Controlling Under Hood Temperature With Heat Wraps
High performance engines put out a significant amount of heat. The largest contributors of engine compartment heat are exhaust manifolds and headers. Quality heat wraps now exist which will help to restrict this heat and protect other engine components from early failure.
Heat wrap rolls for headers and exhaust manifolds commonly fall into two groups. One type of wrap is made with glass fiber while the other is made from pulverized lava rock. The thermal rating of pulverized lava rock is greater then that of glass fiber by more then five hundred degrees Fahrenheit.
The ease of applying heat wrap rolls does vary with each kind of product. Normally speaking, heat wraps designed with pulverized lava rock are better equipped to conform to the difficult bends that are often seen on exhaust manifolds and headers. Glass fiber heat wrap rolls normally are installed while being wet, which helps to soften the material for installation. Glass fiber heat wraps must also have a silicone coating applied to the finished wrap for protection from dirt and grease. Pulverized lava wraps don’t require a silicone spray coating at all.
For the most thermal protection, heat wrap rolls must be installed using a quarter of an inch overlap. A greater overlap may cause too much heat to be restricted and create the environment for premature failure of exhaust manifolds or headers. All heat wraps should be properly secured with high temperature stainless steel ties at the start and end of each wrap.
After a vehicle is started, following the installation of heat wraps, it is common for the heat wraps to smoke as the engine comes up to normal operating temperature. This is to be expected and typically ends after an hour or two of use. During this period of time it is important to close up the windows and close any vents in the vehicle.
The maximum under hood temperature reduction benefit from a properly wrapped set of exhaust manifolds or headers is around fifty-percent. Those wishing to obtain the maximum reduction in heat typically will benefit most from heat wraps made from pulverized lava rock.
Expensive engine components may be provided additional protection from heat by installing component specific wraps and blankets. Components which can benefit from additional thermal protection include turbos, batteries and starters. Combined with exhaust heat wraps, these components will enjoy a longer operating lifespan because of limited heat exposure.
In addition to automotive applications, heat wraps also have industrial and commercial uses. Such applications can include shielding pipes or stacks to limit human exposure to intense heat. Whatever the application is, modern day heat wraps are proven to control heat and do offer significant thermal protection.
Justin Smith is a automotive product specialist employed at Weber Power Products. His knowledge of heat wraps has helped thousands of automotive enthusiasts and technicians properly install thermal protection products on their cars and trucks.
