Wrapping Hearders in heat tape, so I also do the cat delete pipes?

[KRAM36]

I'm picking up a set of headers for my Box, plan to wrap them with thermal heat tape, should I also wrap the cat delete pipes back to the muffler?

Thanks!

[LAP1DOUG]

Great question. I would like to know someone who has done this on an M96 engine also, to see if there are any negative effects.


I used to wrap the headers on my Lola Sports 2000 race car, but that frequently caused the metal to overheat and start cracking welds in the header. I don't know if that would happen with an M96 or not.

[Steve Tinker]

Ceramic coatings are far superior to wrapping - lasts longer, looks better, doesn't stress or corrode the metal and works nearly as efficiently. But you must ceramic coat both the inside and outside of the headers & cat delete pipes for the full benefit.....

[KRAM36]

The headers I'm looking at have cats on them. Don't think you can ceramic coat those on the inside?

[BYprodriver]

Originally Posted by Steve Tinker

Ceramic coatings are far superior to wrapping - lasts longer, looks better, doesn't stress or corrode the metal and works nearly as efficiently. But you must ceramic coat both the inside and outside of the headers & cat delete pipes for the full benefit.....

Yes, only downside to ceramic coating is if the parts are not new, it may not stick as well on the insides. Definitely don't want to coat inside converters.

[Steve Tinker]

Ahhh - I forgot you guys have cats on your headers.....but the cat delete pipes are very doable.

Even so, coating just the outside of the headers is a more permanent solution to wrapping. I've coated a number of motorcycle and car headers - both new and used. If the coating specialist is competent, he will be able to advise you accordingly. The coating really does reduce localised heat around (or in) the engine bay / exhaust area and supposedly speeds up exhaust gasses.

[Dzl210]

Exhaust theory says a fully wrapped exhaust would keep the exhaust molecules "excited" and speed up flow.

Actual gains...neglegable. I personally don't wrap exhaust because it makes the metal brittle.

[KRAM36]

I wonder though if coating only the outside of the cat could cause damage to it? Or even coating headers with cats is a bad idea. Can the cats handle the extra heat?

I did find a local ceramic coating shop here in Kansas City. Powder Coat Kansas City, KS - Crosslink Powder Coating of KC