exhaust wrap- has YOUR manifold cracked?

[BustedS13]

i'm searching to see if i should wrap my shitty ebay header. it gets here next week. i'm seeing a lot of hearsay about wrap making cheap manifolds crack. but then there's a lot of posts from people who actually own the headers, saying that they've wrapped them and they're fine.
so let's get down to it: if you OWN a header for a ka24e/de, and have wrapped it, has it cracked? is it fine? how long has it been installed?
if you do not have PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, your opinion is unwanted, thank you.

[essforteen]

My Brother installed header wrap on his turbo manifold and my friend has the exact
same manifold but no header wrap, and my brothers cracked.
maybe it was a bad batch but im assuming that the wrap was the culprit
Your best option would be ceramic coating the headers!

[fuk240sx]

I had the ebay turbo manifold on my KA and it warped after about 4 weeks....but my buddy has one as well and his has been fine since about a year, both were not wrapped. Its hit or miss with these things....

[ILoveMyRHS13]

Buy some BBQ grill paint from Walmart and paint it.

[I LUV MY S13]

ka24e obx headers wrapped no issue

[gunmetalr32]

i sprayed some ceramic black paint and wrapped my ka24det header and had it on my car for 5 months ... till someone bought the whole kit from me and ran it for a whole year... till he sold the kit and it still has not cracked...

[Matej]

Leave it. It turns gold with a hint of blue/violet. Very pretty.

[DreamN]

I thought your 240 hasn't run in years so why buy a header for it? :keke:

[gunmetalr32]

I thought your 240 hasn't run in years so why buy a header for it? :keke:hahahaha ... owned

[Om1kron]

dont run wrap on a daily driver... track car yes, daily driver no.

[hpipro4]

may i share!

before:
http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/9536/dsc04600j.jpg (http://img31.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc04600j.jpg)

after: using VHT flat black i bought from kragen autoparts for 10bucks
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/4136/dsc05460q.jpg (http://img18.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc05460q.jpg)

[Matej]

By the way, what do you guys use to plug the EGR hole and the bottom hole?
I cut off the threaded ends of the lines, put nickels in the holes, and tightened the ends down on them. However, I would rather use normal bolts if possible.
(Sorry for the threadjack, but I'm sure this will come in helpful as well)

[Devil Man]

may i share!

before:
http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/9536/dsc04600j.jpg (http://img31.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc04600j.jpg)

after: using VHT flat black i bought from kragen autoparts for 10bucks
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/4136/dsc05460q.jpg (http://img18.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc05460q.jpg)


holy shit does this stuff really work? cause im so sick of the heat that comes from the headers its not even funny.

[punn303]

I run wrap on a mr mani with no issues, it's daily driven with hard weekend runs. Never cracked even when my CAS slipped out of place making my timing go way out of whack, made everything glow cherry red for about 50 miles, no tools on me that night. The wrap did crystalize a bit from the heat but thats it.

[hpipro4]

By the way, what do you guys use to plug the EGR hole and the bottom hole?
I cut off the threaded ends of the lines, put nickels in the holes, and tightened the ends down on them. However, I would rather use normal bolts if possible.
(Sorry for the threadjack, but I'm sure this will come in helpful as well)
my egr and secondary air was welded shut but since cali law sux emission control is a biggy so i opened up the egr but i dont know how im going to get away w/o my secondary air b/c fitment is lil off.

holy shit does this stuff really work? cause im so sick of the heat that comes from the headers its not even funny.

well, it seems to cool the header quicker than how it use to be unpainted! its like ceramic coating...

[xru5tyx]

what about wrapping or coating the stock exhaust manifold? any point in doing it?

[zenki.life]

what about wrapping or coating the stock exhaust manifold? any point in doing it?

no. its stock. if it didnt come from the factory wrapped do you think that you would need to?.......no.

[gunmetalr32]

what about wrapping or coating the stock exhaust manifold? any point in doing it?it already comes with heat shields and fiberglass ...

