Basalt Exhaust Wrap

[LincTex]

Compact Diesel tractor exhausts NEVER get hot enough to cause mild steel to become overheated & crystallized.
The short stub of pipe above the 4 bolt flange will most likely never fail.

I have mild steel headers in/on my 302 Ford Ranger.
I wrapped them with Thermo-Tec in 2001 and 15 years later they are *still* in great shape.
I coated them with white high heat spray paint.

If you have headers that are getting so hot the steel tubes are getting ruined with the wrap, then you are either:
1) too lean
2) timing too far retarded
3) both 1 and 2 combined
4) turbocharged.

 

[kebo]

Pretty good like a throaty sound, or loud popping like when you take headers off a car?

Just curious but did wrapping the pipe and muffler reduce the overall noise of the engine exhaust from the tractor seat?? Or did it make no difference that you could tell? Would have been good to measure the Db output from the seat with a sound level meter before and after. The reason I ask is that I have been thinking of doing this myself, just for the noise reduction, since I have hearing nerve damage. Of course, I already wear hearing protection whenever I use the tractor, but it would be even better to reduce the sound pressure level at the source, if possible.

 

[TNGP]

Kebo, I would have to think it lowered it by a dB or two, but I didn't measure it. It's not noticeable if it did. I still wear ear plugs when it's at 2k rpm. I would be willing to bet the marine industry exhaust wrap is designed to do that though. An idea would be to take one inch Rockwool and wrap the exhaust, then use this stuff to wrap over it to keep it in place and from getting torn up. I would think that would lower the dB a bit more with the vibrations being slowed down by the rockwool. Or, maybe the inside of the engine cowling/compartment.

 

[TNGP]

Got an update. Everything is working perfect! Nothing has cracked, melted or softened. The wrap has held up and hasnt come loose - if anything its gotten snug and doesn't viberate at all. The stainless steel zipties are holding up without issue too.

Since putting it on, I've racked up 110 hours, and several thousand OTR miles with an open trailer.

 

[Atypical_decorum]

The heat from an under hood muffler, exhaust tube and headers is, well, hot. The heat radiates through everything near it and even cooks the hood to a point where you can't leave your hand on it. Thus I've decided to try that exhaust wrap you see on dragsters and other race cars. It costs $20 for a 2"x25ft roll and $11 for a pack of stainless steel zip-ties so what the heck.

I got to work and took off the header, muffler and exhaust tube. The exhaust tube and muffler are bolted together, so I tightened them up to keep their position and began the wrapping process. This process isn't difficult, but it's certainly time consuming. It took me about 3 hours to wrap everything and put it back together.

WOW was it worth it. The EGT has shot up, but it has made such a difference under the hood. At 2,000RPM with a heavy load, I can literally put my hand on the header/muffler/exhaust tube. Its not comfortable to leave my hand on it too long, but it certainly doesn't sizzle! I didn't wrap the flange, so I can feel what the actual heat coming out is (at the 2kRPM and a load it's untouchable and I'm sure we've all felt that sizzle before). Overall it's a very noticeable difference under the hood and well worth the $33 and 3 hours to do it. I'm now considering the same process with my other vehicles. I will 100% do this with any other tractor I ever have. I will put up pictures tomorrow when I get a chance.

The tractor is a Kubota B7500.

I know this bloke we

The heat from an under hood muffler, exhaust tube and headers is, well, hot. The heat radiates through everything near it and even cooks the hood to a point where you can't leave your hand on it. Thus I've decided to try that exhaust wrap you see on dragsters and other race cars. It costs $20 for a 2"x25ft roll and $11 for a pack of stainless steel zip-ties so what the heck.

I got to work and took off the header, muffler and exhaust tube. The exhaust tube and muffler are bolted together, so I tightened them up to keep their position and began the wrapping process. This process isn't difficult, but it's certainly time consuming. It took me about 3 hours to wrap everything and put it back together.

WOW was it worth it. The EGT has shot up, but it has made such a difference under the hood. At 2,000RPM with a heavy load, I can literally put my hand on the header/muffler/exhaust tube. Its not comfortable to leave my hand on it too long, but it certainly doesn't sizzle! I didn't wrap the flange, so I can feel what the actual heat coming out is (at the 2kRPM and a load it's untouchable and I'm sure we've all felt that sizzle before). Overall it's a very noticeable difference under the hood and well worth the $33 and 3 hours to do it. I'm now considering the same process with my other vehicles. I will 100% do this with any other tractor I ever have. I will put up pictures tomorrow when I get a chance.

The tractor is a Kubota B7500.

I know this bloke well. He's put 1,000 hours on his tractor since writing this! The headers never cracked or warped. The wrap is intact and though a little dirty, is in perfect shape. One of the stainless zip ties loosened up, but he replaced it and that was that.

So for everyone with a concern, this works and didn't destroy this B7500 in any way whatsoever.

 

[rScotty]

I know this bloke we

I know this bloke well. He's put 1,000 hours on his tractor since writing this! The headers never cracked or warped. The wrap is intact and though a little dirty, is in perfect shape. One of the stainless zip ties loosened up, but he replaced it and that was that.

So for everyone with a concern, this works and didn't destroy this B7500 in any way whatsoever.

Thanks, it's nice to have an update. When he first wrapped his exhaust I hoped he would continue posting. I'm afraid I'm one of those who thought the wrapping would cause a problem. Glad to hear that it hasn't.

Of course that's an older mechanicially injected engine without turbo or any emissions control. It's a pretty simple system. I'm in favor of simple diesels myself, though I've never seen one that ran hot enough to need wrapping.

I wouldn't dare wrap the exhaust on a modern tractor with all the complexity of emissions systems and turbos we have now. We are in a whole different world of exhaust temperature regulation now than back in the B7500 day.

And I'm still kind of perplexed about why it ran so hot in the first place. Does your own B7500 run that hot? I don't recall any tractor I've ever been around that ran hot enough to discolor the paint on the hood. Most of the tractors I know have so much enough ventilation around the engine that they naturally run on the cool side.
So I guess I still don't understand why do it in the first place.
rScotty