Heat wrap - downpipe?

[Rittmeister]

I'm having the "hot feet and legs" syndrome with my S13. I did some searching and saw that some folks recommended heat-wrapping the downpipe (my car is SR'd).

I have some old heat wrap left over from an old project that I could use to do this. I am wondering though if anyone who's actually done it can weigh in. I know all the pros/cons of the wrap (retains moisture, blah blah). My DP is stainless and my car is rarely driven in wet weather, and NEVER driven in salty winter weather - I have a daily for that. I'm not too concerned about excess corrosion or cracking but I'm curious about some real experience.

I'm thinking of wrapping JUST the downpipe, to see if it'll cut down on the amount of heat making it into the passenger compartment.

Any thoughts appreciated.

[boozels]

you have "hot feet and leg syndrome" and the only prescription is more cow bell... lol

the wrap will make the heat disappear
its like night and day
do it

[SoguRacing]

turn off the heater

[dirtdiggler666]

yes it will work

not to thread jack but i heard a long time ago about heat wrap when your header gets hot it creates moisture and cracks your manifold

true or false?

[projectRDM]

yes it will work

not to thread jack but i heard a long time ago about heat wrap when your header gets hot it creates moisture and cracks your manifold

true or false?

True. Condensation cannot escape when it's wrapped, so the moisture sits on it until it boils off instead of just evaporating instantly.

[speedfiend]

I recently wrapped my downpipe on my s14 and didnt really notice any difference at all. Still hot as hell hahahha. Then again my car is completely stripped so it is only a thin layer of floor pan between the legs and the downpipe. I used dei heat wrap from summitracing and only wrapped my downpipe. Dont know if you guys still retain carpet and all that, but just my personal experience.
Cameron

[RPS13-604]

I have a Megan Turbo elbow-->GReddy downpipe thats heat wrapped and i dont feel any of that hot/heat feeling. Im just using thermotech heat wrap

[illvialuver]

yes do it. and if that is not enough, they sell all kinds of heat wrap and adhessive heat sheilds that are like foil. just look it up on google.

[Quail]

Always a good idea to paint your heatwrapped parts (mainly mani) to stop oil soaking in and becoming a fire hazard :)

[CKAMC]

https://enjukuracing.s3.amazonaws.com/goldfoil_thumb.jpg

The Gold Reflective Film is an aerospace material capable of reflecting 78% of all radiant heat with continuous operating temperatures of 450 degrees centigrade

[Rayne]

^^^ Is what I was going to suggest as well.

[drift into a curb]

the gold stuff is expensive. I used cool it thermotec wrap on my downpipe. I felt like the temps went down too. It used to get way too hot, but not it's just a noticeable warmth. Plus my tranny cover isn't bolted down, so heat comes in from there. Wrap it up. It's simple and downpipes are easy to get.

[Rittmeister]

Always a good idea to paint your heatwrapped parts (mainly mani) to stop oil soaking in and becoming a fire hazard :)

You mean paint the part under the heatwrap, or paint over the heatwrap once it's on the part?

[240trainee]

https://enjukuracing.s3.amazonaws.com/goldfoil_thumb.jpg

and as I remember, this stuff is very directional, so it would need to go under the car, which is dirty as fuck, and I can't imagine staying there very long.

[SoSideways]

I don't know, but I'm seriously considering a sort of ceramic coating or something on my downpipe, as it's already melted a pair of Nike airs for me in the past, and I don't want that to happen again.

I gave the gold reflective film some thought, but don't know if it will work enough if I just put it on the cat heat shield that's bolted to the chassis.

I also gave the heat wrap some thought, but with how low my car is, if I scrap my downpipe, then it'll just rip the heat wrap right off of there.

I can't win :(

[ZX88]

dam it melted your shoes dont they make paint that dispenses heat? you got to fix that shit soon Nike's are mad expensive.

[SoSideways]

dam it melted your shoes dont they make paint that dispenses heat? you got to fix that shit soon Nike's are mad expensive.

