header wrap on 2 stroke pipes?

[Bocephus]

i see everyone poking holes everywhere for venting the engine compartment, but i rarely see anyone running header wrap. is there a reason? id like to wrap the slp pipe on my m8.....not because of general under-hood heat, but because it is so damn close to many different components under the hood (including the hood itself.) will it effect the pipe or performance at all? i know there 2 stroke pipes have the band(s) around them for performance reasons....im not sure what it does, but alot of the newer sleds have them. thoughts....?

 

[PJ-Hunter]

I know lots of guys that run header wrap. Mostly turbo guys though. I believe that those bands are to hold the pipe together at the weakest part. The vibrations and pressures can sometimes split the pipe. I could be wrong.

 

[polarisfornow]

i would say don't run it... i used it and it rusted my pipe from the inside out. I think because the moisture never completely gets out of the wrap.

 

[mike taylor]

You would be better to ceramic coat,Jet Coat, the y pipe and pipe set.
When you see the bands on After market pipes, their to keep the pipes from expanding thus keeping them more in tune.And from splitting.
When we used to coat our triples they did them inside and out.
and that helped keep the heat inside the pipe. And made the outside Purdy

 

[Coldfinger]

I wrapped my 99 doo stock pipe about 10 years ago and here is my take -

The 90 degree seams on pipe wore thru the wrap due to vibration.
The wrap holds moisture so make sure the wrap is dry before storing.
Wrap dries fast, like within 10 minutes when engine is running.

I used hi-temp silicone to help hold wrap in place after I noticed vibration wear on seams. I also installed stock alum cover over wrap so at that point the cover kept off moisture and eliminated vibration of the wrap. More or less, at that point, the wrap just replaced the oem fiberglass insulation under the cover.

I think the wrap is cooler temp-wise than a coating, but the coating looks good and is maintenance free.

 

[diggerdown]

I put a sheet of glass pack around the pipe and squeezed the factory clam shell back over it. I still have the heat of the Y pipe and first few inches of pipe to the main chamber, but it radically reduced my under hood heat. A friend gave me the insulation material from his bike pipes otherwise I would had had them coated. Good header wrap cost more than getting them ceramic coated and has many downsides.