Thread: For Don Shilady

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Exhaust Wrap Rust?

It has been a long winter since I was here last and then Spring went by also. In May I had occasion to go to a NAPA store near the Richmond International Airfield about 10 miles from home just off of I-295 and I went in late afternoon with homecoming traffic. The weather was good and the ride was great at 70+ mph keeping up with the other cars. Just before I reached the NAPA store I stopped for gas and then found the starter simply did not work. Banging on the solenoid produced just one brief turn of the starter and then nothing so I went through the tow routine since I have a Premium Member AAA card. Now I am about to replace the starter with one of the chinese mini starters because I found the previous starter was within 1/2" inch of the down pipe from my shorty headers on the SBC 350. So the question is how to keep the heat from the starter? After I read up on available starters for about a week I chose a Chinese ministarter which gives more clearance from the down pipe and I put a layer of adhesive insulating wrap around the starter and the solenoid. I also purchased 25 feet of fiberglass "titanium" wrap and assorted wire fasteners. Then I read where that can cause rusting of my headers if the wrap gets wet which it surely will down low under the front fender. Then I bought some other wrap from Summit that is supposed to give 70% shielding and I may use that instead of the titanium wrap. My local race guru Bruce Orlandi at Performance Transmission says if I keep the wrap dry it will last but I read that the heat may melt the steel tubing inside of the wrap?
My preference at the moment is to use the heat wrap intended for turbo feed and other pipes which get hot rather than the titanium wrap due to the advertised 70% heat shielding. Anyone here who can comment on using exhaust wrap on a street rod as far as how long it will last and/or other ways to protect the starter?

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder