mikeknight

I had been searching around headers and couldn't bring me myself to spend 3k for mbh header for my 2004 e55 AMG, I was looking for anyone with installed reviews of XS Racing header, I was unable to find them. So I reached out to the Owner and received prompt messages. So I pulled the trigger and ordered them and here is my review I received the package shipping was incredibly fast. The welds are phenomenal the metal seem to be high quality stainless. I was able to get them installed without rubbing and they sound incredible. I found the header ID to be 1.75, the packing was great well bagged and no scratches. A big plus the collectors have a collector spike that helps keep the velocity up. overall I would recommend them for the cost well worth it. I had to trim the rear belly panel to clear.

tw2

They actually look pretty good to my somewhat untrained eyes. Thanks for the review.

Fountain35

No cats ? Are these Chinese made?

MACEDON

I can't help but think that the wrap will only make things worse; you're creating a pocket for hot air to congregate instead of pass through the tubes and cool them. In other words there's no circulation now.

f8l ws6

I've got the same headers and share the same review of them. They fit perfect and look as well made as you can expect for the money. They do not come with cats. I did not have to trim my bottom panel for them to fit. I opted to buy new OEM manifold gaskets on mine instead of using the included gaskets.

They did come drop shipped directly from the Chinese factory and they actually arrived very quickly, in under a week. I've had them on the car just about a month now and no issues. Currently the only real mod on the car, no tuning yet, and it REALLY woke the car up.

Punisher10mm

You don't want them to cool or the fluid inside loses velocity. The wrap keeps the heat where you want it and (hopefully) keeps it from heating nearby components. I can't recall the source but there was an article written that showed real benefits to the wrap. The test headers were for american cars by Hooker or some other reputable manufacturer. Only downside was that the headers were not stainless steel and the wrap contributed to accelerated corrosion of the headers - shouldnt be an issue with the stainless headers we typically use on our cars.

BlownV8

You want to keep the heat inside the headers and outside of the engine bay. Also, hot air travels faster than cool air. The wrap is a good thing.

tw2

Only issues with wrap are moisture retention/corrosion and that it usually makes installation much harder. You may find rust at the welds eventually.

MACEDON

Pretty sure wraps are bogus and the only thing that makes a difference is ceramic coating

BlownV8

Just let it go. https://www-hotrod-com.cdn.ampprojec...nstallation%2F

Bahnstormer

+1.

f8l ws6

Not sure if you want to hold all that heat into the headers. This is Chinese stainless steel here, they may be more prone to cracking.

Punisher10mm

I think you are confusing the benefits of wrapping intake components versus exhaust components. Someone else provide a link to an article with measurable benefits. In the end, believe what you want to believe - makes no difference to me.

tlambert

tw2

I have wrapped a turbo and manifold before, it makes a huge difference to engine bay temperature, give it a try one day.

gheorghe

does anyone know what the tube wall thickness of these headers is?
I wonder how they stack up against the MBH headers as far as tubing quality goes

MACEDON

I'm not confusing anything, if you wrap headers you wrap each pipe individually, not bundling the heat inside a thermal pocket like that with nowhere to escape.

Look at how idiotic it looks from the undercarriage, now all that heat gets trapped inside the material instead of air hitting the pipes and surrounding them. This dude has created a thermos.

Right way to do it is wrap each one individually. No discussion needed for that.

By wrapping the pipes together you absolutely reduce the surface area for cooling (area of all the pipes - area of that stupid waffle cone abomination now), and creating a heat trap with no escape. Silly logic.

Bahnstormer

This makes perfect sense.

Punisher10mm

If he has created a "thermos" as you stated - then he has succeeded and will benefit from his efforts. I seriously doubt he cares what it looks like from underneath his vehicle. Tubes are always wrapped individually but once they are close to one another there is insufficient space between the tubes for the material and you have to wrap the entire header. Long tube headers for our vehicles are going to require that the entire lower portion of the header gets wrapped as a whole - there is simply no other way to do it. Standard procedure - google as many images as you like. Better yet- try it for yourself so you will learn something.

MACEDON

I disagree, he could have wrapped em individually then collectively near the collector, instead this is wrapped the whole length

Punisher10mm

Agreed - he could have done just as you mentioned. However, in practice I doubt that it matters much so long as the heat is retained in the headers. Appearance matters to some - others only care about results. My only real complaint is the manner in which you addressed his efforts as being idiotic. It is his vehicle and he is making an attempt to improve it while sharing his efforts with the community. There is nothing idiotic about that - its why this forum exists. Cut the guy some slack or take a break and go eat a Snickers bar.

MACEDON

I've read that wrapping them like that can lead to cracking from overheating, and if they do, he will feel silly about it.

Sorry for using the word idiotic it was out of place.

Punisher10mm

Valid Point. In my limited experience, thermal stress cracking was not related to temperature alone - construction (materials and design) and vibration also contributed to failure. The headers are 16 Ga which is much better than I expected - 18 Ga would be more common and expected for lower cost. He may encounter some cracking but that is a common concern with most of the lower cost header options. I am surprised to see the flanges are as thick as they are in the pictures. The first places that most manufacturers try to minimize cost is the collectors and flanges. Leaking should not be an issue with those flanges as long as the surfaces are flat.

tw2

Cracking is a result of material being too think. Poor quality material with imperfections and impurities in the metal. Inadequate weld penetration. Uneven weld penetration. Not back purging will allow for hot spots to form. Basically cracking is due to poor manufacturing or excessive stress, ie inadequate support.

The heat used in welding is far in excess that of exhaust temperatures. Any heat wrap helps to keep exhaust temperature high which is your aim. If you want your headers to be cool your thinking is incorrect. Heat cycling destroys poorly made products not heat wrap or ceramic coating.

MACEDON

Alright maybe you guys know a bit more about this, I'm outta here lol