Header wrap on stock headers; anyone tried it?

[superhawk996]

I read a little bit about wrapping stock headers somewhere here but there didn't seem to be decisive evidence whether it was a good or bad thing. My biggest concern is that they may crack. This was mentioned, but not confirmed. I'm not looking for the 500 extra HP it gives, just looking to have less heat around my legs. Less heat around the engine and rad. are a big bonus. There was also some mention about them catching fire but I assume that only happens if they accumulate oil (?). I'd especially like to hear from someone who's done it and can tell me their experience.

[ironmike]

The wrap won't burn at normally expected temps - oil saturation changes that dynamic, as you might expect, but oil leaks are not common on the XX and any should be addressed whenever found. The most often encountered problems with exhaust wraps are their tendency to hold moisture if gotten wet (riding in the rain, etc.); this will promote rust on the thin-walled steel headers.

[superhawk996]

Thanks. I did consider rust, but I rarely ride in the rain and there is a water proofing coating for them I read about some time back. I would also be painting them with extreme heat paint first for a little extra protection. Unless I hear some horror stories about using it I'll be putting that on my to-do list. I already have a roll of wrap.

[redxxrdr]

Do me a favor if you go with wrap.

Write down your water temp at a given normal day before the wrap and after.

I have always wondered how much heat is going back into the oil filter and block with the unwrapped headers.

Probably not a real issue for someone in mild climates, or who has limited stop and go traffic. But I live in the south. These bikes don't like to

idle. Plus, my 01 has a digital gauge, which gives me information that I don't really want to know.

[EVLXX]

Do me a favor if you go with wrap.

Write down your water temp at a given normal day before the wrap and after.

I have always wondered how much heat is going back into the oil filter and block with the unwrapped headers.

Probably not a real issue for someone in mild climates, or who has limited stop and go traffic. But I live in the south. These bikes don't like to

idle. Plus, my 01 has a digital gauge, which gives me information that I don't really want to know.

+1

I too have often wondered how much radiant heat goes back into the Radiator... that's only inches away.

Note record day time temps and humidty as well.

[Jetfixxr]

It's pointless to do....

[EVLXX]

It's pointless to do....

You are technically correct.... it would have no points on it.

....

So, unless you want to prove that your posting was... well... pointless, please, explian.

[Jetfixxr]

Its pointless for us in that the thermal exchange of the exhaust header is sufficient enough that Honda engineering did not require the manifold be wrapped or any other type of barrier to keep the heat in the assembly for emission or otherwise. Wrapping an exhaust is generally done when the engine and pipes don't get hot enough and subsequently you end up with moisture under the wrap resulting in rust to the pipe in places that you wish it hadn't. If you listen to our bikes idle it's an off beat non consistent "I just want to YELL!!" tone. Our engines were for the most part a racing engine. However check this out...

http://www.centuryperformance.com/exhaust-header-heat-wraps-do-not-use.html

So, in light of this. I say pointless for us to do.

Jet

Now if you really want to improve the manifold, send it out and have it ceramic coated.

Jet

[superhawk996]

Its pointless for us in that the thermal exchange of the exhaust header is sufficient enough that Honda engineering did not require the manifold be wrapped or any other type of barrier to keep the heat in the assembly for emission or otherwise. Wrapping an exhaust is generally done when the engine and pipes don't get hot enough and subsequently you end up with moisture under the wrap resulting in rust to the pipe in places that you wish it hadn't. If you listen to our bikes idle it's an off beat non consistent "I just want to YELL!!" tone. Our engines were for the most part a racing engine. However check this out...

http://www.centuryperformance.com/exhaust-header-heat-wraps-do-not-use.html

So, in light of this. I say pointless for us to do.

Jet

Now if you really want to improve the manifold, send it out and have it ceramic coated.

Jet

Honda engineered everything to absolute perfection with no mistakes and no regard to cost, therefore don't replace any parts not in the maintenance section, like a worn out CCT, and don't put any aftermarket parts on as they'll all yield less performance than the perfectly tuned parts Honda used. The sound of an engine's idle can not be used to determine that the builder built it for 'racing', and clearly Honda didn't; it's a sport turing street machine. As far as I know Honda didn't use this engine in any of their race bikes. The reason it sounds different than most sport bikes is because of the exhaust design, not engine design. Most importantly, I clearly stated that my main reason for wanting it is to reduce radiant heat to myself and not for performance or to relieve an engine heat issue. Given the packaging on this bike there's no doubt that the header heats the radiator and the oil filter, the fact that the cooling system can generally handle this heat doesn't negate it's there. It's not only taxing the system, but heating everything else around it as well. As far as wrap only being useful on something that doesn't heat the exhaust, I've yet to hear of anything with cold running headers or manifolds other than those designed with a cooling system. As for the link, they sell ceramic so of course wraps are crap, the wrap sellers say wrap is good, and neither is perfect. I may just do a heat shield so as to not overheat the headers, but still keep some heat in or at least directed where I want it.

[Banshee]

What year is you BB? The carbed ones had twin wall mild steel headers, but the injecteds have single wall stainless, so rust may not be an issue.

