Just fitted exhaust wrap to my manifold pipes under the bonnet. As recommended, I wetted the wrap prior to winding it on. Fired the engine up to get a bit of heat into it and evaporate some of the water. All seemed OK...
Today I went just a few miles around town to cook it properly and ended up leaving an acrid smoke trail!
I never realised it would be quite as smoky as that!!

but do they work now?

what one did you use? how much was it?

anyone used this one

ebay link

[Edited on 27/6/09 by omega0684]

Yes - it does smoke - scared the life out of me when it happened, as it was the first time I'd taken it out for a proper drive!

Smells as well .

just found this site that does coloured exhaust wrap, i bet that would look quite funky

Coloured exhaust wrap

I used the 1" stuff from CBS.
I had thought that 10 minutes tickover would expel the water and that, as they say, would be that.....RONG!
So I was going to go for 10-20 miles, but the smoke (and smell) made me turn for home ASAP.
It's a bit strange trailing smoke, people obviously thinking you're about to burst into flames!
John.

Better now - just did about 6 miles and smoke and smell are much reduced.
It's great to be able to do more than 3 miles and see the temp gauge steady and just UNDER half-scale.
The bonnet vents are certainly working - you can feel the hot air pouring out.

To sum up, the changes so far to mitigate cooling issues are:
New-to-me engine;
Polo rad;
Both bleeds (rad & 'stat) connected to header tank;
Baffles between radiator and nosecone (top & sides only);
Side vents in bonnet;
Top/rear vents in bonnet;
Headers wrapped under bonnet.

Still to do:
Oil cooler for autobox;
Possibly cut another vent at the back of the nosecone for radiator hot-side air flow;
Possibly duct fresh air to gearbox via NS side panel.

G/box does get a bit hot; it's much tighter in the tunnel than in the donor and I've fitted a sumpS guard which precludes cooling of the auto sump pan.
John.

have you got an oil cooler for the engine? if not, i would recommend getting one.

did you double layer the exhaust wrap or keep with single?

[Edited on 27/6/09 by omega0684]

I used that coloured stuff and the first header I used it wet and alot of the colour ran out of it so I did the one dry and it turned out alot better, just got to get it tight.

Cheers

Rich

FWIW : Thermotec is rated as the best stuff to get.

I found a guy in the states who charged peanuts shipping via Ebay and paid £50 for 2" 50ft wrap x 2!

They wanted £65 in England/Europe for just 1 of them...

Plenty of stainless tie grips (with the ball bearing are needed) as well - to help keep everything in place.

Makes you itch like a b'stard - so definitely wet, wear a breathing mask and hate to say it - but Marigolds are essential

Different ones smell differently. The wrap I got from Merlin motorsport had a nice biscuity smell to it. Made me hungry driving but otherwise no problems!!

quote:

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Originally posted by omega0684
just found this site that does coloured exhaust wrap, i bet that would look quite funky

Coloured exhaust wrap

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http://www.mrsite.co.uk/usersitesv21/aeautomotive.co.uk/wwwroot/page2.htm

40 quid all in for 30m/100ft
adam