Topic: exhaust wrap

[cb650 bobber]

So in my conteplation of wrapping my exhaust was wondering if you can buy it for a half decent price. and how much it will rot my pipes.....

[CBJoe]

I'm contemplating going the exhaust wrap route as well.  From what I've read, it depends on how much wet weather riding you do with regards to "rotting" or rusting the pipes.... Joe

[mark]

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/1146,47_Thermo-Tec-Header-Wrap-White.html they even have special spray paint for the stuff.

[Jim F]

I will post some pics on a build I just finished
The wrap is a graphite color and goes with the bike scheme nicely
I will take some pics tonight

[DrMark]

I purchased my header wrap thru a "HEATSHIELDS" distributor here in Iowa. I paid $38 for a 2inch - 50 foot roll in 2006. It takes about 4-5 feet per 1 foot of header pipe. They also now sell colored wrap at a higher cost. Mine is standard black.
Side Note: Soak the wrap in water first before wrapping. Allows a slight amount of stretch to the tape and when it dries...tightens up really nice. You might also notice a slight amount of stream/smoke with the first running of the bike after installation. I was told not to worry about this by other folks who have installed the same product.

I also used the stainless steel ties from Harbor Freight. Bought 20 of the 8" size for $4. Hope this helps! DrMark

[CBJoe]

Can anyone confirm about whether the wrap can cause premature rusting of the pipes??  Is it weather dependent??

Joe

[Geeto67]

Header wrap is a textile wrap for your pipes. Where it causes rusting the most is condensation. When there is a weather change in your garage (like the kind you get from opening and closing the garage door) you get condensation (yes even a small amount). The wrap holds the condensation longer than if it just formed on the pipes and then was allowed to evaporate. If you store your bike outside you will see a lot more condensation and your bike will be exposed to the elements also.

The best way to dry out the wrap is to ride the bike - hot pipes don't hold any water to them.

I used to see it a lot on drag cars with wrapped headers - the pipes would rot out underneath the wrap and then crack.

[LMAERO_396]

it's been mentioned that if the headers are coated and not "bare" and then wrapped it provides a better resistance to rusting.  I plan on ceramic coating and then wrapping, one day.

[fuzzybutt]

what kind of money would i be looking at to get a kerker cb750 header coated, theres a bunch of spots where it rusted and wont polish out. hopefully not more than a new exhaust would cost me anyways. damn kerker exhaust.

[Jim F]

Here is the latest build (the Jason bike) with header wrap. ( I know its not a SOHC)
This will stay out of the weather but I would think that if you
washed the bike or got  out in the weather that the heat from the
headers would dry out the wrap soon enough as not to cause rusting

[aj]

i coated my headers then wrapped them, i keep my bike in the garage and don't ride in the rain and so far so good. header wrap is pricey for what it is mine has been wrapped about two years now i mainly did it to cover the little dings my header has.

[Gregorymoto]

Hay guys, My 2c is this, the wrap looks cool but it does rust out faster.

I would suggest ceramic coating you headers. Yes, it does cost a little more but gives you the same performance. Also with ceramic you can pic some cool colors even aluminum.

Sanderson Headers in San Francisco quoted me $100 to coat my header that was including blasting the pipe.

Good luck

[Geeto67]

a decent high heat paint that has been cured works just as well in preventing the headers from rusting as a high heat coating and it costs way less. If you think that hearders don't rust under jet hot coatings come over to my house and take a look at the cast iron exhaust manifolds I had jet hot coated 4 years ago. rusty as all get out. My buddy bought headers for his firebird that came with jet hot coating already on them - and it took 1 year for them to start to show rust.

remember these performance coatings and header wrap are functional enhancements before they are for looks. Header wrap retains exhaust heat to help exhaust gasses flow faster through the pipe. Performance coatings do roughly about the same with the addition of smoothing out the inside of the pipe for less turbulence as well (if you have the insides coated). I would be leery about combining these two things on a stock engine as you may be inviting more tuning to get back to optimal. On hot rodded engines that run big compression it makes sense but a little old stocker may loose a pony or two from ill placed header wrap. 

[Gregorymoto]

I'm not saying you are wrong about the Hot Jet, but i think it comes down to how the pipe is prepared before it is coated.

I have not used it on a header but i know one guy that did a basic ceramic coat on a 400f header and 3 years later it still looks good. We Live in San Francisco, it is always damp and salt in the air.

[heffay]

i normally think of anything being ceramic as fragile... what's the word on that?
i have no experience in wrapping or coating but was considering it.

[Gregorymoto]

No man ceramic is hard as steel but does not react to heat and distort like steel or aluminum, you can even machen it. Ii don't have my tolerances text on me, but you should look into it. It has some cool properties.
Heii glock hand guns produced a ceramic hand gun.

[Geeto67]

most of the space shuttle is ceramic....notwithstanding what has happened in recent history that stuff has to be tough as nails to withstand earth re-entry.

[Helo229]

Dupont (I think it's dupont) makes a 1200F high-temp paint that's ceramic-based. You can pick it up at autozone/advanced auto/napa/where ever. It does have to be heat-cured, but If you clean your headers up well enough, spray them, and then run it for a few hours it should cure up fine. A good coat of that should hold up just as well as a professional job, for alot cheaper. I got a buddy who's a ricer and used it on some parts for his civic a while back and it's still holding up strong.

[heffay]

so how about a powder coat then wrap... my buddy in town that works at sun honda in denver bought the sears powder coat system... excellent results on all the parts we've done so far.

comes in cool colors as well!  may be tempted not to wrap w/ a fancy blue, yellow or red.   

[Gregorymoto]

I had a header powder coated and it held up tell i got a chip in it, then it rusted and started to peal off little by little.
The wrap might protect it, who knows.

Good luck

[ProTeal55]

Ceramic coating is for heat/exhausts/etc
Powdercoating is for stuff like wheels/frames/and so on.

If you powdercoat an exhaust system, it will just be a matter of time before the color goes to #$%*, and eventually it starts to flake off. You can get ceramic coating in either polished silver or flat black, and if done right will last forever...

Just my 2cents...

[Gregorymoto]

Naa Man they make 1200f powder coat for motor parts and headers.