Thread: How hot are your headers...??

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Stuccoman, have you taken your wrap off to get a look at the condition of your tubes? I'm curious as I'm really considering just putting my wrap on for a few months until I can afford the ceramic coating.

I havnt pulled any of the header wrap off and dont really plan to...when I first put it on I was really wondering how long this stuff would stay on,,,but it is summer #2 and it is holding up...as to how the headers are doing...your guess is as good as mine....but I dont think they would be too damaged from heat...

According to what I've read/seen header wrap traps moisture after the engine is shut off & the headers rust out eventually. Not sure how long this process takes.

If you can get more than two years out of an uncoated set of headers you are doing pretty good. Usually they rust out by three years. Coated ones usually have a 5 year warranty on the coating. Could be a lot less with the wrap you speak of.
Part of the reason I put headers on an engine is for looks. Seems kind of pointless to wrap them. They get hot, but not any hotter than manifolds do.
I still say that if your headers are getting a red tinge to them that you probably are running your timing too slow.
Ed

Moisture and eventual rust would concern me. When I ordered my Hooker headers, I turned around and sent them off the Jet Hot. Like ceramic coated, they cool very, VERY quickly. Jet Hot coats inside and out so I would guess making a smooth coating may help flow as well as maybe provide some insulation and it looks VERY nice (I have a recent post in the new guys section). I have had mine for a long time with no rust or discoloration (my car has been garaged forever too, however).
Cheers!
Paul

Originally posted by Hurst01
53fatfndr,
What do you have the timing set at. Slow timing will make the pipes glow like that. They should NEVER get that hot.
Ed

Ed, I aplogize for not replying to your question. I must have glanced over it. I have begun to think the timing myself. I went out and checked everything out last night. Base timing is 10 degrees, at idle....800 RPM. Total advance, 4000 rpm, it is 31 degrees. However, I'm wondering if I need more advance, and quicker. The charts for my MSD dizzy have me at 25 degrees advance when the headers glow at 2500 RPM. I've played with carb settings, both ends of the spectrum, really lean to really rich. When lean, it glows quick. When rich, it takes more time to glow. I have an air fuel gauge that has me at full on rich right now. Either way, they are still glowing. Vacuum is 15 inches at idle, it's got a fairly healthy cam. Plugs are pretty black too.

I appreciate any further suggestions. I'm thinking timing now though.

At least in the fuel injected world glowing headers means you are running to rich. The unburnt fuel makes it into the header then is burned inside the tube causing it to glow. I've also heard incorrect valve lash can cause it too. As for wrapping the headers, i bought a set of stainless steel headers that had been wrapped for about a year and they were rusted severly. If they weren't stainless they would of probably been junk. If you want nice, long lasting headers, that run half way cool you need to get them jethot coated. By the way if you go with Jethot headers, make your way over to www.cz28.com and become a member. I'm a member of that site and i think you get 15-20% off getting your headers coated.