Header wrap is getting a bad "wrap". Header exhaust heat wraps are not the reason pipes fail from heat. It is really more an issue of alloy quality used by the manufacturer of the header or exhaust system. The only thing a header wrap might do, is prematurely expose any flaws in a low grade alloy. DC sports manufactures a header for the Dodge Neon that they actually sell exhaust wrap with. If header wrap was so bad, why would a header manufacturer sell it with their header?

Ceramic coatings DO NOT reduce as much heat as a header insulating wrap does, period. In fact we have ceramic coating people become header wrap customers, as they discovered it did not reduce the amount of heat they desired. Instead they applied a header wrap over the top of their ceramic coating to get the right amount of heat reduction.

Header wrap reality: If you want to retain the most heat in your exhaust system, reduce the most amount of radiant heat damage, keep your turbo spooled up, use header wrap to achieve this. If you don't, you need your exhaust to look pretty and do not want the most performance or heat retention, use a coating instead.

the reason NASCAR teams do use header wrap, because there is a ban header wrap. The ban is in place not because header wrap causes premature failures, but because NASCAR does not allow a complete encapsulating wrap around the exhaust. They will allow partially covering blankets.

Basically if wrapping headers and exhaust pipes caused them to fail, we wouldn’t be in business.  In fact since 1985 we have NEVER had a complaint about our header wrap causing a blown header gasket, cracked or fatigued any header or exhaust system. It is time for the haters to take their rhetoric and move on, for those of you interested in our header wrap products see the links below.

Exhaust Wrap

Header Wrap

Colored Exhaust Wrap

Disclaimer: Heatshield Products, Inc has no affiliation with AEM or DC Sports.