It was an older pair, and I think at the time I didn't have the floor mat either.

My interior's gutted, so the only barrier at the time was the sound deadening on the floor. Now I have the stock floor mat on that of that, but I can still feel the heat through that. Lately I folded a hand towel a few times and put my foot on it, that way it's not as hot, and a bit more cushy for my heel, since most of the time I drive bare foot.

I gonna think of something to remedy this problem...

[projectRDM]

Ceramic coating is by far the best option, not only does it work well with the heat but you eliminate any chance of corrosion.

[SoSideways]

Yeah, now's a good time for me to bring my downpipe to get ceramic coated, seeing as the car's gonna be down for at least another week.

[kuruptR]

https://enjukuracing.s3.amazonaws.com/goldfoil_thumb.jpg

Doesnt even have to be gold, just use the silver adhesive stuff. I used it and cover the bottom half of my firewall, and tranny tunnel. Tranny tunnel is a must, as the tranny becomes heat soaked the tunnel gets real hot... it heats up the car in no time!

One shitty thing, if your car has under coat or is caked with oil it wont stick and its a bitch to clean up!

[Rittmeister]

Well, I wrapped the DP. We'll see what happens. Didn't take long, and my car rarely scrapes (it's not real low) so if I have to pull it off it should be easy.

[SoSideways]

Doesnt even have to be gold, just use the silver adhesive stuff. I used it and cover the bottom half of my firewall, and tranny tunnel. Tranny tunnel is a must, as the tranny becomes heat soaked the tunnel gets real hot... it heats up the car in no time!

One shitty thing, if your car has under coat or is caked with oil it wont stick and its a bitch to clean up!

Well that's a bit more work than I'd like to do... because I'd practically have to pull the motor for that type of cleaning.

Guess when it's time to majorly work on the car, I'll be doing that.

PS - where did you pick up the silver stuff?

[g6civcx]

I recommend: http://www.swaintech.com/

No appointment needed and they do mail order. Decent pricing as well.

[kuruptR]

http://www.heatshieldproducts.com/heat_shield_mat.php

I actually didnt pull my motor, I did have the manifold and down pipe off though, when i did it. I used a air wire wheel to clean it up... fuck took forever.

[SoSideways]

http://www.heatshieldproducts.com/heat_shield_mat.php

I actually didnt pull my motor, I did have the manifold and down pipe off though, when i did it. I used a air wire wheel to clean it up... fuck took forever.

I mean the transmission tunnel area.

I am gonna have my turbo side cleared off, from the manifold to the downpipe, so about the same working environment as your's. But I still don't see how you can get to the tranny tunnel with an air wire wheel to clean it up...

[!Zar!]

Ceramic coating is by far the best option, not only does it work well with the heat but you eliminate any chance of corrosion.

Ding-ding-ding.

[status:one]

I still need to do this to my downpipe.

[mifesto]

i heatwrapped exhaust manifold. driving in rain for my s14 or any other weekend cars i've had in the past is super rare to til (like once or twice a year?). i ignore the worries that heatwrap will increase chance of metal fatigue. to be honest i dont even 100% believe it but as said, it doesnt apply to me anyhow. i've been using heatwrap on various cars over the years (evo, supra, s14, civic etc) and i dont feel any difference in the buttdyno but i definetly feel it in engine bay temp!

first thing you notice afterwards is the significant reduction of the wave of heat that hits you when you open the hood in the summer after a run.

on my last evo, i went from a thermotec wrapped stock manifold to a jethot coated manifold. i have a digital temp probe and i think temp difference was minor (like 10F difference). i hear swaintech coating is thicker then jethot (though i dont know if its more effective) so i cant say anything regarding that brand.

[singlecamslam]

I use heat black heat wrap on my IC piping to hide it from the cops. Worked so far. I dont know if its me but i dont feel any heat on my feet and my car is stripped, but i do have foam and a carpet between my legs and the floor.