[xru5tyx]

no. its stock. if it didnt come from the factory wrapped do you think that you would need to?.......no.

thats like saying theres no point in modifying anything in a car because it came from the factory without it, i know the manifold doesnt need wrap or paint, i was asking if it would make any difference in performance. i dont know everything dude, dont be a dick about it

[BustedS13]

I thought your 240 hasn't run in years so why buy a header for it? :keke:

took it on the highway like two days ago, runs just fine, unfortunately it sounds like a lawnmower at the moment :D


By the way, what do you guys use to plug the EGR hole and the bottom hole?
I cut off the threaded ends of the lines, put nickels in the holes, and tightened the ends down on them. However, I would rather use normal bolts if possible.
(Sorry for the threadjack, but I'm sure this will come in helpful as well)

i'm having them welded when it gets here.

and to the guys posting paint.... the idea here is to keep under hood temps down, paint's not going to do that.
...although, it does look cool in black, nobody's going to deny.

thats like saying theres no point in modifying anything in a car because it came from the factory without it, i know the manifold doesnt need wrap or paint, i was asking if it would make any difference in performance. i dont know everything dude, dont be a dick about it

if you don't grow some thicker skin, you're in for a bumpy ride here. Zilvia is a wealth of information far beyond other 240sx sites, but you need to accept a slam here and there. this isn't Nico or 240sxforums. shit gets done here.

[Z33dori]

i've had my megan wrapped for a lil over a year... and it still holding strong

[waynehead05]

Does it decrease spool time?

[RPS13-604]

Does it decrease spool time?

are u serious? lol

[jrbump]

if you don't grow some thicker skin, you're in for a bumpy ride here. Zilvia is a wealth of information far beyond other 240sx sites, but you need to accept a slam here and there. this isn't Nico or 240sxforums. shit gets done here.



the abuse forces you to do it right, one of the reasons I love zilvia.

Anyway, wrap it, it's fine. If A manifold is destined to crack due to a flaw in it's fabrication or due to abuse it will crack whether it's wrapped or not.

Wrapping will however bring about a noticeable decrease in underhood temp. Another thing you might try first is that BMC shield if that's what you are worried about. Even going as far as putting that heat rejecting gold film outside it.

[VNG704]

took it on the highway like two days ago, runs just fine, unfortunately it sounds like a lawnmower at the moment :D




i'm having them welded when it gets here.

and to the guys posting paint.... the idea here is to keep under hood temps down, paint's not going to do that.
...although, it does look cool in black, nobody's going to deny.



if you don't grow some thicker skin, you're in for a bumpy ride here. Zilvia is a wealth of information far beyond other 240sx sites, but you need to accept a slam here and there. this isn't Nico or 240sxforums. shit gets done here. Yea, shit is put out but that doesn't mean you can't tell a person to not be a dick and stfu. Agreed, lots of info here. To the OP, Thermo paint it. This thread needs a poll.

[Andrew Bohan]

By the way, what do you guys use to plug the EGR hole and the bottom hole?


nissan sells (or at least used to sell) a plug for it. it was $11 or something,


but i think most people do just weld the fittings closed to turn them into plugs.

[Bigsyke]

I run wrap on a mr mani with no issues, it's daily driven with hard weekend runs. Never cracked even when my CAS slipped out of place making my timing go way out of whack, made everything glow cherry red for about 50 miles, no tools on me that night. The wrap did crystalize a bit from the heat but thats it.


How can a CAS sensor affect engine opperation? Its only used for diagnostics

[Silverbullet]

Does it decrease spool time?

I belive they are talking about an NA header, but on a turbo manifold, it should increase the spool time. When there is no heat shield or other means of heat insulation, energy is being loss to the surrounding. When wrapping the manifold, more of the energy stays inside the manifold to drive the turbine wheel.

[aNskY]

Does it decrease spool time?

are u serious? lol

he is serious

I belive they are talking about an NA header, but on a turbo manifold, it should increase the spool time. When there is no heat shield or other means of heat insulation, energy is being loss to the surrounding. When wrapping the manifold, more of the energy stays inside the manifold to drive the turbine wheel.


