rap pipes

[dillonpeewee]

has any one wraped there pipes to help reduce the heat? If so does it help very much?

[The Wolf]

Maybe that word should be wrapped

[Nana]

Dillon, I don't think I've ever seen pipes wrapped..... heat shields, but not wrapped. I'm wondering what you would use for that.

[kkaykk]

If you Google "Harley Davidson Pipe Wrap" you will come up with several product listings and some comments about their effectiveness or lack thereof. Not sure how well they work in reducing the heat issue.

[dillonpeewee]

thanks

[Greydog]

From what I've read on other forums wrapping the pipes will in fact reduce "felt" heat; however, the insulation will cause heat to be retained in the pipes therefore raising true engine heat. There is the arguement that the increased heat within the pipe makes for better exhaust flow but unless you're running a high performance engine I doubt you would see much gain in horsepower. Other than that I think wrapped pipes are just plain ugly!!

[Downtown Cowtown]

I wrapped my pipe and then returned the heat shield over it, now you've hurt my pipes feelings. Thats called mirco aggressive now, and probably grounds to sue. But im not in college so rest easy.

Thats on my 07 streetglide, on my 69 shovel trike i wrapped the rear pipe to help protect the regulator and the wiring and the heat on the battery.

I have red wrap under the heat shield on the streetglide, mostly unseen. On the shovel its titanium, wish i had done it in red. and wish i had done both pipes. That wish may come true after the other wishes come to bear fruit.

[consitter]

has any one wraped there pipes to help reduce the heat? If so does it help very much?

Yep. And it helped very little. Not much of anything helps when the outside temp gets above 85* (especially when it's humid).

I'm going to try an oil cooler when DK Customs works out one that will work on the water heads. I've heard oil coolers are the best overall help. Not only will lowering temps help with creature comfort, but the lower your temp, the longer the engine will last. That matters a whole lot to me.

- - - Updated - - -

From what I've read on other forums wrapping the pipes will in fact reduce "felt" heat; however, the insulation will cause heat to be retained in the pipes therefore raising true engine heat. There is the arguement that the increased heat within the pipe makes for better exhaust flow but unless you're running a high performance engine I doubt you would see much gain in horsepower. Other than that I think wrapped pipes are just plain ugly!!

What you are talking about is known as 'dynamic heat transfer'. The heat has to go somewhere. Can it go back to the engine? Yes it can, especially when sitting in traffic for a period of time. When you are just riding along, nah, it won't get back to the engine. It should get shoved out with the exhaust.

BTW, my pipes are wrapped under the heat shields. You can see the wrap, but you have to look for it.

[GARYD]

From what I've just read (I believe it was in Thunder Press) they did a review on the Baker +1 oil pan. Really helped lower the engine temps.

I keep toying with the idea and then replace the chrome shields over it.

A friend who has a sportster said the wrapping helped reduce the heat a lot.

[Sloufoot]

I had my pipes wrapped on the stock header & I think it helped quite a bit. But when I wrapped them I did a 50% overlap which actually gives you a double layer.
If you do a wrap be sure to spray heavily with a VHT paint & let it soak in. It will help protect the wrap from water damage & heat damage. If you don't do the spray Harley with the heat shields in place will actually burn the wrap up. YEP learned the hard way !

[consitter]

I had my pipes wrapped on the stock header & I think it helped quite a bit. But when I wrapped them I did a 50% overlap which actually gives you a double layer.
If you do a wrap be sure to spray heavily with a VHT paint & let it soak in. It will help protect the wrap from water damage & heat damage. If you don't do the spray Harley with the heat shields in place will actually burn the wrap up. YEP learned the hard way !

When you say burned up, you mean as in caught on fire, or just became completely ineffective? The Harley store wrapped mine, and they look to be a silvery color wrap, but stupidly, I didn't ask them for a brand.

[Sloufoot]

When you say burned up, you mean as in caught on fire, or just became completely ineffective? The Harley store wrapped mine, and they look to be a silvery color wrap, but stupidly, I didn't ask them for a brand.

What I mean by burned up is the wrap become dries out so bad it fell apart. This was brought on by the heat from the header & the heat shields keeping the air off the wrap so it could cool.
The material is a fiberglass impregnated with a heat resistant compound to keep it from melting. The VHT compound that you spray on helps to deal with the heat & contamination from water.

[consitter]

What I mean by burned up is the wrap become dries out so bad it fell apart. This was brought on by the heat from the header & the heat shields keeping the air off the wrap so it could cool.
The material is a fiberglass impregnated with a heat resistant compound to keep it from melting. The VHT compound that you spray on helps to deal with the heat & contamination from water.

Thanks for answering. Clears the mud in my head a little.

[retread83]

Passing along info posted on another forum that some have had pipes split after wrapping.

[Phu Cat]

I wrapped my catalytic perverter (which is right below where I sit) and it helped a lot! Over lapping by half as suggested above is probably a big part of that.

Interesting Sloufoot, the instructions that came with my wrap said to soak it in water for 15 minutes before installing it. Maybe installation varies from one manufacturer to another.

Phu Cat

[Sloufoot]

I wrapped my catalytic perverter (which is right below where I sit) and it helped a lot! Over lapping by half as suggested above is probably a big part of that.

Interesting Sloufoot, the instructions that came with my wrap said to soak it in water for 15 minutes before installing it. Maybe installation varies from one manufacturer to another.

Phu Cat

On some they tell you to soak it in water to wrap with, others say it isn't needed. The main reason for soaking it up is to make it flexible so you can pull it tight in the wrap. If you do soak it, let it dry out before you install (if you removed the headers to wrap) Then use the VHT paint & soak it in a lot.
If you don't take the pipes off to wrap just be sure you get the cover you want, block off for paint & spray without getting anything with overspray & get what you can.
It will work without the paint, but it is just an additional help.

[1dn5up]

If it has a cat, try removing it first. Pipe wrap insulates the header to a point of no return. Destroys the chrome underneath. Also as mentioned before all that header heat will migrate back to the engine, being insulated. Pipe wrap was designed for racing use to keep the exhaust headers hot for the short run. JMO

[FuzzyWuzHe]

The other issue to consider, wrapping a pipe will cause moister to be "held" against the pipe. Will lead to increased corrosion.