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Hi Guys,

It's time for me to wrap the pipes. Unless someone can give me a good reason why not, I intend to use "Titanium Exhaust Heat Wrap" which is supposedly more pliable than fiber glass and does not require soaking.

I've never done this before so, is it easier to do with the pipes on or off the engine? Any specific brand of wrap better than the others?

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks,

Wes

Adam recently did this on our Waiex. We used DEI titanium, 2". Seems like it would be hard on the engine. We did it off.

DEI Titanium is definitely the stuff to use. You can find lots of ebay and Amazon imitation products, but they are not rated for the higher temps we need on our short exhaust systems and will fail after a few months of use. Buy the authentic DEI stuff and it will last a long long time.

Make sure you secure each end well with a stainless steel zip tie, or use stainless safety wire, and be on the look out for any rubbing of the wrap on nearby items or the cowling. There are some potential negatives proffered about using wraps (namely that it keeps more heat inside the metal of the pipes and can accelerate metal erosion or corrosion), but with our high quality stainless pipes and the relatively light use they see, this is a minor consideration. I'm a fan, and recommend the wrap.

Jeff

Thanks Guys,

I'll get the DEI product, stainless zip ties, and the tool on order.

The reason I asked about whether to wrap the pipes on or off the engine is that the left hand pipe fits extremely tight, even with out the gaskets. I'm a little concerned that I'll mess up the wrap trying to install the pipe. So, I'll wrap the right pipe first, off the engine, to get a feel for the "stuff".

We'll See,

Wes

I wrapped while on the aircraft/engine. No issues at all doing it that way.

If your exhaust is really that difficult to get on, (mine was too) a bottle jack between the flanges, with a judicious amount of pressure, will spread the gap enough to make life easier.

Area 51% wrote:If your exhaust is really that difficult to get on, (mine was too) a bottle jack between the flanges, with a judicious amount of pressure, will spread the gap enough to make life easier.

That's a good idea. Like you say though, a judicious amount is the key. Six pumps on the jack did nothing. Eight pumps was just a bit more than I wanted (~ 5/32"), but the gaskets are still under compression without the bolts in. The stainless yields all at once.




Thanks Randy,

Wes

WesRagle wrote:Thanks Guys,

I'll get the DEI product, stainless zip ties, and the tool on order.

We'll See,

Wes

Hi Guys,

I've routing plug wires, CHT wires, etc.

Finally got to the header wrap this evening.

What I've learned so far:

It's kind of hard to tell from the pics, but there is a preferred edge to over lap. The edge that you want to cover up is the edge with the extra stitching. For some reason it leaves a lot of little frays.

The wrong edge exposed:



The correct edge exposed:



Also, don't focus on the wrap too hard, finish up and then say: "Rekon where them EGT holes went?"

A problem I haven't figured out yet is how to get the stainless zip ties tight. I have the little DEI tool. I hit the frequently bought together button and this is what I got for zip ties.



When I saw the printing on the package I was immediately worried. Can someone give some pointers? Are all of the SS zip ties hard to get tight or do I need to reorder and get DEI brand?

Thanks,

Wes

Wes,

The stainless zip ties are indeed harder to get nice and tight. I find the trick is to grip the tail with needle nose pliers and hold the closure body with your other hand and give the tail a good pull while holding the body secure. This will tighten things up without letting the tie slip and twist out of position. Be sure to snip the tail with sharp dykes and then dress up the cut end to prevent impaling a finger later on.

Jeff

Thanks Jeff. I'll keep trying. I have a lot of spare zip ties so I can afford to mess up a few.

Wes