Heat wrapping or not?

[daremo]

I have the engine out and wanted opinions on heat wrapping the manifolds and downpipes. Actually, I probably will only have a chance to get the downpipes done before installation.

I am looking to reduce heat in the engine compartment. I know there is also additional performance gains from this as well, but since I am planning on keeping this car 4-5 years, I am looking to extend its life by making the engine compartment subject to less of an extreme enviroment.

Thoughts?

[in2thenightaudi]

Check out the b5 S4 section cause Im pretty sure a lot of the stg 3 guys wrap their DP's (seen a few for sale in the classifieds). I'm going to start researching about this too since Im looking into new DP's. My buddy who used to have an STI said something like with the wrap keeping heat in the exhaust the turbo would spool faster. not sure if thats right, but i know with gutted pre-cats it will def spool faster, not sure about with keeping the heat in the exhaust.

[Mantis]

You want to keep heat in the headers to aid in spool. Anything post turbine the goal is to get rid of heat as quick as possible.

[in2thenightaudi]

/\ that makes more sense....see what do those subie guys know! So if you want to get rid of heat ASAP, is wrapping the downpipes a bad thing? or it just keeps heat away from the rest of the engine and forces it out the back faster?

[Mantis]

I have never wrapped my downpipes, never suffered any adverse effects. In fact I don't use the factory heat sheilds either. I would consider wrapping the headers.