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Heat wraps: are they a good idea?

L

LeFrog

Joined Mar 2005
3K Posts | 3+
Mesa, AZ
One of the upgrades I need to do is add a heat shield to stop burning my pants on the header, but not too long ago we had a post about heat wraps and thought about it for a little while.

It seems that it would pay to add a heat pad between the carburetor and the exhaust, from what someone wrote, that the heat from it would mess up his carburetion.

But what about heat wraps around the header all the way to the silencer, will it be a good thing or not?

Aren't the headers supposed to be hot anyway and be cooled by the airflow while riding?

If the headers are wrapped, then where does the heat go? Wouldn't it cause the engine to overheat?

Yes, I am trying to think about dealing with the overheating issue, which in part may explain my oil leak issue, since only when the bike is overheating does the top of the cylinder head leak (which I already tried to deal with by overtorquing and applying liberal amounts of Threebond 1211 liquid gasket).

I am the happy tinkerer, I don't know everything, I like to ask questions, and I do read a lot first.

Thanks for the help!
 
As a performance upgrade, I'm fairly certain that wrapping the exhaust header makes no performance (HP) difference. I did a short section of mine where the pipe kept contacting my left pant leg and ruining my pants. The sole reason I used the wrap was that it was readily available, cheap, and accomplished the job.

The part about "it helps scavenge the exhaust gas and improves Hp" is probably BS, or at least very hard to detect if it does help.

The race car guys around here use it, mostly to keep under-hood engine temperatures much lower. For this it does a fine job. As far as the carb and exhaust being in close enough proximity to heat the gas up to some detrimental effect, I honestly can't tell a difference before and after. Having a bit cooler surface temperature in that area sure can't hurt.

As far as causing your engine to run cooler (or maybe overheat), it's not going to make a difference either way.
 
Yeah, John's pretty much right. The part about "increasing horsepower by keeping the exhaust gases hot" is ********. However, if you heat wrap something that's producing radiant heat, it should decrease the amount of radiant heat it gives off.

So if you have metal parts near an intake or carb that get very hot, it's worthwhile to heatwrap them.
 
Froggy, I think it was BikerBarn that said he has heat shields for husa-headers, I use a heat wrap on the other place that i burn my bloody pants. That is where the mid pipe meets the muffler/SA. Use the heat wrap and cover it with metal duct tape(the shinny stuff) not beautiful but functional. If BikerBarn checks this thread maybe he could post some pics.
 
I don't know about any extra hp, or scavenging, or whatever, but I did it in hopes of keeping some heat off the carb, fuel lines, tank, and shock...

img1373smallerug5.jpg


I am going to add some insulation to the fuel lines themselves, next...
 
Keep your feet on the pegs like 'yer supposed to! (j/k! ;) ) Doing the head pipes would not take very long but you would have to take them off the head. Maybe an hour job start to finish...
 
bxmr that's a nice job. I am already using an insulated fuel line on the left, the other one is clear (both have an inline filter).

What type of clamp did you use?
 
LeFrog said:
bxmr that's a nice job. I am already using an insulated fuel line on the left, the other one is clear (both have an inline filter).

What type of clamp did you use?
Click to expand...

Those look like the kind of clamps that go on automobile CV joints. You have to have the special tool to tighten them.

I wrapped mine the same way--removed the mid-pipe from the bike to make it easy, and then used hose clamps with the screw head turned to the inside so it looked nice and clean.
 
These are the clamps I used,a nd I installed them using needle nose pliers cut the excess off wth pliers:


Click image for link.
 
And you apply it soaking wet, right? I "learned" from a local indy-harley mech. that you install it soaking wet so it stretches less and molds to the pipe. I've never done it, but always wondered if he was really full of it, or was he right on?
 
Yes, put it on wet and when it dries it shrinks a bit. It can be a little messy so don't wear white pants. ;~)
 
I used the 1x50 roll and bought it from Summit Racing. It will be a LOT easier to do the head pipes with the 1" tape than the 2".
 
LeFrog said:
One of the upgrades I need to do is add a heat shield to stop burning my pants on the header, but not too long ago we had a post about heat wraps and thought about it for a little while.

It seems that it would pay to add a heat pad between the carburetor and the exhaust, from what someone wrote, that the heat from it would mess up his carburetion.

But what about heat wraps around the header all the way to the silencer, will it be a good thing or not?

Aren't the headers supposed to be hot anyway and be cooled by the airflow while riding?

If the headers are wrapped, then where does the heat go? Wouldn't it cause the engine to overheat?
!
Click to expand...
Wrapping your headers has been proven to improve exhaust scavenging because the gases maintain their velocity as long as they retain their heat. When the gasses cool, the velocity of the gasses is reduced and that does hurt performance. It is simple physics. Drag racers have known this for decades. The best performance headers are also ceramic coated to retain heat. Whether or not you can feel any difference on your Husaberg is a different matter. Wrap your headers and protect yourself from header burns. There is a speed shop at the N.W. corner of Mesa Dr at Southern, they sell it in two different widths and in 15 foot rolls
 
This Last Guy Understands!

I documented an increase of 10-15 degrees increase of fuel temp on a 93degree temp day. The wrap was done and it went back down about 12 degrees. THe people that say it does not increase hp lack understanding of what heat does. Notice in the picture provided above how close the brass on the carb is to the pipe about .100 of an inch on my 05 550. The person applying the wrap is probably the problem. I wrapped it until it hit the brass--about 4 times.
It will be notable the warmer the day is.
Good Luck
 
Re: This Last Guy Understands!

mark550fc said:
I documented an increase of 10-15 degrees increase of fuel temp on a 93degree temp day. The wrap was done and it went back down about 12 degrees. THe people that say it does not increase hp lack understanding of what heat does. Notice in the picture provided above how close the brass on the carb is to the pipe about .100 of an inch on my 05 550. The person applying the wrap is probably the problem. I wrapped it until it hit the brass--about 4 times.
It will be notable the warmer the day is.
Good Luck
Click to expand...

How did you measure the actual fuel temp inside your float bowl? Where are the dyno numbers to show where wrapping your header ON YOUR HUSABERG, not a automotive application, increased your hp?

The instructions on the wrap I purchased explicitly said NOT to overlap the wrap more than a quarter inch, and not to wrap more than one layer on. So which person applying the wrap has the problem, since you felt the need to PM me on the error of my ways, and insinuate I must not be able to feel the power increase because I'm not a good enough rider to use all the power of my bike.

Dude, that's weak, and I'll put it out here in the open as well as in the PM I just sent.
 
Put it out in the open because your wrong!

Sorry you are not able to endure sound tuning,but refer to hard work as bull sh--it.
Look at TY Davis for an example,he has been using it for this very purpose since he started racing thumpers. On the Yamaha the carb is more than an inch away from the screaming hot pipe. So if it works on a Yamaha how much more on a Berg that is .100 away? Some kinds of heat wrap do advise one wrap as it is in the design,some do not and are rated for more heat and that is what I USED.
Have a good day.
 

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