Wrapping exhaust with tape. Good or Bad?

[LEAKYSEALS951]

I'm making a custom exhaust for one of my garden tractors. Dual rear exhaust with mufflers to keep the noise down in the suburban hell my wife has a place in.

The goal is being berry berry quiet....I'm hunting wabbits.

The pipes will run in some places I'd potentially like to have wrapped to keep heat down (maybe even some sound deadening), and there are some nifty pipe tape colors (b/c that matters).

I'm reading mixed reviews on this. Negatives include the tape locking in so much heat, it overheats the pipe? mmmmm....

and...(what I am more inclined to believe)- locking in moisture between the pipe and the tape, leading to accelerated corrosion in long term applications.

Thoughts?

tia,
Ron

[Chocaholic]

Nifty colors. That would be the most logical reason.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

The choices are endless I tell ya!

Seems like every LS conversion video I see has heat tape. I'm just a sheep. I feel I should do it (on my garden tractor)

[flipper35]

I had header wrap on the Cobra replica and it did help a lot to keep the heat in the pipes and out of the engine bay. Then I had them ceramic coated and took the wrap off. The pipes seem to be in good shape but I know for a while some header manufactures would not warranty the headers if they were wrapped. That was 20 years ago though.

One nice thing, after it was built and I was tuning the engine I did brush the headers while the car was running and it did not burn like it did my leg at the collectors where they exit the car by the front wheel!

[herr_oberst]

PERsonally, I think taped pipes look just like ass, irregardless of the fancy colors. BUT, since it's to try and keep things quiet, well, I say give it a go for your neighbor's sake, but be advised, the tape holds moisture.

[porsche930dude]

I do it often on my minibikes. I use stove rope its cheap and the 6' length is usually perfect for what i need. and clamp the ends with wire. If you dont leave it outside it wont get wet and trap water. They certainly do. I havnt had a problem with them breaking from heat or anything like that. Dual exhaust wont make it any quieter btw. Use a generator muffler if you want it quiet

[stevej37]

I did it to my SC over five years ago. Helped to defeat some of the drone with SSI's and 2 in 2 out.
No ill effects from the wrapping.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Originally Posted by porsche930dude

I do it often on my minibikes. I use stove rope its cheap and the 6' length is usually perfect for what i need. and clamp the ends with wire. If you dont leave it outside it wont get wet and trap water. They certainly do. I havnt had a problem with them breaking from heat or anything like that. Dual exhaust wont make it any quieter btw. Use a generator muffler if you want it quiet

Good to know. My goal is to run the pipes away from the engine (noise source) as far as possible with as much muffling in line as humanly possible. So far, the results haven't been too promising, but by running them back, to a place where there is more room, I could perhaps have room for a generator muffler. I also haven't cinched anything down yet, so exhaust is still leaking from the gaps.

I even bought a decibel meter to measure. Open pipes 115-118 db. Muffled around 100 at the exhaust tips. I want non exhaust portions of the tractor (sides/etc) in the 70-80 range. Right now it's all about 90-100. Still too loud.

I'm remembering p-car articles from a while back where they were talking about the 911 engine and noise restrictions in germany, where by putting the engine and exhaust apart, they could get by with standards. I think this was referencing the 928/924 back in the 70's, so that's where I started.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Originally Posted by flipper35

One nice thing, after it was built and I was tuning the engine I did brush the headers while the car was running and it did not burn like it did my leg at the collectors where they exit the car by the front wheel!

This is one of my real concerns. I will have a lot of exposed pipe near the foot rest on the tractor. I don't want to look down and have my soles melting on anything.

[flipper35]

Originally Posted by LEAKYSEALS951

This is one of my real concerns. I will have a lot of exposed pipe near the foot rest on the tractor. I don't want to look down and have my soles melting on anything.

All I know is the collector was so hot I did not feel my leg getting burned where the headers let you know they were hot but did not cause any damage.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Steve, your underside is glorious!

[ckelly78z]

Have all of the neighbors taken these preventative measures to keep their lawn equipment quiet for your sake....just saying !

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by LEAKYSEALS951

Steve, your underside is glorious!

Thanks!

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Originally Posted by ckelly78z

Have all of the neighbors taken these preventative measures to keep their lawn equipment quiet for your sake....just saying !

No, but Mrs. Kravitz glared at me this winter when I plowed the street! (seriously wtf?)

Most are push mower / electric crowd. An adjacent neighbor came out and apologized when he whipped out his ELECTRIC leafblower. I feel like I'm on some bad star trek alternate timeline.

I need to get back to my original redneck 'murica space/time continuum. That's what I am.

But- the corrosion is what concerns me most. If you guys aren't seeing it, I'm all in for the wrap. The pipes run pretty close to some decals/reflectors. I will probably even keep it black. Muy importante stuff!

[masraum]

Originally Posted by LEAKYSEALS951

No, but Mrs. Kravitz glared at me this winter when I plowed the street! (seriously wtf?)

Most are push mower / electric crowd. An adjacent neighbor came out and apologized when he whipped out his ELECTRIC leafblower. I feel like I'm on some bad star trek alternate timeline.

Hahah. leaf blowers are loud, but lawn maintenance is a fact of life unless you live in the desert.

[flatbutt]

IDK if you'd have the same issue with a garden tractor as I did on my MC. That is whenever my pipes got wet I'd be enveloped in steam at every stop.