DIY / MUFFLER

How to Wrap Exhaust Wrap: Steps and Tips for a Clean Finish

Exhaust wrap both insulates the header pipes and dresses them up. We show the steps for a clean finish, from wetting it before wrapping and tips for even spacing to securing it with stainless steel ties.

What you'll learn in this article

The purpose and benefits of exhaust wrap
Preparation to make wrapping easier
Steps for wrapping neatly with even spacing and securing it firmly

Exhaust wrap, wound around the header pipes, gives a rugged, gritty look. It does several jobs at once: insulating the heat from the header pipes when an upswept muffler is a concern, protecting nearby parts, and adding a styling accent.

The job itself isn't hard, but how good it looks depends on how you wrap it. Using fiberglass wrap as an example, we go step by step through how to wrap it neatly.

01 What is exhaust wrap?

A heat-resistant fiberglass wrap, mainly wound around the header pipes for insulation. It works as a heat guard for upswept mufflers and protects parts around the header pipes, while also giving a rugged look, making it a great dress-up part too.

Keeping exhaust temperatures high is also said to increase exhaust gas velocity, shifting the character slightly toward higher rpm.

POINT

Black or red wraps fade starting from where they touch the hot header pipes. Wrapping with tighter spacing or in a double layer can reduce fading to some extent. You can also choose to enjoy it as part of the wrap's natural aging.

02 Preparation: wetting the wrap

First, fill a bucket or similar with water and wet the wrap. Wetting it makes it conform and easier to wrap, and also keeps the fine glass fibers from flying around.

Soak the wrap in water so it's thoroughly wet all over.
Gently knead it to loosen it up and squeeze out some of the water.

03 Wrapping

First wrap it once around the header pipe and temporarily hold the first turn with the included zip tie to make the rest easier to wrap.
Wrap carefully, keeping the spacing even. How meticulous you are shows directly in the result.
For colors where fading is a concern, wrap with tighter spacing or in a double layer.
Once you've wrapped the whole length, go back from the starting point and tighten the wrap firmly by hand. That extra effort gives an even cleaner finish.

04 Securing it with stainless steel ties

Cut off the excess at the end of the wrap.
Folding the cut end inward as you wrap gives a neater look.
Wrap the included stainless steel tie around it and tighten it firmly with needle-nose pliers.
Cut off the excess tie with nippers.
Cut the zip tie holding the starting point and secure it with a stainless steel tie in the same way, and it's done.