Yep! except you guys meant "decrease" spool time ;) it may not be dramatic enough to actually notice but it will help.

[adrians_s13]

I've seen Tomei manifolds crack from heat wrapping... I think it was Azndoc that advised me not to wrap manifolds, regardless of brands.

[murda-c]

By the way, what do you guys use to plug the EGR hole and the bottom hole?
I cut off the threaded ends of the lines, put nickels in the holes, and tightened the ends down on them. However, I would rather use normal bolts if possible.
(Sorry for the threadjack, but I'm sure this will come in helpful as well)

18mm drain plugs i think.

[Bigsyke]

M24x1.5

18mm is for the O2

[ixfxi]

all, well most...............of these manifolds are garbage... its a crapshoot.

leave them unwrapped and they'll be just fine. i had a hotshot header back when i was sohc, no cracks no probs. i have a racing beat on the miata, no cracks no probs.

needless to say, ide stay away from the cheap ebay stuff

[Bigsyke]

^^^I have a xtune header which has taken an insane amount of abuse, and even with a snapped exhaust manifold stud, its still kept its true, and the fitment is of OE. $109 shipped if I recall. No need to wrap it, just run 2.5" piping if your worried about heat loss/velocities

[punn303]

How can a CAS sensor affect engine opperation? Its only used for diagnostics

cam sensor not crank.

[waynehead05]

are u serious? lol

Yes I'm serious.

[xru5tyx]

the abuse forces you to do it right, one of the reasons I love zilvia.

Anyway, wrap it, it's fine. If A manifold is destined to crack due to a flaw in it's fabrication or due to abuse it will crack whether it's wrapped or not.

Wrapping will however bring about a noticeable decrease in underhood temp. Another thing you might try first is that BMC shield if that's what you are worried about. Even going as far as putting that heat rejecting gold film outside it.

wait, whats the bmc shield? is that the stock heat shield? or something else? seriously i have no clue about this area of car mechanics

[xru5tyx]

cam sensor not crank.


camshaft position sensor is the reason my car dies after 2 miles and wont start back up for an hour

[bigOdom1]

ive had a megan manifold for about four years, its not wrapped and its not cracked.

[drftwerks]

im going out on a limb here by saying the extra weight of the turbo is mostly the cause of TURBO MANIs to crack, should be ok with na apps.

[shifts13]

bought an ebay turbo mani from a friend that he abused for a few years unwrapped. then i wrapped it when i got it about a year ago and its still fine. wrapping it made a huge difference. it stays cooler than stock mani + heat shield.

[BustedS13]

By the way, what do you guys use to plug the EGR hole and the bottom hole?
I cut off the threaded ends of the lines, put nickels in the holes, and tightened the ends down on them. However, I would rather use normal bolts if possible.
(Sorry for the threadjack, but I'm sure this will come in helpful as well)

weird, the chinese must have stepped up their game, because mine shipped with plugs for all three holes:

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k216/nerfdude/headerplugs.jpg

now, what should i use to make sure there's a good seal on them? preferably something removable, so not JB Weld.

[murda-c]

Some good anti seize should be all you need, I've never noticed any leak from any of my bung plugs with no washer and just some high temp anti seize even with the tailpipe silencer in.

[kushlivin]

thats like saying theres no point in modifying anything in a car because it came from the factory without it, i know the manifold doesnt need wrap or paint, i was asking if it would make any difference in performance. i dont know everything dude, dont be a dick about it

Sorry to break it to u man but zenki life is a dick n is not a man!! moderators lift ban pleeezzzz

[Phlip]

Sorry to break it to u man but zenki life is a dick n is not a man!! moderators lift ban pleeezzzz

Seriously, knock it off... You're not coming off as any better a man by acting out toward someone who did nothing to you.

