How To – Wrap Your Exhaust - Car & Classic Magazine (2024)

Difficulty

What Do I Need?

Exhaust wrap
Some exhaust
Metal cable ties or jubilee clips
Gloves
Cutters
Wire brush (optional)

Why Should I?

The debate as to whether you should or shouldn’t wrap your exhaust is a contentious one. Some people swear by it whereas others avoid it like the plague, so in order to be as transparent as possible we’re going to argue both sides and let you decide for yourself if it’s a road you want to go down.

Pros:
Increased performance
Heat reduction
Better looks (depending on the exhaust)
Completely reversible

Cons:
May promote rust
Can get a bit smelly
Poorly installed wrap could come loose

Now let’s break these down, shall we? Wrapping your exhaust can increase the scavenging effect, thereby improving performance due to the better insulated gasses inside the exhaust being hotter and therefore exiting the vehicle more quickly, and for those horsepower junkies trying to squeeze the most out of their vehicles as far as power is concerned, every little helps. Wrapping exhaust manifolds can also reduce engine compartment heat, further increasing performance, as well as protecting wires and hoses from coming into contact with hot pipes, so there’s a safety aspect to consider too.

As far as looks go, unless you’re a sucker for a gleaming engine bay or own a show car that gets regularly displayed with the bonnet up then your exhaust isn’t going to see the light of day too often (you could also of course own something like an AC Cobra with exposed pipes). Where the aesthetic angle does come into play a little more, however, is where motorbikes are concerned. A bike’s exhaust is always on display and so aside from regular cleaning and polishing (which quite frankly is boring) a decent wrap job can be a good option, and if you don’t like it or change your mind then you can just remove it. Simple.

The rust issue is a serious consideration but only if you lack common sense. We all know that water and metal is a match made in heaven for corrosion but this is a minor problem to overcome simply by not storing your vehicle for too long with a wet exhaust. Let the engine run at temperature in order to dry the wrap before putting it away or simply use the thing regularly. The heat from the engine and exhaust gasses will quickly dry any wrapping, thereby circumventing this problem, as well as the issue of any unwanted fusty smells.

Poorly installed wrap could come loose and play havoc with your engine if it gets tangled in the fan for instance, or sucked into the intake, but this can easily be avoided by fitting the stuff correctly, so follow this guide and you shouldn’t have any issues. There are a few different types of wrap on the market available in various widths, from pulverised lava rock to fibreglass. Either works well so it all comes down to personal preference but the fibreglass wrap does need to be soaked in water before use. Whatever you choose you’re going to want to wear gloves because the fibres can cause skin irritation. You have been warned.

Talk Me Through It

1) Remove the section of exhaust that you want to wrap from your vehicle and clean with a wire brush if necessary. Securing it in a soft grip vice (or use a rag) will make your life a lot easier.

2) Take your chosen wrap (remember to soak in water if using fibreglass) and beginning at the rear so that the seams are facing rearward to prevent road grime build up, begin to wrap your exhaust, creating a double overlap initially and securing it in place with a metal cable tie or jubilee clip.

3) Continue wrapping, pulling the wrap as tight as you can, overlapping the previous section by at least an inch leaving no gaps. It’s important to have as tight a fit as possible so it may take a few attempts.

4) Try to wrap the exhaust as evenly as you can to maintain a uniform pattern of overlapping material.

5) When you get to the end of a section of exhaust, cut the wrap to length and then fold the end under itself.

6) Secure with another metal cable tie or jubilee clip.

7) When finished, refit your exhaust remembering to replace any gaskets if necessary.

8) Bring the vehicle up to temperature a few times to ensure there are no issues and regularly check on your work to ensure the wrap remains secure and in place.

Conclusion

Wrapping your exhaust, especially on a motorcycle, can really transform how the vehicle looks. We would say if you’re on the fence then give it a go. Worse case scenario is you hate it and revert back to stock, no love lost. It’s a fairly cheap mod, too, so it’s not the end of the world should you change your mind. And remember, if you do decide to wrap your exhaust don’t let it sit for too long when it’s wet and all should be tickety-boo.