[RESOLVED] Heat Wrapping IC Piping?

[Jimmer307]

Is there any gains to be had by wrapping your intercooler piping with heat/header wrap? Would it prevent heat soaking?
Would it keep the IAT down?
Anybody done it?

Any other suggestions would be a great help, thanks ahead of time.

 

[crimsondragon]

Here's a post I made last winter.
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/bol...rap-ic-pipes-post151373095.html#post151373095

 

[1gDSM4g63]

People usually do heat wrapping or thermal coating on their tubular manifold, o2 dump pipes and downpipes IF there are running a big turbo not the IC pipes. And regardless, with your setup if it did help, I highly doubt it would have any effect on your car.

 

[TiradoCC]

When you wrap/ceramic coat your exhaust manifold, you do so to keep as much heat inside as possible which helps your turbo spool up faster.

Ceramic coating or wrapping intercooler piping would have the same effect BUT you do not want to keep heat inside intercooler piping.

Your IAT's would actually increase because you would be "trapping" the heat inside the intercooler piping.

___
Carlos Tirado
TiradoCustomCoatings.

 

[Jimmer307]

Here's a post I made last winter.
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/bol...rap-ic-pipes-post151373095.html#post151373095

I read the thread and I gathered some helpful information. Thanks. Let me know if I am understanding correctly. If I were to wrap the piping pre-intercooler, it is pointless. However, some gains can be had by wrapping the post-intercooler piping in order to keep the cool air in and away from the heat of the exhaust manifold and DP.

When you wrap/ceramic coat your exhaust manifold, you do so to keep as much heat inside as possible which helps your turbo spool up faster.

Ceramic coating or wrapping intercooler piping would have the same effect BUT you do not want to keep heat inside intercooler piping.

Your IAT's would actually increase because you would be "trapping" the heat inside the intercooler piping.

___
Carlos Tirado
TiradoCustomCoatings.

And this would make sense, but wouldn't it work the exact opposite? Wouldn't the heat wrap keep in the cold air? Im not sure thats why I asked.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

And this would make sense, but wouldn't it work the exact opposite? Wouldn't the heat wrap keep in the cold air? Im not sure thats why I asked.

Think of it as a thermos. It's an insulated container, not too much unlike heat wrapped ic piping.
When you put your hot chocolate into your thermos is stays hotter for longer, because it is insulated. When you put your Iced tea into your thermos it stays colder longer.

So, when you put your toasty air charge into your thermos...

 

[TiradoCC]

Exactly

 

[brandnew161]

To lessen heat soak stay away from metals. Use a plastic material or if you want to go the expensive/custom route...carbon fiber

 

[crimsondragon]

I read the thread and I gathered some helpful information. Thanks. Let me know if I am understanding correctly. If I were to wrap the piping pre-intercooler, it is pointless. However, some gains can be had by wrapping the post-intercooler piping in order to keep the cool air in and away from the heat of the exhaust manifold and DP.



And this would make sense, but wouldn't it work the exact opposite? Wouldn't the heat wrap keep in the cold air? Im not sure thats why I asked.

Honestly, the gains are minimal at best. It's better to invest in keeping the heat inside where it belongs. If you really want to cool down the air intake temperature, get a better intercooler and/or invest in water injection.

 

[romeen]

Honestly, the gains are minimal at best. It's better to invest in keeping the heat inside where it belongs. If you really want to cool down the air intake temperature, get a better intercooler and/or invest in water injection.

Agreed.

I wrapped mine in the reflective, adhesive backed heat wrap/tape. But air is moving so fast in the intake tract that I don't think there is enough time for any significant heat exchange to take place.

FWIW, the reflective tape has held up well. I did this in 2004 and it still looks shiny. You can see my UICP on the left of the pic.

 

[1gDSM4g63]

This will have no little or no effect on the performance just like running long route instead of short route. Maybe a millionth of a second when you're driving skills are perfect. Plus heat is no way an issue with your T25 turbo setup. Just look in the MEMBERS 1/4 Times or the Dyno. None of the fastest times or highest dyno numbers have wrapping or thermal coating or even worry about that. You'd be better off spending the couple of hundred bucks on an upgraded CFM fan or fans and a new thermostat if heat is an issue you fear.

 

[reno23]

This will have no little or no effect on the performance just like running long route instead of short route. Maybe a millionth of a second when you're driving skills are perfect. Plus heat is no way an issue with your T25 turbo setup. Just look in the MEMBERS 1/4 Times or the Dyno. None of the fastest times or the highest dyno numbers have wrapping or thermal coating or even worry about that. You'd be better off spending the couple of hundred bucks on an upgraded CFM fan or fans and new thermostat if heat is an issue you fear.

^^^ +1 on that. If you even want to heat wrap anything, just wrap the exhaust mani, turbo, and Dp. Those three alone will do a world of a difference on just under hood temps, but not much on performance with our setups.

 

[Jimmer307]

^^^ +1 on that. If you even want to heat wrap anything, just wrap the exhaust mani, turbo, and Dp. Those three alone will do a world of a difference on just under hood temps, but not much on performance with our setups.

It was just a thought I had, not really planning on doing it. As for the DP and Ex mani, I will be wrapping those. Thanks for all the help everyone.

 

[nek]

This makes no sense. How would exhaust wrapping your ic pipes make them hotter. The only thing the wrap does is act as an isolator which was previously stated. It keeps what ever heat inside the pipe different from what ever is outside the pipe. In no way would wrapping your ic pipes make you have hotter intake temps unless you are saying that the air being sucked in is hotter then your engine bay....
Personally I believe that it would make a difference. If cold air makes a difference then wrapping ic would make a difference. Would is be as significant as wrapping exhaust? Probably not. But to say it will give you hotter ic temps... I think not.