heat wrapping cats???

[mattstead]

I'm about to heat wrap my exhaust system and also heat foil coat my bodywork where it runs inside my Sills. Is it OK to heat wrap a cat or do they get TOO hot, which would be pretty daft as thats the main source of heat i want to keep cooler.

Thanks.

[BobM]

Not sure what car you're talking about here Matt but I'm informed wrapping headers etc. on a car like a Fury/Phoenix where the exhaust runs down inside the sill/sidepod is bad news. What happens is that the heat tends to then get out further downstream leading to a very hot silencer and resulting in risk of fires.

[Mojocvh]

BobM said:

Not sure what car you're talking about here Matt but I'm informed wrapping headers etc. on a car like a Fury/Phoenix where the exhaust runs down inside the sill/sidepod is bad news. What happens is that the heat tends to then get out further downstream leading to a very hot silencer and resulting in risk of fires.

and any "gaps" or thinness in wrapping leads to the entire radiated heat from pipe getting out at that point.

[Dave Dax builder]

If you wrap cats in fibreglass it will melt and leave what looks like bits of broken bottle scattered around in your sills.

[Milky Bar Kid]

BobM said:

Not sure what car you're talking about here Matt but I'm informed wrapping headers etc. on a car like a Fury/Phoenix where the exhaust runs down inside the sill/sidepod is bad news. What happens is that the heat tends to then get out further downstream leading to a very hot silencer and resulting in risk of fires.

What he said. It's not considered wise to wrap any of the exhaust in a Fury type car. There have been a few go up in flames purely because of the heat wrap raising under body temps.

[mattstead]

Thanks for the advice, The last thing I want to cause is a fire, infact that's what I want to avoid. The car is basically a Viper GTS replica, and it would appear they have accurately replicated rediculously close running of the exhausts within the sills (remember the top gear review when the Viper sills were up in flames?)

Is there anything that I can glue to the sills to protect them? Real viper owners sometimes cut the ends off the sills to let more air through.

[Milky Bar Kid]

Putting some of the silver mat stuff that you can find under most production cars and around the cats may work. It won't affect the exhaust, but should help keep some of the heat off the bodywork.

[BobM]

[quote=mattsteadIs there anything that I can glue to the sills to protect them? Real viper owners sometimes cut the ends off the sills to let more air through.
[/quote]You can get the expensive matting type reflective material from most motorsport suppliers. I actually just used Tesco heavy duty kitchen foil in my Fury sidepod and under the bonnet over the manifold, glued on with EvoStik type impact adhesive. This worked well and has lasted surprisingly well. Apart from when I trashed the bonnet crashing but that's another story ...

The other tip is as has already been suggested ensuring there's good airflow through the sill.

[jeffw]

My Phoenix sill is lined with heat mat and is open at either end.