Exhaust wrapping...should we or not?????

[vinceflCBX]

I have an '02 with a Two Brother's 4 into 1 exhaust. My riding buddy ('busa owner...I know I know...friends don't let friends ride 'busa's), anyway, he was complaining about the amount of heat he was getting from his engine, (we live in Florida). We got into a discussion about wrapping his exhaust with an insulator. He is purchasing 2"x 50' wrap from an automotive speed shop. What do you guys think about this. It makes sense but I was worried the increased internal temps. in the exhaust would cause any change in back pressure or any other problems. I was told the engine might run better seeing as it would be cooler behind the fairings with exhaust heat going out the can. Not to mention cooler for the rider!! Any and all help from the weath of knowledge youse guys have would certainly be appreciated!!!!!!!! :idea: :shock:

[EVLXX]

Sounds like a practical theory, but just remember your cans are going to be hotter, and overall the bike will be louder.

As for the increased back pressure.... um not sure on this one, but if I recall correctly the reason most racers wrap there pipes is to decrease the back pressure when you have a long exhaust.

If the exhaust gasses cool too much inside the pipe they can slow down the flow and therfor increase the backpressure.

I think it was High Rev Tunners that tested it on a Dyno once.... but like I said, that's if I remember correctly.

So right now I'ld say go for it.

Has anybody else done this?

[xxexcess]

I wouldn't bother, if Honda or any other bike/car manufacturer thought it necessary to have this stuff on then i think they would put it on at the factory. Plus i think it looks shite. Only my 2 cents worth.

iain

[demon]

Only thing that might be bad about wrapping the hedder is decreased life. The metal will get hotter and won't last as long. You'll increase the effiecency of the bike by keeping the gasses hot. If you want to reduce the exhaust temp even more, disable and plug the PAIR valve (air injection). It lets in air to complete the burning of unburned gasses in the exhaust which causes more heat in the hedder.

[vinceflCBX]

ThanXX for your thoughts guys!!!!!!!!! So far 1 pro 1 con...hmmmm

But we all add things to the bikes that don't come from the factory, ie...exhausts, PCII, or III, K&N filters, full syn oil, chrome,etc., etc.

The wrap would be hidden by the fairing...and it now comes in different colors. :cool:

[XXTi]

If I were going to do anything to my stock header, it would be ceramic coating. I haven't done it, but others on the forum have.

[vinceflCBX]

"If I were going to do anything to my stock header, it would be ceramic coating. I haven't done it, but others on the forum have"

But it's not a stock header...it's a Two Brother's 4 into 1........can you have a used header ceramic coated...I heard they don't like to do them because of all the "exhaust residue".??? And how much does it cost, if you can. The wrap is only about $40-$50........ :?:

[Furbird]

Wrapping won't hurt anything, they have used it in the drag car world for years. It may look like crap, but it works. Ceramic coating (aka Jett Hott) is EXTREMELY expensive, especially if you have chrome headers (as I do). They have to remove the chrome, which costs about 50-100 bucks more. They dip all headers the same, so used or new does not change the price. Only price changes are size and dechroming. Motorcycle headers would be cheapest to do since there's only one, versus car headers. The last time I checked, with a buddy discount, my header on my dragbike would have cost me $250 to have coated. No thanks!!

And just because the factory doesn't do it doesn't mean squat. Perfect example, my 96 Formula. GM put a rearend out of a Vega in a car with an engine from a Vette and a tranny from a Viper. Any idiot knows they should have used a bigger rearend. The only thing manufacturers worry about is how much they can save by cutting corners. Any time you decrease engine bay temperatures you are helping your motor and all surrounding electronics. On our bikes, the header sits less than 2 inches form the radiator, which causes the water to get even hotter. Wrapping the header would decrease engine temp, water temp, increase flow, increase HP, and increase gas mileage.

Hell, I just convinced myself to go buy header wrap

[vinceflCBX]

:grin: ThanXX FurBird....it's really starting to make since to me too......

I'll check back later...I need to go to bed...I'm a 3rd shift worker and the eye/finger cordination is slipping.....eyes getting blurry...need sleep...

ThanXX to all..........

[Redbird]

Ceramic coating (aka Jett Hott) is EXTREMELY expensive

I disagree. I've used them on a couple occasions in the past, and never found their prices at all out of line. Header for my XR600R, $45 with return shipping. Both stock cans from my XX, ceramic coated+ another coat to black them out, $130 with return shipping.

[Mikey]

Oddly, my temp never goes much above Cold. If I'm sitting in traffic it may hit mid way. Even in the 90's it seems happy. I guess I lucked out (or have a huge cooling issue) :]

[demon]

Injected bikes tend to run hottter than the carbbed ones.

Furbird brought up a good point- the hedder is only 2 inches away from the radiator. :shock: That has to be putting a lot of heat in the coolant in slow riding/ traffic. If you put it on there, let us know how the temp does. Might be a good mod for keeping the water temp cooler in town :grin:

[RodeRash]

My engine builder buddy used to wrap the header downtubes on the race bikes a few years ago. There may have been a slight HP gain from this, but not much. It may also help keep the coolant temp down since the downtubes are pretty close to the radiator.

