ILuvJDM

iTrader: (4)

Like most internet topics, this one is highly subjective and you get about 1000 answers reading forums. Instead of "which is better" I just want real world experiences from those with wrapped pipes. Not interested in hearing about your friends cousins truck, just your own experiences

Here are my current questions:

Is it a good idea to paint the pipes with VHT flameproof paint first? This includes drivers cast manifold, crossover, trick manifold and downpipe

Wrap all pipes including drivers manifold and crossover, or just trick turbo manifold and downpipe?

And finally, which brand do you use?

I had DEI titanium on my last turbo vehicle but didn't run it long enough to know if it falls apart like the internet suggests

Atomic

iTrader: (42)

Wrap everything that gets hot, or it will melt something. I double wrap stuff most of the time. The DEI wrap is nice, but if any of them get wet during use they will fail much faster. Wrap should be considered a consumable to replace every year or so.

TrickTurbo

iTrader: (12)

NO need to wrap the crossover its under the truck.
Turbo needs a blanket for sure.
That chunk of metal will get nice a toasty. Down pipe sure.. You will need to stop around the location of the crossover connection flange. If the pipe set are all Trick pipes.

I have never wrapped any of my personal trucks, but I also do not install the inner fender. Since these are mock up trucks and they get taken apart quit often.
I have wrapped the down pipe on customers trucks, because they asked for it.

ILuvJDM

iTrader: (4)

It's your stage 3 kit, so all of your pipes. I have the turbo blanket you send with the kit

What's the reasoning behind stopping on the downpipe by the crossover flange? Will you not be able to fit it through with it wrapped all the way?

Does wrapping your cast manifold void the warranty or anything?

ILuvJDM

iTrader: (4)

which wrap do you use? Titanium/lava or the old fiberglass stuff?

ezdaar

iTrader: (1)

DEI Titaniium or nothing.
2k+ ceramic high temp paint or take to a pro to have items dipped.


If it gets hot, high temp ceramic coat and wrap it.
Even the cross over pipe. heat rises, that put it going directly into the engine bay (if cooling fan is in slow mode or off).
Also the hotter the exhaust is, the higher velocity it has, decreasing spool time and making the turbo response faster.

Depending on the vehicle and the heat coming off the exhaust pipes, I may wrap all the way back to the tips.
there is a dramatic increase in exhaust gas velocity and obviously temp exiting the tips when wrapped completely.
laser temp gun and a wind speed measurement tool verify s this.

Do some research on the gains from dropping under hood temps. ANY decrease is beneficial, even 1* drop is worth the time and $$ to coat and or wrap a part.

But if your not going to pull fresh air into your FI system from a fender, headlight etc. dont bother.
To many ppl waste time and $$ coating and wrapping and then shove a cone filter directly onto their turbo snout, pulling in all that hot *** engine bay heat.

dont half ***, go full ***.. lol

Plus its nice to beable to pop hood and not get hit in the face with 500* hot air and being forced to wait 2 hours before you can touch anything.

TrickTurbo

iTrader: (12)

Wrapping the pipes takes up space, depending on how thick the over lap is you can easily loose 1/4-1/2" gap. The crossover is pulled inward to give clearance for the down pipe, and the down pipe is routed close to that crossover to give clearance around the frame and floor board area. A single layer of wrap in this area should be fine. There is no benefit wrapping past that crossover flange area. Its under the truck.
Same thing on the manifold you loose spark plug boot air gap clearance. A single wrap should be fine. Just check your clearance. I have never had the SS manifold crack. IF something happened I would work with you to take care of it. My red truck has been driving up and down the road on low boost for almost a year. No burnt wires, no burnt tanks, hoses, plug boots. Again my inner fender is not installed since it is a shop/mock up truck.

ILuvJDM

iTrader: (4)

There's a local guy that does ceramic coating in 2000° black. I had him do my old car turbo manifold after the stainless blued and looked like crap. It was also hot as **** being bare stainless, so this coating helped with that. I considered having this guy so all the parts including the drivers manifold. BUT I've also heard negative things with wrapping ceramic coated pipes. Supposedly it needs to be one or the other, but not both

after first startup, looked great:



then it turned blue and looked like ***:



after coating:

ILuvJDM

iTrader: (4)

I have not installed your kit yet, so I had no idea of the clearances. I assumed these trucks needed something on them or it would melt everything around them. I might just have everything coated and just run the turbo blanket. That coating should last for years based on my previous experience, but I just can't remember how well it did with heat. I do remember a huge difference from bare stainless to the coating, but didn't have a side by side comparison with a wrapped equivalent

ezdaar

iTrader: (1)

I can reach in and grab a set of stainless headers than have been coated and single wrapped in a 2014 chevy SS engine bay (6.2) after a hard run. yes its hot and you wont do it for long, but you keep your flesh and dont get burnt.

if you are unaware, the SS is a VERY hot engine bay.

I wrapped everything including hot water hoses for the heater and radiator.
No longer get burnt simply touching anything under the hood.