I have read every internet pro/con regarding the wrapping of exhaust headers, down pipes, cats, piping, mufflers, mummies and everything else under the sun.

Question: Does anyone have first hand experience with sound/tone changes caused by wrapping of various parts of the exhaust system?

 

 

+1

My ears have been ringing since I saw Motorhead in 1984, but at least they're
not bleeding now.

 

I've only wrapped pipes for heat reasons, never for sound reasons. In fact, sound reasons seem to be lacking in the vast majority of my decision making.

 

lol

 

No personal experience of this but believe Lizzardo and others are correct that the primary benefit is to reduce outflow of heat. More modern technology for achieving this objective is to have the internal and external part of the pipe coated with ceramic

 

i wrapped my downpipes for heat, but after looking at it on the lift, its unnecessary as the down pipes are only in the "tunnel" for about a foot, after that they are just under the chassis with plenty of ventilation and shielding.




Pile of F-Type Parts

 

Agreed; however, I am interested in sound, not temp.

 

 

Wrapping "for heat" can represent two different objectives. In both cases heat is retained in the pipe, but the purpose can either be to protect surrounding components from that heat or to keep the exhaust gasses from cooling. The latter helps keep gas velocity in the pipes high, which improves scavenging. I'm not sure how much it would affect a supercharged engine with catalytic converters, but it's why we'd wrap headers (or chambers) on the bikes.

Conventional wisdom in the motorcycle paddock, as much as that term can be applied to anything motorcycle racers do, was that wrapping for a street bike that might see rain was a bad idea. Even stainless will corrode, and the wrap retains water.

 

 

The wrapped down pipes will 100% see moisture, this was my fear when i seen how much is under the chassis and not up in the engine bay. luckily mine is on my lift often so i will keep an eye on it and remove it when it gets to be a an issue. My goal was to work on the heat soak issue, with the cats gone it should help and i would also like to pump as much heat out the exhaust.