He quit doing it, but I never asked why. (probably more work than the return in performance justifies)

Don't know that I would do it on a street bike. The wraps look like shit, and tend to deteriorate. The ceramic coatings available for pipes do pretty much the same thing, but they also protect the pipe, look pretty good, and may be a better solution for a street bike.

It just takes time and $$.

[BIG BOY]

Where do you get header wrap from???

Autozone, Pepboys????

[Dion]

FWIW

Just found these prices

http://www.powdercoater.com/jethotprices.htm

[Redbird]

You'd do better to go directly to Jet-Hot. They deal direct with the public, or at least they did last time I used them. No sense in paying the middle man just to ship your stuff to Jet-Hot for you.

[Furbird]

And if you look right there at the top of the page, it says they charge extra for chrome/nickel removal. You stock guys are ok, but those of us with full systems just got porked in the bunghole.

I live less than 100 miles from Jet Hot. And I know people who have done tens of thousands of dollars in business with them. Their chrome charge is not "minimal", and $130 to coat a header is a lot of money in my book.

I'm gonna wrap mine and see what happens. It'll either work or it won't, but $20 or $30 for header wrap and about 3 hours of time is worth it for the help it might do for my bike. 95 degree, 95% humidity, EVERY DAY.

[vinceflCBX]

BIG BOY....JC Whitney has it in their latest catologue #689T-08 page101, "exhaust insulating wrap and tape...$27.95 for 1" and $42.95 for 2" X 50'." My buddy found some at a local speed/tech shop. I would assume PepBoys might have some. Don't know the difference in quality though. My buddy is buying it from the speed shop with the assumption that quality is better..., different colors, and along with a higher price.

Again though, almost all the wrap will be covered by the fairing....

[demon]

Let us know if it helps out. The black wrap wouldn't be noticeable at all from what little could be seen from outside the fairing.

[XXTi]

I just remembered. I was thinking about v00d00child who coated his stock header. Northman may have done it too. I can't recall.

I hope we can get those guys to chime in with their experiences.

[voodooxx]

i'd like to hear too from yalls experience. if it really works i may wrap mine this winter. i live in that good mississippi heat and humidity. bike does good as long as its moving but let me hit the stop and go of town and up the temp goes.

[v00d00child]

I just remembered. I was thinking about v00d00child who coated his stock header. Northman may have done it too. I can't recall.

I hope we can get those guys to chime in with their experiences.

My .02:

Cost: Bullshit. You're going to wind up spending somewhere around 60 bucks for quality wrap. It will get wet, look awful, cause corrosion, and if you do any kind of serious mileage, will wear thru the header quickly. Consider the cost of replacing your header. It's $ up front for a quality product. One performance consideration: coating any header will make it act like a shorter header.

I considered header wrap, and spoke with several friends who drag/track race cars. ALL of them warned me not to do it, as they burned thru car headers within weeks.

Airborne Coatings in OKC did my stocker for 100 bucks in/out. Obviously, I didn't have to worry about dechroming, but with the nickel based ceramic, people often mistake mine for chrome. It doesn't turn different colors, corrode, or anything else. Just wipe it down & it looks great.

My 97 rarely runs above about a fourth of the range of the temp scale. I rarely ride in cities, but if I do get stuck at a light, my shins don't roast. I would NOT recommend running carbon fiber pipes if you're planning on doing ceramic. I have some 2 bros, but have been running the Ti blue flames due to their heat resistance. ALso, I have to make sure my soft saddlebags maintain clearance when I throw them on.

Again, just my .02. YMMV

[XX]

i have the same bike and the same pipe with a cf end can. did the same for summer and winter here until i got some rain.

internal temps, according to the temp gauge ran pretty much the same.

saved a little heat coming up from where the pipe begins to expose (under pegs) and back to the can. I had them wrapped from exhaust port to the cf can.

as well, I used the spray kit that 2 bros also sold (the wrap i got from 2 bros also).

i ultimately took it off for 2 reasons 1) it was damn ugly 2) and once the weather got inclement i worried about the wetness, and 'stuff' attaching itself - bundled with the fact that it really didn't make a huge difference in heat dissipation or shieldin for me or the engine.

and it was a pita to put on without taking the exhaust off.

disclaimer - i only read the 1st page of posts before hitting this :grin:

p.s. no cracking of pipes or end can or any damage, and ran the wraps about 12k

[bigmac72]

Some pros

Will make the surrounding area cooler

Warmer exhaust is a better performing exhaust (according to my old physics prof who races a street car - he had a very technical explanation that I'll never remember - physics was never my strong point) = slightly better horse power.

Cons

Warmer metal won't last as long

Wrap tends to hold moisture in after rain and washing and extra dew which which helps to rust out the underlying metal

Conclusion: My brother and I wrapped the exhaust on an MR2 with turbo and whilst there was some better output we found ourselves replacing the exhaust after 4 months due to accelerated corrosion.

Maybe we had bad luck, maybe it was our weather, maybe we didn't wrap properly maybe the orginal metal was crap. Maybe its just not worth it.

[MiDNiTXX]

My exhaust is wrapped. I noticed no difference in performance or temperatures. That stuff is very similar to fiberglass, so use gloves if you can. I itches for several days Don't wrap it too tight, heating and cooling and getting wet will stress the metal irregularly.

I would do mine again, but I would double wrap it.

edit: and yes, it does look like crap~!