Do you guys heat wrap or ceramic coat your long tube headers?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 35
Likes: 9
From: Orlando
CLS55
Do you guys heat wrap or ceramic coat your long tube headers?
Just wondering what most people do. I bought some stainless steel long tube headers and am wondering if I should heat wrap them, ceramic coat them, or just install them as is. What does everybody else do? Are under hood temps an issue if they are installed as is? Will it kill the life of any other components that may be close to the headers?
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 325
Likes: 11
ez-go
On an earlier car I had this coating applied. It's not pretty but it's effective.
https://swaintech.com/race-coatings/...aust-coatings/
But you gotta ask yourself what the point is? For the car I used it on it was turbo. Keeping heat in pipes is good for turbo spool up. And although it claims to reduce underhood temps it is temporary. Heatsoak will happen eventually, cause thermodynamics.
If you aren't trying to spool a turbo most coatings will probably just make manifold repairs challanging. If you are trying to protect underhood parts a non-connected or non-bonded shield is better. Coatings like Swain tech may cause less severe heat cycles which may prolong the metal/welds a bit but likely not in any useful measure. OEM measures things in 10s or 100s of thousands of miles compared to the benefits of this....which might improve several heat cycles but not with the same lasting implications. When (not if) your manifolds crack it's going to **** your welder off and may need to be replaced so just enjoy your pretty stainless pipes and replace the manifolds when they fail. We're here for a good time not forever, right?
If you're melting underhood parts some coatings may help for a short time, but under extended hauls you'll still melt ****. With my midlength pipes, with no coating, and many extended pulls I never melted anything. For example I found out that the cruise control was limited to 150 and made most of the drive from Venice, Italy to Split, Croatia (to go to an Ultra Festival) and didn't melt nothin.
I don't think in most use cases there is added benefit.
My .02 cents
https://swaintech.com/race-coatings/...aust-coatings/
But you gotta ask yourself what the point is? For the car I used it on it was turbo. Keeping heat in pipes is good for turbo spool up. And although it claims to reduce underhood temps it is temporary. Heatsoak will happen eventually, cause thermodynamics.
If you aren't trying to spool a turbo most coatings will probably just make manifold repairs challanging. If you are trying to protect underhood parts a non-connected or non-bonded shield is better. Coatings like Swain tech may cause less severe heat cycles which may prolong the metal/welds a bit but likely not in any useful measure. OEM measures things in 10s or 100s of thousands of miles compared to the benefits of this....which might improve several heat cycles but not with the same lasting implications. When (not if) your manifolds crack it's going to **** your welder off and may need to be replaced so just enjoy your pretty stainless pipes and replace the manifolds when they fail. We're here for a good time not forever, right?
If you're melting underhood parts some coatings may help for a short time, but under extended hauls you'll still melt ****. With my midlength pipes, with no coating, and many extended pulls I never melted anything. For example I found out that the cruise control was limited to 150 and made most of the drive from Venice, Italy to Split, Croatia (to go to an Ultra Festival) and didn't melt nothin.
I don't think in most use cases there is added benefit.
My .02 cents
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 35
Likes: 9
From: Orlando
CLS55
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 326
Likes: 48
CLS55AMG
Hi CLS55Ian, just curious which headers you went with and what you think of them? I'm looking for a set for my CLS55 which has full stock exhaust. I have used Swain Tech's White Lightening coating on a single turbo manifold and the heat dissipation was greatly reduced you could hold your bare hand right over top and not get burned after running. Again it's a white non-smooth finish. Kind of looks like the white Ferrari headers on their earlier F1 cars or sports racer prototype cars (P3, P4, 312pb). Thanks.
Trending Topics
Member
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 116
Likes: 14
2005 e55
On an earlier car I had this coating applied. It's not pretty but it's effective.
https://swaintech.com/race-coatings/...aust-coatings/
But you gotta ask yourself what the point is? For the car I used it on it was turbo. Keeping heat in pipes is good for turbo spool up. And although it claims to reduce underhood temps it is temporary. Heatsoak will happen eventually, cause thermodynamics.
If you aren't trying to spool a turbo most coatings will probably just make manifold repairs challanging. If you are trying to protect underhood parts a non-connected or non-bonded shield is better. Coatings like Swain tech may cause less severe heat cycles which may prolong the metal/welds a bit but likely not in any useful measure. OEM measures things in 10s or 100s of thousands of miles compared to the benefits of this....which might improve several heat cycles but not with the same lasting implications. When (not if) your manifolds crack it's going to **** your welder off and may need to be replaced so just enjoy your pretty stainless pipes and replace the manifolds when they fail. We're here for a good time not forever, right?
