Just a simple question this time guys. Anyone here ever removed the stock heat shield and used header wrap on it? I know that the stock heat shield is essentially needed to prevent the underhood temps from getting too high, and without it you run the chance of melting the wiring and vacuum lines near it. My dad just put header wrap on his pipes for the motorcycle, and it had me thinking if you could remove the stock heat shield and use that instead to make things look a little nicer. The stuff is pretty cheap and easy to use. Opinions?

 

the stock manifold is like a big log. I don't think you would be successful wrapping it.

 

That's what I was thinking, but wasn't too sure...

 

I dont know about wrapping the manifold because they are so short to begin with(and I mean a tubular one not the stock cast one). I have my downpipe wrapped about to the back of the tranny. If it did lower under hood temps it is hard to tell cause I did a Koyo radiator and Engine Ice at the same time as the downpipe.

 

I actually modified the stock heat shield on my S5 NA by cutting it and adding brackets so that I could still use it with my header. The header WAS wrapped with Thermotech heat wrap which I removed. Suprisingly, the underhood temps are about the same (heatwrap vs. modified stock heat shield)! The modifed shield was a biiaatch to install though, there is no way you could do it wrapped with anything else. Of course this is also on an NA though, not sure how the setup differs from the turbo.

 

You got any pictures of what it looked like when it was wrapped?

 

One more thing to think about if you remove the heat shield whats going to stop a fire when your pulsation damper fails? If it does gas will drain down the side of you intake manifold and drip onto your header causing a fire.

If youve already fixed that then nevermind.

 

Haha, yea. I already removed the PD and did the banjo bolt mod.

 

Has anyone else considered doing this mod or have pictures/info from doing it?

 

Well, I did some searching and seen some people had wrapped the header, but more often it was the downpipe that had been wrapped. I also read to soak it in water, use long sleeved shirt, gloves, and a mask since the wrap is essential wound fiberglass. Soaking it is supposed to make it easier to work with and will make it tighter once it dries. Now all I have to do is figure out a way to wrap the header. I also read it's recommended to get the coating too to prevent the material from flaking off. Does it really matter which type of coating and type of wrap you get?

 

Any ideas?

 

Well, after looking at the stock exhaust manifold for a while, I think wrapping it can be done. It would take a little work to make it right, but I think it can be done. I would like the buy the aftermarket header, but 250 dolllars for it is too expensive for me. Aaron's right about it getting hot without that heat shield in there too. If you had anything within 3 or so inches of it, I could see it getting pretty hot and maybe melting. So, would just the header coating work? Or would you need the wrap too? Does it matter which type of wrap it would be?

 

i wrapped mine and it worked great. i think even better than heat shield. and applying the wrap was ez, just wear gloves...i found out the itchy way. when removing my headers the first time i was sooo pissed with that heat shield....i literally cut it into a thousand pieces to get it out lol

 

Well, I was able to successfully wrap the stock exhaust manifold, although it took me a couple tries to get a good wrap out of it. All I have left to do is spray the coating over the wrap to help seal it.