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  1. #1
    Member raysz28's Avatar
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    M6 1998 Z-28

    Headers: To wrap or not to wrap...

    So, the question of the day is about header wrap.
    I have heard mixed reviews about wrapping headers. Some say that it headers will fail faster because of moisture and heat soak with the wrap. Others say that they work great and have had no issues.

    Im hoping to install headers this winter...My plan was on wrapping a set of Pacesetter painted LTs. My car is a summer daily driver who occasionally sees rain.
    Obviously I can go out and spend $800+ on a set of stainless or coated headers, but who has a ton of extra cash to get a fancy set of headers that you will hardly ever see? Even the SS and coated ones will discolor and pit.

    Let me know what your personal experience is with this, pictures, ext...Thanks.

  2. #2
    Senior Member TransAm11973's Avatar
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    2000 Trans Am WS6

    i wouldnt bother

  3. #3
    Impounded
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    79 T/A -91 Firebird
    1998 Trans Am -Oynx Black

    Wouldnt bother with it either. Do a good sanding and multiple painting coats of headers paint and drive the wheels off of it.

  4. #4
    Senior Member INMY01TA's Avatar
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    2001 Trans Am (sold)

    Skip the wrap and just get some stainless ones. Money well spent in the long run.

  5. #5
    Sold: LS1 '85 El Camino ls1camino's Avatar
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    2000 Grand Prix GTP
    2000 Trans Am WS6 M6

    I'm planning on doing it after I sand and paint them (rust battle) for a few reasons...

    1. Keep underhood temperatures down
    2. Hot gasses travel faster then gas that gets colder as it travels down the pipes
    3. Looks nice in my mind.

  6. #6
    Powerstrokin LT1 > LS1's Avatar
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    Trans Am owner
    former

    LPP headers


    cheap, and stainless. cant go wrong.....

  7. #7
    Member raysz28's Avatar
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    M6 1998 Z-28

    Thanks for the info,
    The LPP are still 500 bucks. but on the other hand if i spend 300-350 + 80 on the wrap, im close to that already... i'm still not sure what i want to do yet.

  8. #8
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    Pewter Metallic
    2002 Trans Am WS6 M6 D1SC

    Quote Originally Posted by LT1 > LS1 View Post
    LPP headers


    cheap, and stainless. cant go wrong.....
    +1

    He has em and Im going to get them soon. Ive seen them on a WS6 in person and they guy said it was a breeze to install them by himself.

  9. #9
    Member raysz28's Avatar
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    anything other than LPP to consider?

  10. #10
    Member raysz28's Avatar
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    those look nice! What made you decide to wrap them? what did your total cost end up being?

  11. #11
    Member raysz28's Avatar
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    M6 1998 Z-28

    post your dyno sheet when you get it, im interested to know what you end up at too. do you have anything else done to your car?

  12. #12
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    pewter
    2001 z28 lingenfelter 383

    Quote Originally Posted by crazy dave ls1 View Post
    the headers were a grand.coating was 225.00,wrap was about 150.00.When I first decided to put headers on my tuner told me that ls1's were bad "heatsinks" so I thought I would try wrapping them plus they fit pretty tight in the engine bay meaning that I felt too much heat would not be good for things like wiring,a/c compressor,and the steering linkage.I've also heard that wrapping them would help scavenging.I had them coated in hopes of preventing rust.I ended up spending way more than I planned but hopefully tomorrow I'll find out it was worth it after seeing the dyno sheet.also installed a 4" mufflex y-pipe back exhaust.
    prevent rust? kooks are stainless....do u drive your car through a salted winter or somthing?

  13. #13
    Senior Member INMY01TA's Avatar
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    2001 Trans Am (sold)

    Those look like shit. I know lots of guys running uncoated Kooks with no issues. I run polished XS stainless headers, with no issues. To each their own tho.

  14. #14
    Senior Member
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    pewter
    2001 z28 lingenfelter 383

    yeah i dont get the point of coating a high quality product like kooks stainless headers either......havnt seen a pair on this board that wernt still bright an shiney....theres a reason there 1000 to begin with.........but as said above to each is there own

  15. #15
    Member raysz28's Avatar
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    My dad has a set of Jet Hot coated header on our 65 ford falcon. we probably only put 1500 miles on the car in the past 5~7 years and they are already pitting and have little spots of rust.

    How do the coated Hooker Headers perform and fit?
    Last edited by raysz28; 11-21-2008 at 09:32 PM. Reason: new information

  16. #16
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    red
    1999 trans am

    The big question to why are you wanting to wrap the headers? Are you having under the hood temp problems? Are you just trying to protect them? Header wrap is nice for the guy who works on his car at the track, like changing / checking plugs after a run. But other than that I see no need for it unless your trying to protect something thats next to the header that shouldn't get hot (fuel line,wires, etc).

  17. #17
    Member 666ws6's Avatar
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    2000 Trans Am Ws6 #2946

    Maybe here's an easy way to look at it.... wrap them before you put them on, it's easy. If you don't like it... cut it off later. It's near impossible to go back and wrap them once installed.

    I wrapped my stainless SLP LT's. Seems worth it just to keep the engine temps down and the hotter the header stays the better they pull the exhaust gasses out. Doesn't look as pretty though.

  18. #18
    Senior Member ss~zoso~ss's Avatar
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    SS: NBM, tan top
    1998-SS, 2010 Jetta TDI

    get pacesetters they're cheaper than 500 and they're great, ive had mine for over a year and they're holding up great

  19. #19
    Member raysz28's Avatar
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    So i spent some time at jegs today looking at the headers and talk to the guys over there... they said that the coating quality is better on the pacesetters than the hooker. which surprised me. they said that hooker charges more for there name and isnt as good as pacesetter (in their opinion). they said that hooker has gone down hill the last few years.

    i decided to go with the middle of the road header coating (ceramic coated not painted or stainless) with no wrap. in the end they weren't that much more expensive and hopefully i'll see the benefit in the long run.
    so Coated Pacesetters it is...

  20. #20
    Senior Member
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    pewter
    2001 z28 lingenfelter 383

    Quote Originally Posted by raysz28 View Post
    So i spent some time at jegs today looking at the headers and talk to the guys over there... they said that the coating quality is better on the pacesetters than the hooker. which surprised me. they said that hooker charges more for there name and isnt as good as pacesetter (in their opinion). they said that hooker has gone down hill the last few years.

    i decided to go with the middle of the road header coating (ceramic coated not painted or stainless) with no wrap. in the end they weren't that much more expensive and hopefully i'll see the benefit in the long run.
    so Coated Pacesetters it is...
    nice job!!!!!!!!

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