The configuration also changed from 1-2, 3-4 then into one to 1-4, 2-3 then into one as well at that time. (I used to have '99 injected headers on my '98 carbed 'bird as I preferred the noticably better low/mid response from them & never used the top end of the rev range anyway.)

[The Krypt Keeper]

i would go with ceramic coating before wrapping.

should be able to find a place near you that will do it for $200 or so.

[blackhawkxx]

What year is you BB? The carbed ones had twin wall mild steel headers, but the injecteds have single wall stainless, so rust may not be an issue.

The configuration also changed from 1-2, 3-4 then into one to 1-4, 2-3 then into one as well at that time. (I used to have '99 injected headers on my '98 carbed 'bird as I preferred the noticably better low/mid response from them & never used the top end of the rev range anyway.)

I have never heard about the twin wall headers. Did you cut one open or read that somewhere?

[superhawk996]

I have a '97, and also never heard of it being a twin wall. They look too small to be twin and the twin walls I've seen on other bikes generally stay pretty on the outside due to the lack of heat. If it is twin wall then they're already insulated, but judging by the diameter and how quickly they heat up I don't think they are. Can you absolutely verify they are twin or was it just someone's statement?

[Banshee]

Hmmm, read it in the specs at the time. That was what Honda said was one of the changes when they went to injection in '99, from memory.

At least, that was what Honda was reported to have said Down Under, and I can't see them making the headers different just for us. But it could well have been reported inaccurately.

The configuration change I can verify as I put the latter headers on my '98, and they were significantly lighter, from memory.

[superhawk996]

If they were lighter then maybe the early is double walled, the collector change doesn't look different enough to me to make it significantly lighter. Or maybe the newer are thinner metal. Or maybe your recall is on the fritz. Someone's gotta know(?)

Did you notice any power difference when you swapped headers? Anything have to be relocated? Did you do any tuning? Stock or aftermarket mufflers? I ask because I too have considered the swap.

[Banshee]

There was a difference in delivery. The latter version gives slightly better low/mid response, compared to the earlier version which is best at high revs. Has to do with how the gasses flow & the firing order.

The engine fires 1-3-4-2, or for this it can be written, 3-4-2-1. So the carbed headers put consecutive pulses together in each half, (3-4 & 1-2), then merge to one in the collector. The injected headers, however, stagger the pulses in each half, (1-4 & 2-3), so it changes how the pressure pulses interract & any scvenging effects. Exatly what/why it does, I don't know, as I don't design exhausts, but it is a noticable difference.

When I had my '98, over time I installed a K&N, '99 headers, Yoshi slip ons and a Factory Pro ignition advance. I didn't bother rejetting at the time & when I had it checked on a dyno, I found I had been successful in my aim. Air/fuel ratio was still ok and I had completely removed the big dip in the power/torque curve that had been annoying me. Since most of my riding was under 6k RPM, I didn't care about the loss of top end, and liked the benefit of better low/mid that I got.

[Banshee]

That's odd, I was editing my post & then it said I don't have permission to when I went to save it... Now the edit button has vanished.

[blackhawkxx]

I was really tempted to buy and try that coated FI header that was for sale here but my 97 is perfect in the jetting department and was afraid that might change it. Plus, I do like the RPM's.

[superhawk996]

I was really tempted to buy and try that coated FI header that was for sale here but my 97 is perfect in the jetting department and was afraid that might change it. Plus, I do like the RPM's.

Funny, that was my thought as well. Do you know who posted it? I couldn't find it and might pull the trigger and see what it does.

[blackhawkxx]

http://www.cbr1100xx.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=81166

[superhawk996]

http://www.cbr1100xx.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=81166

Thanks

[XX123]

my 03 ran hot. 80 deg weather and tbe fan never shut off. way too much radiant heat becahse the radiator is almost touching the headers. i decided to wrap it with titanium header wrap. cost about $40. ran it all this year no problems. fan now cycles on and off in stopped traffic. noticeable improvement in heat management.

[EVLXX]

Given the packaging on this bike there's no doubt that the header heats the radiator and the oil filter, the fact that the cooling system can generally handle this heat doesn't negate it's there. It's not only taxing the system, but heating everything else around it as well. As far as wrap only being useful on something that doesn't heat the exhaust, I've yet to hear of anything with cold running headers or manifolds other than those designed with a cooling system. As for the link, they sell ceramic so of course wraps are crap, the wrap sellers say wrap is good, and neither is perfect. I may just do a heat shield so as to not overheat the headers, but still keep some heat in or at least directed where I want it.

+1

my 03 ran hot. 80 deg weather and tbe fan never shut off. way too much radiant heat becahse the radiator is almost touching the headers. i decided to wrap it with titanium header wrap. cost about $40. ran it all this year no problems. fan now cycles on and off in stopped traffic. noticeable improvement in heat management.

Nice!

[superhawk996]

I bought the ceramic coated headers from G2. Once they get here I'll have to convince myself to stop riding long enough to get them on.