Exhaust wrap, is it worth it?

[joeymt33]

I took the time to wrap the exhaust today. But before doing so I drove a few trails around the house so I could get a baseline temp reading. Using a non-contact thermometer, I read 140 degrees on the plastic enclosure around the motor. The reading was taken center of the vertical plastic wall that burns the back of your legs when you wear shorts. I used 75' of exhaust wrap in attempt to really reduce the heat. I used a 1.75" over lap instead of the 1.25" over lap hoping that would be better. Here are the pictures.

Here is the wrap before the heat shield was installed.


Factory heat shield installed now.


Rear heat shield was also installed over the exhaust wrap.


I went and rode the exact same trails and took the temp reading and this time it was 142 degrees. I don't understand. I think someone once told me that this stuff needs to "cure" before it starts to be effective. The info that came with the product didn't say anything about that though.

I will now get some self adhesive heat barriers and install them under the seat on all sides and see how much that helps.

Joe

 

[Admin]

 

[Hondasxs]

I did mine the same way you did. Wrapped the pipe then reinstalled the shield over top. I think it helped but I didn't temp it. You wrapped it more then I did too.

 

[joeymt33]

Did you add a thermal barrier to the enclosure at the same time?

That's my next step. I'm sure it will help a lot.

Also, I will recheck the temp after several weeks and see if the wrap cures and gets better.

 

[ohanacreek]

I added a reflective material to the back of the plastic, along with the wrap.

 

[Hondasxs]

I didn't add any reflective.

 

[Jiminy]

Does it make any difference in the sound?

 

[joeymt33]

It made a small difference in sound.

I've ordered some dynomat from summit and will have that on before this weekends ride.

The best sound deadening mod so far was the snorkel. Another good thing about the snorkel is how the filter stays clean. I've checked it twice so far thinking it would need cleaned and it still looks new.

Another note for sound. My 2Rracing exhaust tip increased the sound level so it's hard to gauge if the wrap helped much. It's not too loud at all but it's noticeable throttle response when I added that and the K&N/snorkel combo. Not much, but the butt dyno says it helped.

This may sound funny but I think the exhaust wrap helped throttle response. Again, the reliable butt dyno says it helped. I've got a straight stretch on the drive way where I can hit 29mph. After every mod, I've ran this timed run and it's always the same. In other words, the snorkel, K&N, exhaust tip, header wrap, etc didn't decrease or increase top speed on this timed run since the vehicle was new. But I do think it helped throttle response. It will quite easily spin the 28x11's in this low altitude dense air.

Joe

 

[Tflynn]

Have you checked temps again yet? Any difference? That stuff has to be cured by now!

 

[joeymt33]

I have checked. It seems to hit the same temp but just takes about twice as long. It's hotter outside now so I'm not too concerned with the temp number but my legs still get hot but not as soon.

 

[Boomboom907]

I have checked. It seems to hit the same temp but just takes about twice as long. It's hotter outside now so I'm not too concerned with the temp number but my legs still get hot but not as soon.

Forgive me for necro. But the reason I want to wrap it is because the exhaust should be much much hotter than 200 degrees. Steam.

Would you say this wrap reduced the actual contact heat from the metal to under 200 degrees?

I want to cut my steam, even if it is only by half.

 

[swsebek]

Yes...get the moisture out fast.The wrap will delay the droplets from evaporating as quickly.

 

[joeymt33]

Forgive me for necro. But the reason I want to wrap it is because the exhaust should be much much hotter than 200 degrees. Steam.

Would you say this wrap reduced the actual contact heat from the metal to under 200 degrees?

I want to cut my steam, even if it is only by half.

I think it helped with the steam a little bit.

 

[bigdeal]

Yesterday is was looking under the seats while putting in the foil bubble rap stuff and saw these two places on the motor. Today i am going to make a small heat shield out of some thin stainless steel to help reflect some of the heat off the headers and attach it hear. Y'all think it will work or is this not a good idea to put it there? Also when putting in the foil i cut mine bigger and let it run up under the plastic between the bottom and top of seats. It looks like it should be OK. I will get some pictures after all is done.

 

[Gator]

Your results (temp at the back of the legs) suggests that the heat is coming from somewhere other than the exhaust.

Engine?

 

[Tflynn]

Your results (temp at the back of the legs) suggests that the heat is coming from somewhere other than the exhaust.

Engine?

Now you got me thinking, maybe the solution to this problem is to add a small air scoop outside the vehicle that essentially pumps cool air into the engine compartment, thereby blowing the hot stagnant air out of the engine compartment? Guess that would only be effective at speed, if at all. I think air circulation might be the key

 

[Kilo427]

yes, i can tell you the electric radiator fan I stuck in the compartment helps move air considerably. If a proper shroud or i could angle the fan different it would help even more, but the left over fan I have is 11 or 12 inches and is a bit to large. Alternatively by search through polaris forums I have seen some use an inline 4 inch blower (like from boats) made by attwood I believe and run the hose into the compartment.

 

[bigdeal]

That was going to be my next step. A small fan pulling hot air out, under the rear passengers feet. I think a small shroud could be made easily to hold and protect it under there. Just put it on a switch so it could be turned off when going though water.

 

[Gator]

And.... The OP said the heat is on the vertical plastic wall at the back of the legs. How about a heat shield on that wall?

 

[bigdeal]

I think that may be on the 700. On the 1000 the header pipes come off the side. But that should be easy to do the back of the plastic under your legs.

 

[ghost]

yes, i can tell you the electric radiator fan I stuck in the compartment helps move air considerably. If a proper shroud or i could angle the fan different it would help even more, but the left over fan I have is 11 or 12 inches and is a bit to large. Alternatively by search through polaris forums I have seen some use an inline 4 inch blower (like from boats) made by attwood I believe and run the hose into the compartment.

I've been testing one of those attwood blowers on my P1K. This one is a 3".
Results look very promising. Last week I measured 135 on a piece of plastic where the rear passenger legs are. After my first drive with this I measured 80 in the same spot. Not quite a fair test since it was a bit warmer last week. I'm gonna get some real measurements this weekend - fan on / off in the exact same conditions.
These are really affordable. I might get a couple more - one suck the hot air out the back and one blow cool air in my face.
The 3" blower make some noise on full blast - when you're riding you dont here it much but when at a stop you know its going.