If you're melting underhood parts some coatings may help for a short time, but under extended hauls you'll still melt ****. With my midlength pipes, with no coating, and many extended pulls I never melted anything. For example I found out that the cruise control was limited to 150 and made most of the drive from Venice, Italy to Split, Croatia (to go to an Ultra Festival) and didn't melt nothin.
I don't think in most use cases there is added benefit.
My .02 cents
https://swaintech.com/race-coatings/...aust-coatings/
But you gotta ask yourself what the point is? For the car I used it on it was turbo. Keeping heat in pipes is good for turbo spool up. And although it claims to reduce underhood temps it is temporary. Heatsoak will happen eventually, cause thermodynamics.
If you aren't trying to spool a turbo most coatings will probably just make manifold repairs challanging. If you are trying to protect underhood parts a non-connected or non-bonded shield is better. Coatings like Swain tech may cause less severe heat cycles which may prolong the metal/welds a bit but likely not in any useful measure. OEM measures things in 10s or 100s of thousands of miles compared to the benefits of this....which might improve several heat cycles but not with the same lasting implications. When (not if) your manifolds crack it's going to **** your welder off and may need to be replaced so just enjoy your pretty stainless pipes and replace the manifolds when they fail. We're here for a good time not forever, right?
If you're melting underhood parts some coatings may help for a short time, but under extended hauls you'll still melt ****. With my midlength pipes, with no coating, and many extended pulls I never melted anything. For example I found out that the cruise control was limited to 150 and made most of the drive from Venice, Italy to Split, Croatia (to go to an Ultra Festival) and didn't melt nothin.
I don't think in most use cases there is added benefit.
My .02 cents
You did 150 ON CRUISE CONTROL? 😳 What was your IAT during this missile strike??
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used
Verdad Gallardo
SPONSOR
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 846
Likes: 559
From: San Jose, CA
11 E550, 16 AMG GTS, 13 S550
I don't recommend this.. Heat ultimately ends up where it wants to end up. The extra bulk, lack of serviceability, and beat down on the welds isn't really worth the trade off IMO. If you keep all the heat in the welds plus all the moisture being wicked onto the tubes, you might see cracking, pitting, or fitment issues for the benefits of keeping the heat in the exhaust. You might rot it out in 5 years or less.
As much as your transmission fluid, alternator, and power steering components love being cooler, you might not like the outcome. Anytime you drive over water you're going to give yourself quite a scare too. You can ceramic coat them if you're really pressed about it but I mean youre just paying for plumbing, it's not aerospace.
As much as your transmission fluid, alternator, and power steering components love being cooler, you might not like the outcome. Anytime you drive over water you're going to give yourself quite a scare too. You can ceramic coat them if you're really pressed about it but I mean youre just paying for plumbing, it's not aerospace.
__________________
Alpha European Autotech
Purchase Amsoil at 25% off from me
Chris Tran, Retired Alpha European Autotech Owner
Amsoil Independent Dealer #7236674
Alpha European Autotech
Purchase Amsoil at 25% off from me
Chris Tran, Retired Alpha European Autotech Owner
Amsoil Independent Dealer #7236674
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 35
Likes: 9
From: Orlando
CLS55
Hi CLS55Ian, just curious which headers you went with and what you think of them? I'm looking for a set for my CLS55 which has full stock exhaust. I have used Swain Tech's White Lightening coating on a single turbo manifold and the heat dissipation was greatly reduced you could hold your bare hand right over top and not get burned after running. Again it's a white non-smooth finish. Kind of looks like the white Ferrari headers on their earlier F1 cars or sports racer prototype cars (P3, P4, 312pb). Thanks.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 35
Likes: 9
From: Orlando
CLS55
I don't recommend this.. Heat ultimately ends up where it wants to end up. The extra bulk, lack of serviceability, and beat down on the welds isn't really worth the trade off IMO. If you keep all the heat in the welds plus all the moisture being wicked onto the tubes, you might see cracking, pitting, or fitment issues for the benefits of keeping the heat in the exhaust. You might rot it out in 5 years or less.
As much as your transmission fluid, alternator, and power steering components love being cooler, you might not like the outcome. Anytime you drive over water you're going to give yourself quite a scare too. You can ceramic coat them if you're really pressed about it but I mean youre just paying for plumbing, it's not aerospace.
As much as your transmission fluid, alternator, and power steering components love being cooler, you might not like the outcome. Anytime you drive over water you're going to give yourself quite a scare too. You can ceramic coat them if you're really pressed about it but I mean youre just paying for plumbing, it's not aerospace.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 325
Likes: 11
ez-go
Car is American spec. I brought it with me from America to Italy, and brought it back to the states. The car has seen more countries than most people here in America lol
