I just heard on another recent thread that header wrapping could cause rust on stainless headers... I didnt think that was possible. Are header wraps or sleeves for heat a bad thing on stainless headers?

 

I think they are a bad thing in general, just because they could cause a fire. Much like you hood insulation. They tend to soak up whatever gets on them and if that happens to be oil or TB cleaner or whatever you may be spraying in your engine compartment you have the chance of a bad fire.

 

They do retain moisture....

 

You don't want to wrap any headers.

 

Since the wrap retains moisture, I could imagine that this would help to rust the welds on the headers. I would just do it the right way and have them coated or just leave them be.

 

The headers don't rust because of the "moisture" being retained.... how could moisture last in a 1,000*F wrap? The headers rust because the wrap keeps them at roughly the same temperature as the exhaust gas, and that means they will oxidize simply from the extreme heat. Mild carbon steel was not intended to operate at 1,000+*F. At that temperature it oxidizes, becomes brittle, cracks the tubes and cracks the welds.

Same end result, but its not from "moisture".... its from the heat.

Ask Tom Byrne (T. Byrne Motorsports) if he recommends wrapping headers. He lost his first 4th Gen to an engine fire he attributed to header wrap.