[iloveturbos]

if your car is tuned properly and running right all the time ..nothing will crack then ..its when engines are not tuned ..lean out a little or alot and thats it CRACK

[chachi]

I was running a no name turbo manifold from ebay..literally came in a brown box that said "CHINA"

I wrapped it with exhaust wrap, and drove it like that 3 years. I was bending downpipe and turbo outlet bolts because I didnt have downpipe bracket bolted and even with all that stress manifold never cracked

could have been a cherry but now I'm running another manifold from a sponsor with wrap since install and no problems. Drastic underhood temp drops in my experience, no more hotface when opening hood, although primary purpose is to retain heat for quicker exhaust scavenging. I will always wrap mine.

Sucks that a Tomei manifold from previous post cant take the heat but my ebay one has and its on a motor that lives banging off the rev limiter

[flip3d]

i say no wrap.

my manifold didnt crack but i guess i spilled a little oil on it and it caught fire and spread to my BMC. thank god for fire extinguishers.

[Howlermonkey]

I only wrap when the radiant energy from the header/manfold/piping is going to bake some nearby components even with heat shields in place.

[fueled by hate]

I wrapped my headers and haven't had any problems. Yesterday my mom asked why I had a band aid on my car and I was like what? I saw her pointing to my headers then I lol'd.

[Bigsyke]

anybody understand the reason they crack is because there is no flex in most aftermarket exhaust systems? put a flex pipe on the collector and problem solved

[AFSil80]

For what it's worth, I have not wrapped the eBay manifold on my CA18, and it has not cracked. I also made sure that the downpipe was bolted to the support on the transmission crossmember to reduce flex.

[Bigsyke]

That support is rubber, it does nothing, I broke mine off by accident. Flex pipe.

[BustedS13]

flex pipe guys: will i need to cut the header to install the flex pipe, or can i put it on the exhaust after the cat/test pipe? ultimately my exhaust will be
header->test pipe-> 2.25"piping->chambered magnaflow XL muffler->2.25"piping->Apexi WS2

where in that should i stick in a flex pipe? i still need to get the exhaust fabricated at the muffler shop so now would be the time.

[GSXRJJordan]

I've seen Tomei manifolds crack from heat wrapping... I think it was Azndoc that advised me not to wrap manifolds, regardless of brands.

Correct, Jack's Tomei cracked. Tomei even ships their manifolds with header wrap and metal ties to install it.

anybody understand the reason they crack is because there is no flex in most aftermarket exhaust systems? put a flex pipe on the collector and problem solved

That's exactly true, although moreso for turbo elbows than the manifolds themselves. Flex sections are great!

That support is rubber, it does nothing, I broke
mine off by accident. Flex pipe.

I wouldn't say it does nothing - it does the exact same job as a flex pipe - that rubber support will hold the weight of the exhaust... it's a good addition to a flex pipe (assuming the flex pipe is forward of the rubber mount).

flex pipe guys: will i need to cut the header to install the flex pipe, or can i put it on the exhaust after the cat/test pipe? ultimately my exhaust will be
header->test pipe-> 2.25"piping->chambered magnaflow XL muffler->2.25"piping->Apexi WS2

where in that should i stick in a flex pipe? i still need to get the exhaust fabricated at the muffler shop so now would be the time.

You want the flex pipe as close to the engine as possible, so definitely before the test pipe (before the rubber mount, too). Cut the header, install the flex pipe, keep the trans rubber mount thing, and ditch the test pipe. I also converted to 3-bolt flanges since 3" 2-bolt flanges leak like crazy, but with 2 1/4" you might have better luck.

[Bigsyke]

I agree the trans support hangar would be effective if you were only using the 2 rear canister hangers on the muffler only, but if your using all 4 exhaust hangars I dont think the support does to much to releive stress off a stainless exhaust mani.

But put a flex pipe on the collector like we all should, and the trans support hangar is a must IMO.

A flex pipe in the collector does wonders, helps stop warped flanges, broken/seized studs, and cracking. It also helps with cheap fitment

[jeremy242]

ka24e obx header wrapped for over 2 years and no problem.