improves performance outright. It does help in some cases where the car is heat soaking prior to producing power (like drag racing), because it lowers underhood temps, meaning a cooler intake charge.
Old 02-29-04, 08:46 PM
  #8  
Post Pimp

iTrader: (1)
 
©ØÐËߣüË's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Spokane valley, Washington
Posts: 2,800
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...hreadid=269708 .........im gonna have him do mine as soo i get some extra cash.
Old 03-01-04, 01:44 AM
  #9  
Senior Member

 
Lotus00's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 558
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
thats pretty cool... does he mean 150 to 200 degrees drop?

I would probably do that if my header wasnt so darn shiny
Old 03-01-04, 08:26 AM
  #10  
Chad Carson

Thread Starter
iTrader: (29)
 
Fire85GSLSE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: South of Nashville TN. USA
Posts: 7,010
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks

Thanks for all the help. My header is so shiny and new I don't want to paint it black.
I was just thinking about wrapping it because it gets so red when siting at idle.
I do have one other problem with the install of my header.......
I can not find any info on the extra tube coming from the rear. Guess it needs to be blocked off?
I will try to post a pic again but for some reason it is not allowing me.
Old 03-01-04, 11:34 AM
  #11  
84SE-EGI helpy-helperton

 
LongDuck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 3,314
Received 359 Likes on 250 Posts
Header wrap was the death of my first set of headers on my 80LS. These actually burned a hole through the side of the #1 Rotor exhaust tube and turned the car into a fiend on the road - loud, loud, loud.

I won't use header wrap again - learned my lesson. Also, you state that you're considering it's use because of the red color that your headers get when idling - this is likely due to an overly rich idle mixture adjustment, not anything wrong with the headers.

Could be that by simply adjusting your carb idle mixture to a more lean setting, you'll fix two problems. The excess fuel from a rich idle mixture isn't being burned in the combustion chambers, and when ejected out the exhaust, is burning in your exhaust system. This leads to excess fuel consumption, high underhood heat, and poor header lifespan. HTH,
Old 03-01-04, 11:41 AM
  #12  
Tom
Whack 'em and stack 'em

 
Tom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Clarksburg/Bridgeport WV- North Central Appalachia
Posts: 1,373
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hmm- I bought my RB dual system (used) and the header is wrapped...That's coming off tonight!
Thanks for the info in this thread!!
Old 03-01-04, 02:27 PM
  #13  
Chad Carson

Thread Starter
iTrader: (29)
 
Fire85GSLSE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: South of Nashville TN. USA
Posts: 7,010
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
adjustment

Originally posted by LongDuck
Header wrap was the death of my first set of headers on my 80LS. These actually burned a hole through the side of the #1 Rotor exhaust tube and turned the car into a fiend on the road - loud, loud, loud.

I won't use header wrap again - learned my lesson. Also, you state that you're considering it's use because of the red color that your headers get when idling - this is likely due to an overly rich idle mixture adjustment, not anything wrong with the headers.

Could be that by simply adjusting your carb idle mixture to a more lean setting, you'll fix two problems. The excess fuel from a rich idle mixture isn't being burned in the combustion chambers, and when ejected out the exhaust, is burning in your exhaust system. This leads to excess fuel consumption, high underhood heat, and poor header lifespan. HTH,

Since I am not running a carb. 1.3 GSL-SE FI what other problem could it be?
I did not run it long since the car is not complete.
Old 03-01-04, 02:31 PM
  #14  
Royale with cheese

 
Tanjo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Las Vegas, by way of Poulsbo, WA
Posts: 1,256
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Im just worried about the header heating up the intake manifold, and thus massivly heating up my intake charge. How much to get it cermaic coated?
Old 03-01-04, 02:34 PM
  #15  
FD Daily

iTrader: (26)
 
K-Tune's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gulf Breeze, FL
Posts: 3,308
Likes: 0
Received 13 Likes on 13 Posts
you could fabricate a heat shield to bolt to the top 2 header bolts and divide the intake manifold and exhaust.

that's what i did
Old 03-01-04, 02:40 PM
  #16  
Lapping = Fapping

iTrader: (13)
 
Jeff20B's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Near Seattle
Posts: 15,725
Received 70 Likes on 64 Posts
Isn't there something called Jet Hot 2000 that's supposed to be good for rotary headers?
Old 03-01-04, 06:34 PM
  #17  
Post Pimp

iTrader: (1)
 
©ØÐËߣüË's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Spokane valley, Washington
Posts: 2,800
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
well i went and looked up Jet hot. and this is what i wound http://www.powdercoater.com/jethot.html looks kinda spendy $$$$$
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Coochas
1st Generation Specific (1979-1985)
44
11-05-19 11:08 PM
Andrew7dg
1st Generation Specific (1979-1985)
3
08-06-17 01:41 PM



Quick Reply: To wrap your header or not



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:51 PM.