What have you done to reduce heat from headers?
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From: West
2005 E55 Wagon
What have you done to reduce heat from headers?
I was going to exhaust wrap my Kleeman headers. But, that requires me to take them off, which might not be within my skill level; and I rather not pay my Indy to do it. Also, I see pics all over the internet of headers rusting or failing due to header wraps. I could have them ceramic coated. But, again that requires me to take them off and ship out and all that hassle. When I was at cars and coffee, someone there with a highly modded miata showed me how he used thermotec header blanket. He said it made a huge difference in reducing the amount of heat in his engine bay / heat from his header/manifold. I was curious what have some of you done to reduce the heat from your headers?
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From: Houston
2003 W211 E55, 2003 W220 S600
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From: West
2005 E55 Wagon
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'03 E55, Range Rover Sport Supercharged, Ducati 748R
I was going to exhaust wrap my Kleeman headers. But, that requires me to take them off, which might not be within my skill level; and I rather not pay my Indy to do it. Also, I see pics all over the internet of headers rusting or failing due to header wraps. I could have them ceramic coated. But, again that requires me to take them off and ship out and all that hassle. When I was at cars and coffee, someone there with a highly modded miata showed me how he used thermotec header blanket. He said it made a huge difference in reducing the amount of heat in his engine bay / heat from his header/manifold. I was curious what have some of you done to reduce the heat from your headers?
Last edited by chiromikey; Jul 15, 2014 at 01:32 PM.
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From: Wisconsin
2005 E55, 2007 ML63, 2008 SLK, 2015 GLK350, BMW Z3, Dodge Power Wagon, Electric Smart car
My headers ceramic coated in 2006 and ran the for 60,000 miles. The original coating was good but I had them re-coated inside & out when I had my heads ported. Also had my intercooler coated.
http://s256.photobucket.com/user/euruwarren/media/20140410_161916_zps8rizhzen.jpg.html
http://s256.photobucket.com/user/euruwarren/media/intercooler%20single%20pass/20140421_212403_zpsr370mage.jpg.html
http://s256.photobucket.com/user/euruwarren/media/20140410_161916_zps8rizhzen.jpg.html
http://s256.photobucket.com/user/euruwarren/media/intercooler%20single%20pass/20140421_212403_zpsr370mage.jpg.html
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From: JHB, South Africa
03 E55 AMG
My custom headers were ceramic coated when built and they came out in a nice metallic silver/grey finish. Done about 10 000 km with them and no discoloration so far. I have removed both steel bashplates from underneath my engine bay and this seems to help with the heat reduction.
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2005 e55 AMG
wraps
If you can do not wrap them. Although it works very well and makes more power, it does , like told in other post, tend to crack the headers. This will almost always happen at the welds of the header towards the collector. I had this happen many times on my own and customer cars before I realized what the problem was. The key for a street car is to cover the headers with a "blanket" heat deflector and also let the header "breath" at the same time. And buy the way, Ceramic is a fantastic option and works and looks fantastic!
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From: West
2005 E55 Wagon
Thanks for all the responses. I forgot I had thermotec header manifold blanket. I installed it on the driver side only, for now, to see how it goes next few days. I will report in a few days and see what happens.
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From: 'Merica
'04 E55 (Gone but not forgotten), '13 C63 P31 (RIP), another '13 C63 PP
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From: West
2005 E55 Wagon
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From: Florida-Germany-New York
2004 E55,1969 300SEL6.3,2011 ML350 BlueTec Diesel,2005 ML400 CDI
Jet Hot Coatings http://www.jet-hot.com/ is a good option. Applying gold thermal reflective tape to the air boxes and intake tubes will eliminate 99% of any radiant induced heat. You will find this material in use from spacecraft to F1 cars. I was able to achieve a significant reduction in IAT's.
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From: Central PA
'05 E55
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2005 E55, 2011 Honda Push Mower (21 inch deck bishes)
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From: Texas
2003 CL55
I just use large headers, 1 7/8 primary x 3" mege collector), so the heat flows out and does not back up into the exhaust valve/ head /primary tube area. 
Not much room to wrap each header on these cars but a shield/blanket may help direct heat under the car some.
Not much room to wrap each header on these cars but a shield/blanket may help direct heat under the car some.
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CL55 UPD Cold Air Boost kit, UPD 3000 stall converter, UPD 77mm SC clutched pulley and beltwrap kit, Custom long tubes, UPD crank pulley , UPD suspension kit, UPD SC pulley, Aux. HE, Trunk tank w/rule 2000 pump, Mezeire pump, UPD 5pc idler set, Aluminum rotor hats.
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E63 Biturbo, UPD Cold Air induction kit, UPD performance crank pulley and UPD adjustable rear suspension with ride height adjustment.
CL55 UPD Cold Air Boost kit, UPD 3000 stall converter, UPD 77mm SC clutched pulley and beltwrap kit, Custom long tubes, UPD crank pulley , UPD suspension kit, UPD SC pulley, Aux. HE, Trunk tank w/rule 2000 pump, Mezeire pump, UPD 5pc idler set, Aluminum rotor hats.
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From: Keller
clk63, cls55, ml63, (w210) E55
^^^^^^This
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From: Long Island New York
2003 SL55,2020 GTC ,2017 GTS sold ,2002 G500 Sold,2003 SL500 Sold,
Does anyone know how fast air is moving through the intake tubes ? I don't think it has time to heat up where it would matter ,at least that's what I was told by an engineer years ago when I ,wrapped headers and intake , didn't help my qtr mile times
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From: Keller
clk63, cls55, ml63, (w210) E55
Then again.......
It's those little things we do to our cars, when added up, that make a little more horsepower then when we first started.
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From: West
2005 E55 Wagon
Yesterday, it was raining with ambiant at 79. I drove the car around and then used the laster thermometer to measure the passenger header at 490F; and driver side (with the thermotec blanket) was 220F (measuring the blanket itself covering the driver side header). It was not as hot on the driver side with the thermotec vs the passenger side without it. But, all of this really means nothing unless IATs are improved. I am going to go ahead and put the thermotect blanket on the passenger side and start measuring temps with the laser thermo and see if IATs are better.
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From: Central PA
'05 E55
Measuring the external temps with a laser thermo isn't very relevant. The heat is generated after being compressed, before reaching the intake. To get any data that is useful, you need to measure after the blower. I'm measuring in the surge tank areas and can tell you that it's very enlightening.
Nothing other than meth seems to make much difference, other than a faster recovery rate after a blast. On my previous car (CLS) I have measured IAT's actually DROPPING on a 3-4th pull by spraying a healthy mist of water/meth.
Ambient air temps helps, of course.
Nothing other than meth seems to make much difference, other than a faster recovery rate after a blast. On my previous car (CLS) I have measured IAT's actually DROPPING on a 3-4th pull by spraying a healthy mist of water/meth.
Ambient air temps helps, of course.
