georgeleedom Posted May 10, 2011 Report Share Posted May 10, 2011 As soon as I added a 3"dp to my S70, I began an expensive and time-consuming period of trial and error trying to get a good exhaust tone. After several combinations of mufflers, tips and resonators, I settled on a 3" Borla XR-1 and a 9.5" resonator. The tone is great - borderline V-8, but I still had that awful drone; especially while cruising between 2500 and 3k rpm. I have no room left to add another resonator and wasn't sure it would do much, but a mechanic friend gave me a great (and inexpensive solution). Header wrap. I picked up a roll at my local car-part supermarket (AutoZone) for $50. I paid another $19 for the metal zip clamps, but regular radiator hose clamps would have worked fine. It takes some muscle and patience to get a good wrap on it, but I wrapped the downpipe and the difference is amazing. I still have a nice low rumble at idle and a great sound at WOT, but no more drone. I definitely recommend this to anyone contemplating an aftermarket exhaust. - George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q-Ship Posted May 10, 2011 Report Share Posted May 10, 2011 I am thinking of doing this. Where did you wrap and how far? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgeleedom Posted May 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2011 I am thinking of doing this. Where did you wrap and how far? I wrapped the entire down pipe. It would have been impossible without removing it. Mine didn't, but some brands of header wrap require you wet it first, so I'd give the instructions a look. Good luck. I know you'll hear a big difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zappo Posted May 10, 2011 Report Share Posted May 10, 2011 I have wrap for mine, but haven't installed it yet. Exhaust is being worked on right now, so as soon as that is done I can pull the DP and wrap it up. If wrapping it sloves my drone, I should have done it years ago. :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackT5 Posted May 10, 2011 Report Share Posted May 10, 2011 I'll try this when everything comes apart for my diff install. I can tolerate the drone most days, but sometimes it just drives me crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kit Vexed Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 geeeez. i recommended this awhile ago when there was another thread talking about drone.. as always, with opposition, there were talks of the wrap maintaining moisture and particles resulting in eating your dp away... hey, whatever. could go a step further and remove the carpeting under the front seats and lay down dynamat or lizardskin as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgeleedom Posted May 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 geeeez. i recommended this awhile ago when there was another thread talking about drone.. as always, with opposition, there were talks of the wrap maintaining moisture and particles resulting in eating your dp away... hey, whatever. could go a step further and remove the carpeting under the front seats and lay down dynamat or lizardskin as well Yes. I mentioned I'd seem some posts about this solution a while back. I'm surprised more members haven't tried it. I found the difference remarkable. And as a bonus, it reduces ambient heat drawing up into the engine compartment. I immediately noticed two things: the overall drone was dramatically reduced, and what was left was coming out of the back of the exhaust instead of through the console and into the cabin. The way my exhaust is set up, the 3" DP clamps onto a 3" racing cat and then directly into the 3" Borla. The Borla fits barely, but neatly, into the tunnel. The tubing reduces to 2.5" just past the second O2 sensor, curves arount the gas tank and a straight pipe with a 9'5" vibrant resonator welded in extends to a nice oblong powder coated tip that fits perfect in the stock bumper cut out. I intend to wrap the back half of thew exhaust as well. (from the 2nd O2 sensor to the tip) next week. I know we all brag on our rides on here, but this set-up really does present a deep throaty tone. I was idling next to a '70 Chevelle the other day and I swear my car sounded deeper. The car consistently turns heads when you start it up and puts out a mean growl under hard acceleration, yet it doesn't drown out the sweet sound of the turbo spooling up through the SRI. I highly recommend this inexpensive mod to anyone still trying to control their exhaust note by turning up the stereo. - George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BurgerBob Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 FYI, if anyone wants to do this, but isn't in a hurry, check out Summit/other online resources. Header wrap isn't necessarily that expensive, and zip ties shouldn't be either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kit Vexed Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 i've read on other forums that the DEI 'titanium' wrap doesn't require any wetting or dealing with fiberglass and actually resists MORE heat. it's made from 'pulverized lava rock' and it's flexible and looks supposidly like carbon fiber when wrapped.. this is a mod i haven't personally done, but have always considered.. the exhaust particles will stay more in the tubing causing more heat to run out of the back of the car.. so if you are thinking of furthering the wrap downstream, make sure there's plenty of clearance and it doesn't melt your bumper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRACStar Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 there were talks of the wrap maintaining moisture and particles resulting in eating your dp away... Thats why they make sealer. The advantages far outweigh the drawbacks, mainly since I can't think of any. Mine isn't wrapped yet but in the next couple weeks when I finally get my rods into my block I plan on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the commissar! Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Well I'll have to weigh in on this... I have DEI standard which is a wet-application product, and it is coated with DEI HT silicone coating. I have it on the DP (applied and coated before the Dp installation) and on the full exhaust (installed/coated while on car). My experience with this exhaust wrap on my Volvo is that it does not significantly reduce the drone. It may help some but don't expect this to be THE answer to drone elimination. If it was helpful at exhaust noise reduction, I would think they would at least mention it in their product literature, but they don't... I'm not saying don't use wrap because it does help with heat management, just don't do it ONLY for the noise reduction unless your prepared to be disappointed. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHEIII874T5M Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Yup, this definitely helps -- wrapped the new header on the Miata and it eliminated a great deal of noise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kit Vexed Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 true, it wont TOTALLY kill drone but you can't figure it would seal out heat and not some noise too, lol. also, some of us have more drone than others with diff exhaust setups. if someone has moderate drone, it would be more noticable to wrap vs. someone who's running like full 3" or catless expecting it to totally be gone. i think it's a good idea either way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagoneer855 Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 I have a buddy who has a 3" turboback on his talon, no mufflers, no resonators. He has the entire exhaust ceramic coated as well as wrapped all the way from the turbo to the back axle. The result is amazing. It's stupid loud from behind the car, but from the sides and front and, more importantly, from the interior it isn't overly loud at all. For a winter car I wouldn't wrap it especially in the north. Salt and exhaust wrap doesn't go well together. But for a summer car I wouldn't hesitate to wrap the exhaust, or even coat and wrap it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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