Exhaust insulation wrap

hello!

i want to wrap my exhaust header pipes with an exhaust insulation tape ala thermo tec.
there are 1" and 2" widths.
i got ss-pipes, high pipes like the s but exhausts left and right on the bike not only on one side as the s type.

do anybody of you have experience?

because i don`t know which one i should take: 1" or 2"....? cause of the bend of the pipes......


chris

Chris Zet said:

i don`t know which one i should take: 1" or 2"....? cause of the bend of the pipes......

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The 2" wrap should be fine.

Agree on the 2" wrap. Haven't done my Commando, but other bikes. And that airhead photo shows it will handle fairly sharp bends.

Can't figure out, though, why the airhead owner didn't wrap the crossover?

At one point on Peel I wrapped her 2-1 headers to their Y under TS cover. I liked it lot as took the clang/ring/clatter of exhaust out of the front of the engine sounds and made the area less heated to approach, but in my case THE Gravel and THE Brush abraded it away, so next time will have them armored. Said to rust pipes out faster but so what its that pleasant a feature to me. Said to help exhaust retain heat to flow easier too. Can cover rust and such too.

It comes in at least 3 colors, ivory and tan and gray. Its trouble some to remove headers if wrapped up close to the exhaust rings. They made a metal version of zip ties that much tidier than hose clamps but of course one use then cut off and trimmed end can slice ya very easy. Usually a spray paint type sealer is sold with the wrap to seal it some but couldn't tell it did much. I soak mine in water to make more pliable.

I just wrapped my '70 Roadster headers with the 2 inch wrap. I will throw up a picture tomorrow. I would definitely do the 2" over 1"

G"day Chris,
exhaust wrap is looks nice if its done properly. I say that meaning, its best if you start at the muffler end and wrap toward the head! This puts the over lap at the bottom and doesnt allow water or oil etc to push under and stain. It looks fugly if done the other way around. Trust me as its the way I've done it on my plane and seen other aircraft.
Foxy

BrianK said:

Can't figure out, though, why the airhead owner didn't wrap the crossover?

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It was his decision not to cover the crossover pipe.

Foxy said:

exhaust wrap is looks nice if its done properly. I say that meaning, its best if you start at the muffler end and wrap toward the head! This puts the over lap at the bottom and doesnt allow water or oil etc to push under and stain. It looks fugly if done the other way around. Trust me as its the way I've done it on my plane and seen other aircraft.

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I will mention that to the owner next time I see him.

thanks for the answers! exhaust wrap in 2" is ordered!

ad foxy: thats a good hint!!! didn`t think about it......but will do it in this way!

another question:

what do you think about securing the wrap the pipes with wire.......using safety-wire-pliers.....?

have a nice day!

chris

moin chris. when you use stainless wire (edelstahl) no problem ! did the same on a friends xt two years ago and still looking good !
the only thing is the black wrap turns white very quickly !
ps start your bike outside after you've finished cause this stuff smokes and stinks for the first ten minutes !
good luck !

hey blaisestation!

thats the way i wanna do it....with stainless....

will post some pix when i got my pipes wraped!

Here is a picture of mine with black 2" wrap installed.

Is it a good idea to wrap the pipes right up to the head?
Wouldn't the pipe run hotter and push that heat back into the head?

That sliding-twisting exht ring-bolt is a fraying-eye sore fastening issue to figure out > the first time ya must remove a header or two and want to re-use the wrap. The thermal effects of an inch or 2 uncovered is a non issue with or w/o wrap > just a fashion issue, which in obsolete stuff like our Commando is high on survival list traits.

I like the SS wire tie art so considering spiraling it over the whole wrapped length for some bright visual high lights and anti-fraying-abrading protection. The insulation ends have a strong tendency to un-weave itself into lose random bad hair day cow-licks, especially when handled to re-tension back flat a few times to compress-secure again. Not sure how I'll do it next time on Peel. Maybe staple folded copper sheet crimp on head end or off the shelf item.

hobot said:

At one point on Peel I wrapped her 2-1 headers to their Y under TS cover. I liked it lot as took the clang/ring/clatter of exhaust out of the front of the engine sounds and made the area less heated to approach, but in my case THE Gravel and THE Brush abraded it away, so next time will have them armored. Said to rust pipes out faster but so what its that pleasant a feature to me. Said to help exhaust retain heat to flow easier too. Can cover rust and such too.

Click to expand...

After leaving skin attached to head pipe while doing an oil change I found an appreciation for wrap as even hot pipes won't seize skin when wrapped.

Was thinking of using some metal to protect the wrap from wheel blast next time I do it. Wheel blast with rocks and mud did a number on the pipe wrap on my 640.

"Rust" pattern on stainless pipes looked like snakeskin :twisted:

Ugh Will you have literally touched on the main reason-advantage to wrap a Commando's pipes, less branding of Norton tattoos on ya when-where unintended...

I now have the stylish curvy header profile healing up on the sensitive flesh under my forearm near R elbow, because Trixie lost side stand spring in Catskill's on 1st time UN-loading on Al channel ramp she hi centered on square edge I now know to bevel off. But the eagerly installed new spring is pretty and holds stand up tight, hopefully longer than my new tattoo takes to fade. This month trying my best 'Not to Ride before rally, collected 5 Norton header brands : (

The next reason to me is the more pleasant engine note w/o the ring/clang of thin header chimes. I think the bats like it better that way too. The 3rd is the visual cleaning up of heat bluing and road grit abrading to nick-rust. I guess the snake scale patina means ya can't go back once committed to it on a set of nice pipes. Fourth reason is to imagine its actually adding some power while I ride Peel : )

How much more power does wrapping the exhausts provide?

How much more power from exhaust wrap, not enough you can feel but sensitive dyno's can detect an increase I've read online searching. Wrap has fallen out of favor as eats up headers way faster than raw or painted ones with minimal power gains to be worth it, so the real racers and builders have their headers ceramic coated inside and out. Hotter exhaust path energy 'greases' the gas flow speed and ease to change directions in bends so torque increases, a little bit more. In some craft it can add a few percent hp by insulating the intake pipes from heat soak for short sprint runs but less so for long travel heat has time to soak through anyway.

Main help is for cars with engines under hoods and passengers in cabin with exhaust close under, not performance. Next benefit is nicer less clanging header sounds, which until its gone you don't know how obnoxious it is. 3rd reason is lack of burns brushing against headers and protecting other heat sensitive components near by. 4th reason for me is to cover up crude welded and rusted headers on my Ms Peel cutie pie. I've wrapped both my chevy V8 pickup and van for way more pleasant cabin sound and temps and working in hot under hood tights but not detectable for performance change.

There are grades of quality in wrap and some are Aluminized to boot. Thermo-Tec comes recommended often on searching this up.
http://speedzone24-7.com/snap-strap.htm
http://www.thermotec.com/products/13001-snap-strap.html
http://www.thermotec.com/products/