To wrap or not to wrap... That is the question.
 

Currently have an Invidia N1 Ti catback, stock engine. Just picked up these Invidia front/overpipe second hand and some DEI titanium wrap. When I drop the trans to install the new clutch, Ill be replacing these exhaust pieces. I was going to go ahead and wrap the front/overpipe because in the future I plan to do a EFR build and fully wrap the manifold/downpipe and have a turbo blanket.

But then it occurred to me... Does the front pipe contribute heat to the transmission that you actually BENEFIT from? Im thinking cold start mornings in the middle of winter it actually aids in bringing the transmission fluid to temp quicker through convection heating. Am I just talking out of my ass here? The overpipe is getting wrapped regardless. Curious how much engine heat is transferred to a cold transmission case via bellhousing and input shaft vs heat generated from friction of gears meshing. In to hear all input, opinions, theories, factual evidence, trolling... etc.

http://i.imgur.com/tdGR1zQ.jpg

Turbo blanket for attention.
http://i.imgur.com/220LRLT.jpg

Just wrap all of it. The transmission is so big its virtually a heat sink so it will barely warm up. Imagine putting a torch to a ~150lb piece of metal and think how long it would take to heat it up.

I recommend soaking the wrap in water before wrapping as it allows it to stretch a little and make a tighter fit. Let it dry overnight. Or if you install immediately, the first start it might smell like stinky socks but it will go away in a couple minutes. It might smoke a little too. Look it up.

Also wear gloves/mask/eye protection as fiberglass splinters hurt, and is bad for your lungs and eyes!! The water also helps keep the particles from going airborne.

I was curious about the same thing.

I have a ceramic coated header and was thinking of wrapping it as well just to be safe for the track days and auto x.

I have read that if you drive during the winter, salt can be bad for the wrap. Not sure if true, i have yet to see any data.

yes salt is bad. It keeps all the baddies inside and eventually make a hole. I've heard of people painting it with high temp paint to give it a little waterproofing/protection.

Yeah, that makes sense @swarb. This is the titanium wrap. No soaking, no gloves. Read up on it... uses pulverized volcanic rock. The lower grade fiberglass wraps you are supposed to spray with a silicone waterproofing sealant. Luckily these exhaust parts are 304SS. Corrosion rates under the wrap should be minimal.

I wouldn't bother wrapping anything past the overpipe. The temps start cooling down once it reaches the front pipe and heat is really not an issue. I have my header coated and overpipe coated. If turbo, wrap the manifold, down pipe, and overpipe, then call it a day.

I'm running the open flash header with DEI Titanium wrapped.. or mostly wrapped.I installed about 6 months ago. I went down the runners on one bank then crossed over and went up the runners to the other, because the slope on the collector kept giving me trouble. The wrap kept sliding from the wider part down to the thinner, but it was my first wrap job and probably would have worked better if I had wrapped from the collector up. I secured with SS wire. I didn't use any water as per instructions, but even if it uses lava rocks, I think the base is still fiberglass, or similar because I ended up using duct tape to "wax" all the prickly/itchy fibers from my hands and arms. And I did catch a few in my throat which wasn't pleasant so be aware. Also from what I read, you can't paint/coat the titanium due to the coating it already has on it, the paint won't stick. I did get a little smoke for a few hours, but not too much. I only drive about 5 miles to work or 10 miles a day, 5 days a week, and it took around a month for the smell to go away. We have the under tray to help protect the wrap from road grime/salts, etc.. but I haven't seen any fraying or slipping issues, the DEI looks like it's holding up well. If I feel up to it I'll snap a pic, but I'm lazy so don't count on it.

Crevice corrosion on stainless steel parts is a major concern. Just because they are stainless doesn't mean that corrosion couldn't be a problem.

If i was going to wrap my header, I'd probably consider painting it first with a high temp paint and then wrap on top of that. Just my 2 cents.

Good to know. And yes, Im well aware that stainless is not impervious to corrosion. They dont call it stainPROOF, they call it stainLESS. Duly noted on coating the header. Luckily the front/overpipe are just straight sections, ill go ahead and wrap while Im waiting on warm weather and for ft86speedfactory to release their EFR turbo kit.

Guess Ill wear gloves during wrapping @Target70 lol

well being my first wrap, I probably had a more prolonged exposure than most will. I wrapped, unwrapped, then rewrapped like 3 times, trying to get it right. I have installed fiberglass insulation, and this was not nearly as bad. good luck on your project.