Using Thermal Wraps on Headers and maybe intake piping?
 

I was browsing the MossMotors site randomly and came across "Thermal Wraps" that insulate the headers. Insulating the headers is supposed to lower the engine bay temps by adding a thermal insulation boundary. Has anybody done this to their headers? I bet this would drop the engine bay temp by at least a couple degrees. Also, recently I took a college course in "Heat Transfer" and I pondered the idea of putting thermal wraps on the piping of a CAI. In theory this would create a boundary between the cold air going into the throttle body and the hot air in the engine bay, reducing the temperature rise of the cold air in its transition from intake to throttle body. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the goal of a CAI is to force the coldest air possible into the throttle body due to its higher density and richer oxygen content, right? So the Thermal wraps could potentially increase the efficiency of the CAI. For under $30 It might be worth a shot to us "Justacooper" guys looking to collect every drop of hp :nod:. Any thoughts/ comments on this?

Here is the actual product:
http://ecommerce.mossmotors.com/p/ne...g-wrap/231-870

I've looked at this in the past for my '06MCS...... I figure everyone would benefit from this, not just the justacoopers......

http://www.heatshieldproducts.com/pr...e-system/62/49

I agree, I bet the cooper s would potentially benefit from this also. Have you done it? Any difference before and after?

I came across this as I was doing my homework on mods for the MINI. I decided not to get it because I ended up getting the K&N Typhoon for my r53 which isn't technically a true CAI, so I didn't think it would help. Now, if I decide to get creative and try to make it a true CAI (outside air only), then I will probably use this very product.

Here's another site I found in that same process that is a DIY type project. It makes sense, just not sure how it would hold up to the engine bay heat...... cheaper though.

http://www.flex-innovations.com/intake_wrap.htm

As I'm going to rally the Mini in a hot humid country heat was a major concern for me. So I fitted a 4 core Subaru WRC aluminum radiator and a 165F thermostat. The plastic surround was replaced with thermal cloth attached to aluminum sheet which was placed behind the radiator to vent the hot air up and over the intake. As weight is another concern I removed the plastic surrounds at the rear of the engine bay to let hot air escape through the windscreen vents. I'm also going to add a oil cooler but I had concerns about wrapped the exhaust header as I read that this can cause cracks in the metal. I have heat wrap on my current rally (Suzuki Swift GTI)without issues where the wrap is but have had several cracks welded up just after the heat wrap which I'm not sure if this is related.


"It is a cool look and it does help a great deal with the heat. But unfortunately the nature of this product on header pipes is that it can cause the pipe to deteriorate and crack. All the heat that is build up, the header wrap prevents it from radiating outward so it stays in. that heat build up between the wrap and the header turns into moisture which is what causes the steel to deteriorate and potentially crack."

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@Rallymini370:
Very good point! I did not consider the wraps on the header would be such a good insulator that the heat could not escape. It is well known that metals lose almost 50% of their ultimate strength under high temps so the cracking of the header makes sense when the heat has no where to go due to the wrap insulation. So this means wrapping the header is a bad idea. However, wrapping the CAI piping or box would keep the heat out of the intake rather than trap it so I believe this could still be useful.

Yes it is a bad idea to wrap headers on a non race car. Did it on My motor home with 496 chevy engine and headers. Had to buy another set of headers because both due to heat destroyed themselves in a very short period of time less than a year from install. Cost over 800.00 and 2 days to replace.