Thermal Wrapping Stainless Manifold?

[NYTSKY]

Will thermal wrapping a stainless manifold make the steel crack quicker than not wrapped?

I have heard that you need to let stainless breathe? Is this true?

GCG highmount if it makes any difference. As ive heard those china ones crack very easy.

[Roy]

Everybody has different views. Personally i think its a good thing, especially if you combine it with ceramic coating. It helps with under bonnet temps but also the life of the manifold

[Rezlo]

I have probably sold about 400 SR20, CA18, RB China manifolds over the last 4-5 years, only 6 of them have cracked, 2 of the guys didnt have flex pipes, 4 were using wrap.

Good internal and external ceramic coating works just as well as wrap to keep the bay cool, and looks better.

[Roy]

No way it works as well as the thermal wrap. I have tried all sorts of combos on my high mount setup and at present a time consuming shield works well as i was sick of wrapping mnaifolds all the time as that wrap crap doesnt last that long when its seeing high temps pn the track, ditto the ceramic coating. 12-18 months was all i could get from it

[GeeTR]

Roy, how was it degrading; patches of it simply falling off the manifold?

[Roy]

Roy, how was it degrading; patches of it simply falling off the manifold?

One of the brands of exhaust wrap i used was crap. One lasted great, the other went like glass and fell off after one track day. It became very brittle. They were both from Revolution Race Gear, only one was a different brand and was wider. I later tried the brand that didnt go brittle on the whole manifold and it last great until i removed it when i removed the turbo after about 18 months of service.

The reason i decided to try the wrap was the ceramic coating didnt reduce temps anywhere near what i was led to believe, the difference was marginal, but still better. Main reason i liked it was for its treatment of the metal itself and the small difference it would make to the differential temperaure the steel would see. Ie one side hot the other cold (engine bay air)

I found the combintation of the two worked really well, only the wrap still gets changed when the setup comes off the engine every now and then for maintenance purposes. So liek i said these days its easier to just remove/re-install the shield i made

[r33cruiser]

i like that shield setup for the pipes..

did u just buy some heat shield and put it on?

u should make a tutorial man. that is good. best setup ive seen

[Sydneykid]

I always brace the turbo flange to the manifold flange plus brace the dump pipe to the gearbox to make sure the weight of the turbo, the wastegate and the dump pipe is not solely carried by the manifold. I always wrap the manifold and the dump pipe in genuine Longacre thermal wrap. Guess what? I have never had a manifold crack, no matter how cheap and nasty.

Cheers

Gary

[spannerx]

I always brace the turbo flange to the manifold flange plus brace the dump pipe to the gearbox to make sure the weight of the turbo, the wastegate and the dump pipe is not solely carried by the manifold. I always wrap the manifold and the dump pipe in genuine Longacre thermal wrap. Guess what? I have never had a manifold crack, no matter how cheap and nasty.

Cheers

Gary

i found the exhaust temps are directly related to H P and air fuel ratios on my race car the first dump pipe burnt the ceramic coating off in a couple of race meetings, i,ve given up on thermal wrap ect!! at present my steampipe manifold and 4 inch dump pipe is plain jane its easier to fit bonnet vents and lift rear of bonnet.

heat