One of my priority tasks is checking, cleaning, and replacing the exhaust on my '87 GT. I've read a little about exhaust wrapping to keep the engine bay cooler, but I've seen warnings about it being detrimental to the pipes because it can hold in too much heat.
My questions are does it actually help, do I wrap everything (headers, Y, tips, etc.), or just certain sections?
People living in the rust belt generally don't wrap exhaust parts because it traps moisture.
I know 309 Stn.Stl. can normally have surface rust, but I don't know if wrapping it will make it worse. Has anyone wrapped theirs here?
What research I've been able to do is inconclusive. Most of the articles about it are for motorcycles, with one talking about NASCAR doing it in the past but giving it up when they had to replace headers after every race.
I put heat paint on the y pipe , ran the engine to cure the paint then wrapped it. Every time I wash the car or get caught in the rain I don't shut it off till it stops steaming. Paint was from the gas grill and the wrap was 1" wide exhaust, titanium. The wrap even wet still gets all over the place.I was the person who did the race car headers, not a fun job but someone has to do it. Rust, my car has a fan blowing on it during the day. Good luck with your choice.
I put heat paint on the y pipe , ran the engine to cure the paint then wrapped it. Every time I wash the car or get caught in the rain I don't shut it off till it stops steaming. Paint was from the gas grill and the wrap was 1" wide exhaust, titanium. The wrap even wet still gets all over the place.I was the person who did the race car headers, not a fun job but someone has to do it. Rust, my car has a fan blowing on it during the day. Good luck with your choice.
If you want to do it right get your exhaust coated aka JetHot or similar. Will last a lot longer than wrap and not have any of the above problems. Is it the cure all, no, but it does work great at reducing the heat.
I put heat paint on the y pipe , ran the engine to cure the paint then wrapped it. Every time I wash the car or get caught in the rain I don't shut it off till it stops steaming. Paint was from the gas grill and the wrap was 1" wide exhaust, titanium. The wrap even wet still gets all over the place.I was the person who did the race car headers, not a fun job but someone has to do it. Rust, my car has a fan blowing on it during the day. Good luck with your choice.
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Originally posted by Spadesluck:
If you want to do it right get your exhaust coated aka JetHot or similar. Will last a lot longer than wrap and not have any of the above problems. Is it the cure all, no, but it does work great at reducing the heat.
I think I'll go with coating. Right now I'm thinking of just getting the headers and 'Y' coated, and leaving the rest alone. If I think the rest needs coated, I can just get that done later. My main concern is engine compartment heat, and I think those components would radiate the most heat.
Plus, I read JetHot does color coatings, so I can get something to match the paint scheme I'm going with.
[This message has been edited by Berlzebub (edited 05-04-2017).]
My two cents... I have an Lt1 in the back with wrapped pipes all the way to the tips. The car has a custom exhaust in it and the lower trunk has been removed and the pipes run just below it. The down pipe runs 500 f at idle and the trunk floor was hitting 190 F after 20 mins of driving. (even with the wrap, lots of heat shields and and insulation later it's just warm) My point in this is how long does water really stay on the pipe? The only real place alot of water can get on the pipes is the front mana fold (if you do not have the recall strip installed) The rest of the pipes may get a little spray on them when you drive but they are HOT. Even my stock GT will make the manifolds glow a dull red when revved up. Paint em and wrap away.. Now as to how effective wrapping is... well that is a different thread.
If you want to do it right get your exhaust coated aka JetHot or similar. Will last a lot longer than wrap and not have any of the above problems. Is it the cure all, no, but it does work great at reducing the heat.
