curbing underhood header high temps?
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 127
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curbing underhood header high temps? i installed ebay headers(ss autochrome) and they are stainless steel polished(not jethot coated) and when the car is just idling, the IAT's go up to like 135 degrees from a temp of about 80 while moving.
will header wrap help this out a bit? i have never wrapped anything, but at 35 bucks per 50ft roll(id need 2) id really like to hear from anyone that has wrapped their headers and logged their IAT's or generally noticed a decrease in underhood temps.
how much wrap it took as well would be very nice.
will header wrap help this out a bit? i have never wrapped anything, but at 35 bucks per 50ft roll(id need 2) id really like to hear from anyone that has wrapped their headers and logged their IAT's or generally noticed a decrease in underhood temps.
how much wrap it took as well would be very nice.
rising IAT's at idle aren't from the headers though... its Heat soak because the IAT sensor is in the lid and the lid sits directly above the radiator. If you did the free ram air mod it will be even worse at idle as the car will take in hot air as it rises off the radiator directly into the engine.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: May 2003
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rising IAT's at idle aren't from the headers though... its Heat soak because the IAT sensor is in the lid and the lid sits directly above the radiator. If you did the free ram air mod it will be even worse at idle as the car will take in hot air as it rises off the radiator directly into the engine.
i have a vette... not an Fbody...
and i am not having the headers coated for a couple reasons:
1. they are on the car, i aint removing them. the x pipe is welded on, and i am NOT ******* with that.
2. i drive the car on saturdays only. it is definitely not my daily driver.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: May 2003
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i have heard that it will make the mild steel brittle, but these are stainless. and to tell you the truth, i have 400 bucks shipped in the headers and x pipe(not on the car, used a magnaflow) and 120 in the exhaust weld up. so i have only spent 520 on the headers... if they last 3 years wrapped driving a couple days per weekend, thats fine with me as the investment isnt that much. if they break, ill go to an AR setup, or hopefully will be FI by then.
Launching!
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Chandler, AZ
I am using the Thermo-tec wraps and shields on my Z and truck, primarily to reduce interior noise (which it does). I have the mufflers wrapped and use the shields on the exhaust piping. I'm in the middle of installing my SSW LTs on the Z and will only wrap the collector area after I'm done, but again primarily to reduce interior noise. I'll take before and after db readings to see if wrapping only the collector area is worth it. I may wrap the y-pipe; haven't decided yet. Not sure how close I want the wrap to the cats.
FWIW, after installing the shield on the I-pipe, I noticed a significant reduction in radiated heat in/around the console area, in addition to losing 4-5 interior db.
I've seen/heard of the wraps causing the headers to rust from the inside out, due to condensation buildup. I'm pretty sure using stainless headers will reduce that problem to near zero (level of stainless metal used will affect that too I think). IIRC coating the headers will also help in this area.
I've also heard of the wraps contributing to underhood fires due to oil leaks.
It took about 12 to 13 ft of wrap to completely cover one muffler. All depends on case size. I used the 2" width. The 1" wrap would probably be easier to wrap on headers. IIRC one 25' roll is good for one header, but I'm not sure. Maybe one of the sponsors or someone else will know.
Also look into the "Kool-Mat" (I think that's the name) which you can install in the driveline tunnel on the Vette. Supposedly works pretty well. I would check a Corvette forum and see what they say.
FWIW, after installing the shield on the I-pipe, I noticed a significant reduction in radiated heat in/around the console area, in addition to losing 4-5 interior db.
I've seen/heard of the wraps causing the headers to rust from the inside out, due to condensation buildup. I'm pretty sure using stainless headers will reduce that problem to near zero (level of stainless metal used will affect that too I think). IIRC coating the headers will also help in this area.
I've also heard of the wraps contributing to underhood fires due to oil leaks.
It took about 12 to 13 ft of wrap to completely cover one muffler. All depends on case size. I used the 2" width. The 1" wrap would probably be easier to wrap on headers. IIRC one 25' roll is good for one header, but I'm not sure. Maybe one of the sponsors or someone else will know.
Also look into the "Kool-Mat" (I think that's the name) which you can install in the driveline tunnel on the Vette. Supposedly works pretty well. I would check a Corvette forum and see what they say.
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I really wouldnt be to concerned about it. your IAT temps are gonna go way up at idle regardless cuz you have no moving air to cool the motor. stainless retains heat about the same as a coated header. if youre truely THAT concerned about the temps then id just wrap the areas of the header that are close to things that can melt like wires etc.
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On The Tree
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 127
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I really wouldnt be to concerned about it. your IAT temps are gonna go way up at idle regardless cuz you have no moving air to cool the motor. stainless retains heat about the same as a coated header. if youre truely THAT concerned about the temps then id just wrap the areas of the header that are close to things that can melt like wires etc.
its just that while moving at any speeds, temps are low and ok. but the second i stop, i see them rise so fast on the scanner. like from 80-130 in about 30 seconds.
I dont know what would be acceptable since ive never mointored mine, but for as long as ive had them ive never had a problem. No wires have melted, no high temp warning lights or anything of the sort.
Stainless and bare iron (black oxide) both have high emissivity
and this is what coatings help with primarily. If you wrap you
are supposed to leave the first few inches bare so as not to
overheat and hurt it.
You might want to run the low speed fans full time to get a
better engine compartment temp, but you also may want to
try a little harder with your air supply, determine whether it's
real air heating or sensor heat soak, fix the source or fix the
heat situation at the sensor. Maybe you would rather wrap
the intake tube. Wrapping the MAF temporararily might shed
some light on whether this is a air or a sensor heating deal.
and this is what coatings help with primarily. If you wrap you
are supposed to leave the first few inches bare so as not to
overheat and hurt it.
You might want to run the low speed fans full time to get a
better engine compartment temp, but you also may want to
try a little harder with your air supply, determine whether it's
real air heating or sensor heat soak, fix the source or fix the
heat situation at the sensor. Maybe you would rather wrap
the intake tube. Wrapping the MAF temporararily might shed
some light on whether this is a air or a sensor heating deal.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
Stainless and bare iron (black oxide) both have high emissivity
and this is what coatings help with primarily. If you wrap you
are supposed to leave the first few inches bare so as not to
overheat and hurt it.
You might want to run the low speed fans full time to get a
better engine compartment temp, but you also may want to
try a little harder with your air supply, determine whether it's
real air heating or sensor heat soak, fix the source or fix the
heat situation at the sensor. Maybe you would rather wrap
the intake tube. Wrapping the MAF temporararily might shed
some light on whether this is a air or a sensor heating deal.
and this is what coatings help with primarily. If you wrap you
are supposed to leave the first few inches bare so as not to
overheat and hurt it.
You might want to run the low speed fans full time to get a
better engine compartment temp, but you also may want to
try a little harder with your air supply, determine whether it's
real air heating or sensor heat soak, fix the source or fix the
heat situation at the sensor. Maybe you would rather wrap
the intake tube. Wrapping the MAF temporararily might shed
some light on whether this is a air or a sensor heating deal.
very good idea. i will probably try that. i did not mess with the fan settings, i will try having them turn on a bit earlier.
