Okay guys, I really didn't think this belonged in the General Max Discussion, and I didn't know where else to go with it. Anyway...

I picked up a set of used OBX V2's, and was planning on wrapping them in order to keep some heat out of the engine bay as well as to protect some of the wiring, etc.

However, after reading around online, I've heard really mixed reviews on the stuff. Some of the bad things I've heard are that it speeds up corrosion by retaining moisture (I figure a DD would resolve this pretty easily as it would dry out the wrap every time I drive, but maybe I've been mislead), as well as the potential fire hazard as it absorbs oil. Although I've also heard that some peoples' headers have lasted 5+ years wrapped up with little to no problems.

I was planning on wrapping, and then high-temp silicone spraying the wrap for added protection. I'm only going to wrap as far as the collector...no need to go further on a street car, at least IMO. Obviously, with the 3.5, you really don't see the headers as much as you do on some other cars, so looks weren't really part of my interest.

I'm really not in a position where I can afford or wait on shipping to and back of headers for ceramic coating...

So what's everyone's take?

 

I was gonna wrap mine...


...but then they arrived and I just put em on

in theory it makes sense but as far as actual performance gains, well if you're EGTs aren't that high in the first place I'm not sure why you'd bother

 

I was more concerned with protecting wires and so on, such as the O2 sensor wiring and whatnot. I'd rather not deal with having my wires/plugs melting to one another...or the exhaust.

Have you had any issues, or has everything been pretty good so far?

 

Everything's fine, as long as the O2 sensor harnesses stay in their factory positions, and I ziptied the O2 sensor signal wires (which are very well insulated by the way) away from the exhaust. Haven't had an issue (knock on wood)

 

Good deal. Well, let's see what everyone else has to say. I may end up putting the $55 toward something more worthwhile if I can maybe fab up some heat shields or something instead...

Have you gotten your coilovers yet?

 

Yeah. Look me up on facebook - I photo whored the sh** out of them!

 

^ Look up how?

 

I'm a fan of wrapping/coating for performance reasons, even if it doesn't add that much power.

 

its not needed, but it does look cool

 

And as far as ceramic coating goes, you're not missing much unless you go with a true ceramic-based formula like Swain Tech's.


If you're doing it to protect wiring and such, I don't think it will be necessary. But it will definitely improve performance by some amount (hotter exhaust = higher velocity). How much is another story..

 

I can't see it doing too awful much to my Max considering that as it sits I have a short ram and a catback. Untuned, I might add.

Well, if it cools the engine bay a bit, and therefore the intake air temp, that'll always help, too, I suppose. I'm planning on wrapping my intake in thermal wrap as well, and fabbing up a heat shield for the filter...so we'll see how things go.

Once I get a few more bolt-ons and a tune, we'll see what happens. Every little bit helps, I suppose.

 

FWIW-,... i have a pair of cattman headers sitting in my closet waiting till after winter to go on and i will be wrapping them based off everything i have read..

 

I wrap mine (SS Autochrome) 6 months ago & what i feel is cooler engine bay even compare to stock manifold + stock heat shield...

 

I had my headers on my Maxima wrapped. Never had a problem at all. Had cooler temps under the hood, and it kept the hot air all the way back to my rear-mounted turbo (my exhaust was wrapped from the headers all the way back to the rear muffler area where the turbo was).

I then put headers on my Camaro SS when I changed the motor... and I regretted having not wrapped them, because wow it was hot as hell in that crammed engine bay every time I popped the hood. I now drive an E46 and I put wrap on the headers. Best decision ever. Engine bay is noticeably cooler than before.

I always recommend to wrap headers. DEPENDING on how you install the wrap, and the kind of metal the tube is made of, it may cause the pipe to corrode. Some people just buy headers, wrap them, and install them... WRONG! CLEAN the surface with brake parts cleaner and a shop towel; spray DEI silicone paint on the tubing to be covered by the wrap (this will act as a barrier in case moisture gets passed the wrap so it doesnt linger there on bare metal to rust it out); NOW wrap the tubing; after wrapping, go downtown with the DEI paint on the wrap itself (SOAK the paint into the fabric, this will act as an outer barrier to repel moisture for the most part from soaking the wrap and entering down to the metal). There you go.

Enjoy!

 

I just ordered my OBX's and was thinking about wrapping them. I think I'm going to go ahead and do it if it decreases engine bay temps.

 

I've also seen reports of people getting reduced rasp/drone after wrapping on the 350Z forums. I'm not sure if it's true, could just be placebo effect.

Either way, it seems worth doing if you're trying to get every little bit out of your headers.

 

Thanks for the input.

I've already got the headers put on, but I'll be pulling them off in the spring to see if I can figure out where the leak I can hear is. I'll probably look into wrapping them up during the time they're off.

It's been cold here, so I haven't noticed a considerable change in engine bay heat, and I know SS likes to shed heat fairly quick. But I'm sure it's going to be horrible in my engine bay come the 80-95 degree Nashville summers.

I'm thinking I'll wrap a little past the flex section considering it seems OBX likes to use pretty flimsy flex tubing.

Anyone got a good place to order it? Autozone and local performance shops want about $55 for a 50' roll.