Heatwrap header for noise reduction
 

I've recently installed some stainless headers, and the exhaust leaky noise under load is just too annoying. I went to an exhaust shop and had them check it out, they couldn't find a leak, and suggested it was caused by the thinner materials used in SS headers.

Do you think wrapping the headers would work to deaden the noise? Otherwise i might revert back to stock. I don't want to drive around in a new looking car that sounds like its leaking exhaust.

The system is stock otherwise btw.

what header did you get?

Got the OFH2. Build quality is excellent and the fitment is spot on. I think the noise is just the nature of stainless steel headers.

Does anyone else here run with an UEL SS header and otherwise stock exhaust?

From the Oem Cat header to a catless header , it louder for sure

If it was about the same sound only a bit louder, no problem. But it's that entirely new leaking-sound that bugs me. Maybe it actually does leak, just not enough to notice on idle. I wasn't very thorough when cleaning the mating surface on the block..

I think wrapping would help deaden the sound you're talking about, assuming you don't actually have an exhaust leak somewhere. Sounds like you're complaining about the 'ringing' of the headers perhaps - stock are quieter because they have heat shields on them. I noticed the additional sound when I added headers too - the sound is right under your feet, and probably most of what you're hearing is in-cabin. I just got used to it, don't even notice it now.

Well, turned out i had a leak. The torque wrench i used on tthe header-bolts was way off, and i got almost half a turn on each bolt before reaching 30Nm with a more reliable one. The sound started out less noticable after that, and disappeared entirely after a few miles.

I now hear the sound you are talking about frank, and frankly it doesnt bother me that much.

Is it a hissing sound when you accelerate? I installed a header too this weekend and can't figure out if its a leak or not since it's not there on idle.

Warpping your headers should not reduce the exhaust sound. But honestly you should not wrap your exhausts in the first place, since its more likely for rust and corrosion. Ceramic coats the way to go.

But to answer your question, if you're strugging with a loud exhaust, I would suggest going with the JDL ultra quiet frontpipe. Seriously quiet the exhaust for me.

Had the same problem with the tomei catless UEL, the thinner metal is the reason why your system sounds leaky... you can try wrapping the header... in the german forums a guy told me, it helped a lot to wrap.... some other guys told it doesnt help, so maybe just try it out and share your information with us?
I heared wrapping is no problem when the header quality is high

Hey guys, so i installed these same Tsudo UEL’s in my FRS as well, sounds great but i am having the weirdest sound coming from the headers. It sounds like a leak but i had them checked out and they said it wasn’t a leak. I am running stock exhaust on them so i wonder if that has anything to do with it?

Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated 😊

Simple answer, yes. I wrapped mine (also SS headers, catless, nothing too fancy) and the volume dropped considerably.

Edit: dammit, I just realised i answered to a somewhat old thread that got bumped ...
@Twitchy313 what you are hearing is probably just the gasses passing thru the header that is now thinner and has no shielding. Stock rest of the exhaust should have nothing to do with it (aftermarket exhaust will just make the whole thnig louder most of the time).

Wrapping the header will quiet down down the noise coming from the header. It worked really well for me. Sounds like an exhaust leak, especially during cold starts. Now it’s nice and quiet. I wrapped my front pipe too, that was just as bad if not worse. I have the ace front pipe.

@Icecreamtruk Makes perfect sense, thank you for that! So you think that the loud rattle (leak noise) is caused by the no shield and gasses mix? What are the chances that i wrap them and that sound goes away?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Wrapping them made the sound go away for the most part for me. It should at the very least reduce it considerably, its a case by case depending on the header itself.

So I got them looked at, and it turns out there is a hole in the collector. Called the company and they're going to replace them, I just knew there was something wrong.