Wrapping manifolds?

80sTVcarhire · Post by **80sTVcarhire** » Sat Jan 10, 15 9:02 pm

Thinking about wrapping my manifolds on my Chargers 383 to try and stop heat build up boiling off my fuel in traffic and stopping her restarting after a long run, but have heard horror stories of manifolds cracking, gaskets melting and the wrap catching fire!! Would love to hear any advise you all may have out there.
(There aftermarket tube headers not the old cast ones)
Thanks Steve.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Sat Jan 10, 15 9:09 pm

Personally I would not - it holds water and makes them rot.

My guess is that your issues are around insufficient initial ignition timing and not under hood temp from exhaust - these things work in the desert!

MilesnMiles · Post by **MilesnMiles** » Sat Jan 10, 15 9:50 pm

Cast iron inlet manifold? Carb maybe getting too hot and modern fuels percolating.
Cast iron exhaust manifolds are not a problem.

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Sat Jan 10, 15 10:32 pm

Your car may well be "running" but ignition timing and carb tuning will make it run as it should. The pay off being it will also run stronger, smell better, and run a lot cooler under the hood.

If needed you can also put an insulating spacer under the carb and block off the heat cross-over passage through the bottom of the intake.

octanejunkie · Post by **octanejunkie** » Sat Jan 10, 15 11:28 pm

May be worth insulating the fuel line rather than manifolds..

Rogue Trooper · Post by **Rogue Trooper** » Sun Jan 11, 15 8:42 am

My headers have been wrapped for nearly 10 years, its doesn't do big miles granted but when its out for a run it gets Hooned and the wrap is still on.

Still gets Bananarama! hot mind but it still must be a lot cooler then uncoated headers I'm sure.
I'll shall be trying Zerotec on my next Engine updgrade

autofetish · Post by **autofetish** » Sun Jan 11, 15 8:56 am

I would listen to the above about timing etc

These cars ran in California!!!!

Wrapping steel headers there are going to rust Fact

Also if you had a fuel leak there a massive sponge and Fire hazard waiting to happen

If you don't do them tight they will tea bag and look crap

The trick is to do then wet buy soaking the wrap for a few hours in bucket of water. Then wrap them wet.

When dry they will shrink.

Also wire then at close intervals

They will use double the wrap you thought you needed and take 4x as long

Also if new build trial fit first as I had to drink a few Stella and knock my about abit starter motor / Power steering

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Scooby · Post by **Scooby** » Sun Jan 11, 15 9:22 am

Had my headers rapped for a couple of years deff keeps the engine bay cooler and you don't get to burn those knuckles when messing about in the engine bay..

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Sun Jan 11, 15 2:35 pm

Wrapped my brand new headers once and they were knackered in about 4000 miles.

Header wrap is a bandage for the problem. Not the solution.

If you want to insulate headers then ceramic coating is the only viable solution.

Glen63 · Post by **Glen63** » Sun Jan 11, 15 5:10 pm

I agree ceramic coating is the best, if it is good enough for McLaren and Lamborghini, then it should be good enough for us. Zircotec is the company to go and they are only in Oxford.

I had one of my other cars cast iron manifolds done by them and it sure does work. They can even do the exhaust pipes, so cuts down on heat transfer under the floors, but it is expensive enough just for the manifolds.

www.zircotec.com/page/our_exhaust_coatings/60

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Sun Jan 11, 15 5:16 pm

Camcoat did my Headers in ceramic coating for the Altered, but it was £400 plus postage..............very good service.

Rogue Trooper · Post by **Rogue Trooper** » Sun Jan 11, 15 6:41 pm

Fantastic wire job on those headers Autofetish wow!!!
As for headers cracking early on after wrapping, not all headers are built equal!!
Cheap headers are made with thin walled tubes to start with so you get what you pay for and wrapping them will end there life early!!!

mopar_mark · Post by **mopar_mark** » Sun Jan 11, 15 7:20 pm

I used Zircotec for my headers & turbo exhaust, got a real good discount through Andy F, but cost was almost as much as the headers ...

I did go for the better thermal rating, which pushed the price up. But guaranteed to reduce temps by 20%

Very friendly company, easy to talk to, showed me round there premises too. Turn round was good & as per their quote.

I would use again

Prothed · Post by **Prothed** » Mon Jan 12, 15 1:47 pm

Never used this... Any good? Snake oil?

http://www.frost.co.uk/automotive-paint ... -tube.html

80sTVcarhire · Post by **80sTVcarhire** » Fri Jan 16, 15 8:27 pm

Thank you for all your replies gives me a bit to think about. Was speaking to a old rodder who is in his 70s and he said don't waste your time wrapping them make some head shields to stop the heat rising and boiling off the fuel in the line. I'll let you know what I decide on.

Cheers Steve.