Under body temperatures 4.*

[rolfe]

This Relates only to 4.* cars.
There was a modification done to the bulkheads by the factory to put more space inbetween the manifolds and the bulkhead. Can these mod parts still be obtained and if so where? Would they be a DIY fit?

Has anyone come up with a good way of reducing the heat in the engine bay. Fitting an alloy radiator has been fantastic help but the cab is still to warm and the roof is always off!
Has anyone one tried ceramic coating the manifolds and if so were and how much?
Does exhaust wrapping help much and is it hard to do?

[GreenV8S]

It was very easy to wrap the headers on the V8S. This has more space round the headers which makes it easier, but still it should be easy enough to do I would have thought. Dropped the engine bay temperatures quite noticeably. Ceramic coating seems to be a better long term approach, but it costs a lot more and I suspect you can only do it to new manifolds.

[Pies]

I wrapped the manifolds on my V8S it reduced underbonnet temps, but the heat was getting pushed back to the engine reducing performance

[spend]

I think the mod was to cut the glass & reglass, not sure if a repair panel was used.

I am very pleased with ceramic coating - never had a whiff of warm fibreglass since. IMHO a very cost effective uopgrade - you wont be cooking other components / seals / chassis / bodywork to destruction. see:
www.camcoat.u-net.com/Exhtprices2002.htm
If you want to get them to coat yours. Or try ACT who do various replacement exchanges I think.

There are plenty of advocates for bandaging however.... it just seems to be one of these ongoing 'war of words'. If in doubt lokk forward to Peter H's opinion, he is about to upgrade from bandage to coating I believe, and will give an unbiased opinion of the comparative merits I reckon.

Dave

[griffdude]

To help the airflow through the engine bay I've put a small splitter (got details from modwise) on the back of the rad apperture(you can't see it unless under car).Also I've redone the reflective foil on the grp by the manifolds. To aid engine cooling I installed an an ally oil cooler in addition to the bespoke rad. 'Lagging yer pipes' in my view has pros & cons....heat transfer along the system and moisture trapping therefore corrosion. The ceramic option I recon is far better, but again heat transfer along system.

[GreenV8S]

Pies said:

I wrapped the manifolds on my V8S it reduced underbonnet temps, but the heat was getting pushed back to the engine reducing performance

Really, reduced performance? I'm astonished, I can't see how reduced temperatures in the engine bay can be anything but good. It s a shame it makes the exhaust hotter downstream which makes life a little less comfortable for the transmission etc, but better there than under the bonnet with all the electronics etc and that valuable intake cold air.

[Pies]

Yep,i had it on the rollers before and after and lost about 15bhp

[stesrg]

This has helped a lot
Ste..

[k77-widow maker]

Tower View told me the other day that the early Griffs 4.x's had a factory recall to replace the inner wings, well to cut away the inner wing near to the manifolds, then to refit a panel in it's place that provides a bigger gap between wing and the manifolds. Apparently several early griffs caught light due to the inner wing's proximity to the manifold.

[jamiet]

Mine we're wrapped when I bought it. I took it off to check the pipes for corrosion before I bought it and they were fine. I recently took it off again (2 and half years later) to check again and they're still fine. The car is garaged but I use it thoughout the winter. Doesnt seem to have caused any corrosion on mine. The car ran a lot hotter with them off and didnt make any noticable difference to the performance, so I've stuck them back on. I guess ceramic coating is more effective and looks nicer, so I'd go for that if you can afford it. I'm not minted though, so personally I'd rather put the money towards something else, like new shocks.

Stesrg, is that ally heatshielding? Looks much more effective than the crapy standard stuff.

>> Edited by jamiet on Tuesday 3rd May 11:52

[stesrg]

jamiet said:

Mine we're wrapped when I bought it. I took it off to check the pipes for corrosion before I bought it and they were fine. I recently took it off again (2 and half years later) to check again and they're still fine. The car is garaged but I use it thoughout the winter. Doesnt seem to have caused any corrosion on mine. The car ran a lot hotter with them off and didnt make any noticable difference to the performance, so I've stuck them back on. I guess ceramic coating is more effective and looks nicer, so I'd go for that if you can afford it. I'm not minted though, so personally I'd rather put the money towards something else, like new shocks. Stesrg, is that ally heatshielding? Looks much more effective than the crapy standard stuff. >> Edited by jamiet on Tuesday 3rd May 11:52

No its pollished stainless steel, I have some templates somewere.
Ste.

[griffter]

rolfe said:

This Relates only to 4.* cars. Does exhaust wrapping help much and is it hard to do?

I've wrapped my manifolds only as far as the edge of the block. This was on the basis that heat in the immediate vicinity of the inner wings and ignition leads was the biggest potential problem. Any heat you keep in through wrapping will only come out of the exhaust further down. Wrapping all of the exhaust in the engine bay will presumably give the greatest under bonnet temp reduction, but has been reported to increase the temperature of the floors where the exhaust runs unshielded - and a lot hotter.

To wrap the manifolds in situ, use a couple of wire coat hangers bent into tools to allow you to pass the wrap under the manifold and 'hook' it up from, underneath. From memory one in a 7 shape to pass the wrap under the manifold and one in a J shape to hook it. Obviously you can't wrap each pipe individually, and I used 25 ft per side - only as far as the front edge of the block remember.

[stesrg]

Mine is wrapped right to the end of the gear box.
See my flames in the dark
Ste.

[rolfe]

Ok wrap looks good. Weres the best place to source it and how much is it. Also how do you hold it on?

[stesrg]

rolfe said:

Ok wrap looks good. Weres the best place to source it and how much is it. Also how do you hold it on?

www.proven-products.co.uk/products/cooltek.htm

Okeydokey.
Ste.

[Rolfe]

Ok I am going to try this. How much should I buy to do the job? is 25ft generous or tight per side?

[2Munkys]

Don't under estimate your requirements Rolfe, I could have wall papered the front room with the amount I used on the Y piece alone (45') - o.k it's the catted variety, but still. I'm sure you aint intending to go that far along the system and some will tell you 'not to', but I've had no snags so far.

I used stainless steel 'locking-wire' to keep it neet and tight. If you can't get hold of any, drop me an E.maily and I'll get some to ya.

[stesrg]

Rolfe said:

Ok I am going to try this. How much should I buy to do the job? is 25ft generous or tight per side?

Think its 25 meters better to get too much than not enough
Ste..

[GreenV8S]

I found a 50' roll of 2" wide bandage was just right to do both manifolds out as far as the join with the Y piece. You can easily use more or less, by varying the amount of overlap.

[rolfe]

Thanks to everyone for their help.
Stesreg - I would like a copy of the polished st st heat shields. Did you put insulation behind them and were they hard to fit?