driving slow or idling causes the underhood temps to shoot up to the point that i'm killing starters like... well you know.

last time, i got a started wrap that i thought could help. it didnt.

i have header wraps now too. i'm hoping this would finally cure it.

at time point, with the starter wrapped, it is touching the header. if i only knew i would be having so much issues with this stupid headers, i would have never gotten them...

anyone know of a cheap and easy ceramic coating i can apply while this thing is on the engine?

 

I'm surprised the heat will kill starters like that. Are you certain it is the heat & not some other contributing factor? I've never heard anyone mention this problem with headers before...

I found this on the web: http://www.lizardskin.com/

 

I'd be hesitant to wrap the starter...

There is no where for the heat to go when you do that.

Header wrap is great for reducing underhood temps though. Personally, I'd wrap the header but unwrap the starter. If the header is wrapped it isn't going to transmit that much heat to the starter.

I would think that wrapping the header would be the only solution to your problem... I can't think of anything that would do the job better.

 

I've had my Downey Headers on and wrapped for a month and noticed a large drop in underhood temperatures. The starter is working with no complaints. My headers also rest on the starter which is one of the reasons for wrapping the headers.

Good Luck!

 

I guess you got the chrome headers huh? Have you considered an active hood scoop to help vent the heat? Surely the wrap will do it though.

 

You should get the headers ceramic coated. Mine were, and I never had overheating probs at all. You can try to find other alternatives, but ceramic coating is really the best option.

 

yeah, i'm pretty sure it's the heat.

since the replacement of the starter in april, i went to an event in palmdale (CA) and while driving downtown where the temps got really high, when i parked and restarted the car, i got that CLICK CLICK familiar sound of my 2 previous dying, if not dead starters.

i waited about a minute... then restarted. it had a hard time starting.

later that day, after i had the vehicle sitting for a couple hours, it started right up with no problems.

FF a few weeks later. waiting for gas, i idled for a good 5-7 minutes and just sat there. i finally fueled up and when i tried to start, the CLICK CLICK...

waited about 20-30 seconds and again, it started but the started sounded like it was having issues...

guess i'll try to wrap the headers this weekend....

 

yes wrap your headers and also check the condition of the battery as well as the power wire supplying the starter. Heat will melt wire's insulation...

 

I was talking to a guy at the local muffler shop. He mentioned that he had some paint with ceramic content that he used for touch up work when necessary. I've never heard of this before and certainly can't vouch for it. But, maybe there's some ceramic content exhaust paint that might work short of getting the headers coated which sounds pretty expensive. Just a thought.

 

To fix the starter issue created by the Downey Headers in my rig, I replaced the starter circuit with a remote Ford Starter Solenoid. Many of the domestics rely on this method to combat the same problem when aftermarket headers are installed. I've tried replacing the starter and wrapping the starter with no luck. Check out this site for more info: http://www.novaresource.org/starter.htm

Summit Racing carries a few kits to make the installation process much easier.

 

we have had a few 100* days this year (strange for my neck of the woods) and I have had no problems at all. When I installed my headers I added a 1.5" body lift to keep the header off the floor board. Maybe adding the body lift gave the headers some added ventilation ?

 

yup.

http://www.caswellplating.com/vht/du...atceramic.html

 

Exhaust gases can easily get over 1200 deg F.

 

im helping my buddy replace his motor on his 3.0L 4 skinner and he bought some downey headers that we are installing. He called up downey and said that if he put heat wrap around the headers then they would crack(they are chrome) Has anyone had this problem before? Wrapping the headers would be preferable to heat wrapping billions of other wires and lines.

 

Can you bolt a thin sheet of steel between them so the header radiates to that instead of the starter? (You don't want it to touch either one so conduction is eliminated)

 

I have a couple questions?... Do you have a bodylift? Do you have the little flap that covers the frame gap (between the fender and frame)? Are the cables positive and ground orgininal equipment?

I had the 'CLICKS' also; but then I had the battery mounted in the bed. since then I put the battery in the stock location and upgraded the POSwire to a 2 gauge -batery to starter- I think OEM is 4 or 6 gauge.

Starter side of things

***Notice the 2 gauge ground wire**

I used some DEI thermal wrap. $12.00


Here is what the starter connection looks like



The clicks are gone now, but so are my brakes and clutch.
Since you have wrapped the headers have you noticed that your brakes work better?

 

just so you guys know when you wrap a header it will rust out alot quicker because the material holds moisture on the header

 

THere is a silicone spray on sealer that all brands of header wrap recommend you use when you wrap up the header to prevent rust.

I would still expect it to start rusting eventually, but if you do it right it won't be anytime soon. Header wrap is a win/win situation.

 

I'd be more worried about Downey saying they would crack, call them up and talk to the owner (can't remember his name).

As far as rusting just make sure when ever you get them wet run the engine up to temp to dry them out. Souldn't take too long at 1200-1400 deg F to get them dry lol.

 

exhaust gasses get that hot, the further away from the head the lower the temps are so headers are not 1400+ degrees when the eng is up to temp or they would glow red. I will test my ceramic coated headers tomarrow for outside temps from the head to the collector.
Cracking sure enough is a problem with wraping headers, as far as win win I have seen way too many ruined headers from wrap with my own eyes to consider it myself.

If someone that has wraped headers with the silicone spray would take a hose & soak their headers & see how well they dry out within a normal drive time, that would be good info for everyone. I can't say that I have seen anyone use it with wrap so that is very interesting.
Have any of you guys used the silicone with wrap & then removed that wrap after a good bit of time has passed?