Header Wrap?? Yes or no....

[Crazed98Camaro]

I am looking to do my full exhuast this summer.
Pacesetter headers and Y-pipe to a Magnaflow Hi-Flow cat (NYS Inspection)
to a custom 2.5" S-pipe, to a 2.5" magnaflow cat-back.

What my question is, would it be ok to order UNcoated Pacesetters, then wrap them up, rather than getting a coating?

I live in the northeast. We get snow, ice, rain, sleet.
The camaro hopefully will not be a daily driver (snow-wise) this year.
But it will see rain, and it will NOT sleep the winter off in a climate controlled garage.

Will the wrap hold the condesation in and promote rust?
Anybody else here wrap their headers?

Thanks.

[ssms5411]

Re: Header Wrap?? Yes or no....

I would do the coating over wrapping, I've heard esp. back East where you guys rust that wrapping will make them rust quicker. I hope someone with more experience with being back East can jump in and post. I got RK sport headers 8 years ago and their still holding up fine with their finish, I'm in AZ where I haven't seen any rust on my car since I've owned it, going on over 12 years now.

[zpwn06]

Re: Header Wrap?? Yes or no....

the reason they rust faster with the wrap is because they get hotter with the wrap on because they can't dissipate heat. You might have a point about the condensation though. What you could do, before you store it, is put some anti-humidity silicone powder under the wrap. Go to Walmart and go to the shoe section. Open up all the shoeboxes and pull out those little white bags and load up your pockets with em. They're to keep the shoes dry in storage and transport, and Walmart doesn't need em anymore.

tadaa

[ssms5411]

Re: Header Wrap?? Yes or no....

I would think the powder would burn off within the first time it warmed up. I would just get the extra coating for the headers it would pay itself off in the long run.

[zpwn06]

Re: Header Wrap?? Yes or no....

I would think the powder would burn off within the first time it warmed up.

of course.
its just for storage

[D_Fisher]

Re: Header Wrap?? Yes or no....

Unless your wanting to make it pretty or reducing engine bay temps just get plain old painted headers. The paint will burn off after a few days. I live in the Midwest and my daily driver see plenty of rain, snow, and salt. My headers have minimal surface rust after 2+ years.

[Crazed98Camaro]

Re: Header Wrap?? Yes or no....

Unless your wanting to make it pretty or reducing engine bay temps just get plain old painted headers. The paint will burn off after a few days. I live in the Midwest and my daily driver see plenty of rain, snow, and salt. My headers have minimal surface rust after 2+ years.

That's what I want to get, because of the money.

But I would like to reduce the temp, but my bigger concern would be melting a wire. That is why I would like to wrap them.

[Timwiltshire]

Re: Header Wrap?? Yes or no....

Just go with a Satin Ceramic coating, it's definitely a better idea than a wrap, it's meant to protect them...

Also, just a suggestion as for what your doing with your exhaust, I'd go for CIA headers over pacesetters. Clear Image makes a superior header, it's an easier install plus they don't leak, also you can get a chromex ceramic coating with them which is super durable... You don't need a custom S pipe, the Magnaflow catback kit comes with an S pipe with a flair for a flange, but you can always just cut off the flair and weld a bung in there for the O2 sensor, this also gives you a little play for that 3" to 2.5" adaptor you'll need to put on the cat.. Anyway, I just thought it would save you a little cash..

BTW with the Magnaflow Catback kit, if you have a single tailpipe now, you'll want to buy an extra (it's $4) rubber insulator with the kit for your hangers, I just did mine and I needed one more than the kit supplies...

[Crazed98Camaro]

Re: Header Wrap?? Yes or no....

Also, just a suggestion as for what your doing with your exhaust, I'd go for CIA headers over pacesetters. Clear Image makes a superior header, it's an easier install plus they don't leak, also you can get a chromex ceramic coating with them which is super durable...

I was looking at the CIA headers, and it came to 640 shipped.
The Pacesetters, even with the most expensive coating they have (Jet-Hot, with a different color than Sterling), comes to 450 shipped.

I understand where you are coming from, seeing as the CIA headers are better than the Pacesetters, but I was hoping to keep this whole project under a grand.

Thanks for all the other Information!