Should You Use Wrapping Kits for Your Flexi Pipe?

A key part of a vehicle’s exhaust system, a flexi pipe is used to connect to the engine and transport exhaust gases. It also absorbs the vibrations produced by the car, which helps the rest of the exhaust parts last longer. Hence, it plays quite a significant role in a car’s performance. 

Wrapping a flexi pipe, although not a necessity, can bring a set of benefits, including the extended longevity of the exhaust pipe. 

Turborevs discusses below whether you should consider using a wrapping kit for your flexi pipe. 

 

Advantages of Using Wrap Around Flexi Pipes

An exhaust wrap is designed to retain heat within the system’s pipes. This can help them cool down at a much slower rate, keeping the gases at a higher temperature, which in turn causes them to flow out faster — increasing the performance of the engine. As the heat exposure of the vehicle’s components is reduced, they can work more efficiently and their lifespan can be increased. 

In addition, it makes it much safer to work near the hot exhaust system. The low temperature inside the car also gives better comfort to the passengers.

Apart from increased exhaust-cycle efficiency, wrapping pipes also brings about some cosmetic improvements — it provides protection from outside elements, which can prevent any wear or tear. 

 

Types of Exhaust Wraps

There are different categories of exhaust wraps in the market, as listed below. 

Fibreglass Exhaust Wrap

In these wraps, fibreglass is fabricated into a woven strip with adhesives. Fibreglass heat wraps are especially suitable for a low-temperature environment. 

Titanium Exhaust Wrap

Created from pulverised lava rock and stranded into a fibre-based material, titanium wraps are designed to be stronger than other exhaust wraps. They are also more durable, which is why they are usually more expensive. 

Silica Exhaust Wrap

Silica exhaust wraps are the easiest to manufacture and handle as they can withstand extreme temperatures and, thus, do not release glass fibres when being used. 

 

Why You Should Wrap Your Flexi Pipes Separately

No matter what type of wrap you are using, your flexi pipe should be wrapped separately from the other pipes in the exhaust system. 

There are several reasons for this. Firstly, wrapping sections of a flexi pipe with different pieces of exhaust pipe wrap maintains the longevity of the barrier. This also makes servicing more convenient — you would not have to spend money on replacing the wrap with new material unnecessarily while it is still good for use. If a section of the wrap needs to be removed due to damage, only that part would be replaced instead of unwrapping the entire material and installing a new one from scratch. 

The constant movement of the flexi pipe can cause the wrap to become brittle over time, which is another reason why it should be wrapped separately. Plus, a running engine will only transfer energy through the exhaust system, making it more likely for the wrap around the flexi pipe to deteriorate easily. 

 

The Bottom Line

Wrapping the flexi pipe keeps the heat in the header, which causes the exhaust to dispel it more efficiently — eventually resulting in higher horsepower. Therefore, even though it is not essential, using wrapping kits can actually be beneficial for your car’s system. It is important to remember that you should invest in quality exhaust wraps, rather than purchasing cheap alternatives. This will allow maximum performance enhancements of your vehicle.