A byproduct of every internal combustion engine ever made is heat, and although it's important to keep the engine running as efficiently as possible, it can be a nuisance. If in excess amount, it can actually affect efficiency negatively and even cause issues with the head and components that are not part of the engine but attach to it, such as the injectors.
Too much heat can even cause engine bay components to start working inefficiently, with the main culprit usually being the header(s). These are the pipes coming from the engine's exhaust ports and into the turbo or downpipe, depending on the type of engine you have in your vehicle. However, the header(s) can be easily isolated from the rest of the engine bay components.
Automotive Heat Wrap
Benefits
One of the main benefits of using exhaust heat wrap is the fact that it's quite easy to put on your car's headers. While the difficulty of the installation does depend on where they are located, the actual
wrapping isn't difficult at all. A proper automotive heat wrap can help you save on costly repairs as it prevents heat from dissipating onto nearby components, and it's also quite a cost-effective solution overall that doesn't require a lot of labour.
Materials
There are plenty of materials to choose from when it comes to exhaust head shield wraps with the most commonly used ones being basalt and fibreglass. Both of these materials are able to withstand high temperatures but fibreglass is a more popular choice.
This is mainly because it's more affordable than basalt which is stronger. However, both materials are able to keep up with temperatures higher than 500°C. In order for fibreglass to be able to do so it needs to be treated first which is not needed with basalt unless you want to make the wrap physically stronger.
Applying Heat Wrap
1. First things first, you should prepare yourself and your vehicle for the wrapping, and for that, you need supplies. Along with the exhaust header wrap, you'll need a pair of latex gloves, stainless steel clamps or radiator hose clamps, a bucket full of water (for fibreglass wraps) and exhaust gaskets.
2. When you have all the supplies ready, you then need to remove the header(s). This process is different for different cars as not all of them have the same engine configuration, so make sure to look that up online or in the workshop manual for your model car. Once the header is removed, the fun part starts.
3. Although wrapping the header is the following step, before you start wrapping it, you should first soak the material in the bucket of water, if it's made of fibreglass. This will help the strands of glass adhere to the metal properly, and you'll also be able to apply the wrap more easily.
4. With the exhaust heat wrap completely soaked in water, get it out and start by making the first layer over the header. Make sure it's tightly wrapped around the header, and follow it up with the second layer by making a 50% overlap. Continue wrapping the material around with each new layer overlapping the previous one.
5. Depending on the type of headers your vehicle has, you might come across a deviation you should continue on way and when you're done with it come back to the other end and start wrapping around it. When you're making the final layer of overlap make sure to tighten the wrap well and then use a clamp to hold the end in place. The same is done for the very first wrap around the header.
What Makes A Good Heat Wrap
Strength
An important factor to consider with an automotive heat wrap is the strength of the material you choose. While both fibreglass and basalt are quite strong, basalt is somewhat stronger, but keep in mind that it's also heavier. This also makes the material more difficult to handle as it's more rigid. If that's not a big deal for you, then you can go for basalt, but if it is, fibreglass is a better solution as it's a more malleable material, once soaked in water.
Resistance
A heat wrap's heat resistance is key as well, since one that is just strong but isn't able to withstand high temperatures is a no-go. It's primary use is to protect other parts from high heat levels, so whether you go for fibreglas or basalt, you should ensure that the temperatures present in the engine bay are not going to be too much for the material to handle.
Thickness
While thickness adds bulk and bulk adds weight to an exhaust header wrap, keep in mind that all of this makes the material longer lasting as well. Thicker materials make for header wraps that can absorb more heat and if they can deal with it well, you don't have to worry about replacing it any time soon.
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