Poll - header heat shields. You got 'em?

[dave6666]

There seems to be some debate about header heat shields. Celebrity opinions are from:

Chuck Tator - says you need them, has crispy car photos to support.

Lou Belanger - says you don't need them, been making headers for a while. Swears that with the Jet Hot coating they (his)run cooler than stock. So I suppose rusty headers don't fit that mold.

So do you have heat shields, and are your headers coated or rusty?

BTW, since I look at SRT threads pretty often, for you SRT guys, this is the Gen2 forum.

 

[plumcrazy]

i put them on just to be safe. i dont think you can come up with a good enough reason not to....

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

Belanger headers, no shields, 70,000 miles on headers, no heat problems with any wiring or elsewhere.
Make sure you have the HiPo Engineering power steering cap mod or rig something up similar. The PS caps absolutely will come off by themselves if you don't continually check them. That's how the fires start.

Steve

 

[ACELLR8]

Edelbrock Headers that are Jet Hot coated. 4 Years without heat shields and no issues at all.

 

[Art 138]

DC Heat Shields:

 

[Madduc]

No shields,B&B headers Jet Hot coated using AB's wires and no spark plug shields also with a ROE....no issues.

 

[ViperTony]

Belanger Headers with heat shields. Ran without them for a while. AC air/box was roasting, brake lines near driver side headers were extremely hot to the touch and my thermo-tec hose insulation burned up near the headers (Ask Chuck and Rob). I used it to protect the brake lines that are very close to the headers on the driver side. The paint on my hood pad would heat up and smell really bad even though it was ceramic paint. One day the Wizard gave me sound advice and I took it. Ran with shields ever since. 6K miles and no issues with jet hot coating flaking or any warpage with the header flanges.

Lou is a brilliant man but he doesn't see the burned up engines, melted plastic, etc. and can be really stubborn at times but you gotta love the guy. Yes, they are jet-hot coated but try to put your hand on them when the engine has heated up. Let me know how that works out for you. They certainly run cooler than the stainless steel headers I used to have but they are hot nonetheless. I took a chance and I won't do it again.

 

[VIPER BAZ UK]

Full Borla system with no cats and stock shields.....
My car means more to me than to take the risk.............

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

Belanger Headers with heat shields. Ran without them for a while. AC air/box was roasting, brake lines near driver side headers were extremely hot to the touch and my thermo-tec hose insulation burned up near the headers (Ask Chuck and Rob). I used it to protect the brake lines that are very close to the headers on the driver side. The paint on my hood pad would heat up and smell really bad even though it was ceramic paint. One day the Wizard gave me sound advice and I took it. Ran with shields ever since. 6K miles and no issues with jet hot coating flaking or any warpage with the header flanges.

Lou is a brilliant man but he doesn't see the burned up engines, melted plastic, etc. and can be really stubborn at times but you gotta love the guy. Yes, they are jet-hot coated but try to put your hand on them when the engine has heated up. Let me know how that works out for you. They certainly run cooler than the stainless steel headers I used to have but they are hot nonetheless. I took a chance and I won't do it again.

I guess everyone's car is a little different. I don't have cats. That could be a factor. Our car has idled in lots of parades at 90+ degrees for over an hour with no issues. Track session every year. No brake boiling. I have stock plug wires, no plug heat shields. I change the wires every 20,000 miles or so.

I would think the heat shields would actually trap more heat, contributing to flaking and/or flange warping?

Steve

 

[MTGTS]

Coated Hennessey headers with shields here

 

[DAMN YANKEE]

I would buy heat shields if they were not so insanely priced.
I would participate in a group buy if such a thing is possible!

 

[BoeingMan]

I would participate in a group buy if such a thing is possible!

^^ What he said.

 

[KenH]

I have coated Belangers without shields on a Roe setup. Probably 20K miles on the headers, 10K with the Roe. Engine compartment does not get very hot.

The power steering cap fix is a must whether you have shields or not. I think I have heard of stock exhaust cars have also burned to the ground because of the power steering cap coming loose.

I think the shields are a good idea if you track the car, run uncoated SS headers or have a car that runs very rich. I was able to burn the coating right off the #10 cylinder when it was running too rich, so that can be a big variable.

 

[ViperTony]

I would buy heat shields if they were not so insanely priced.
I would participate in a group buy if such a thing is possible!

Tator has a discount on heat shields. 25% off is a great deal on these. Look here: http://forums.viperclub.org/rt-10-gts-discussions/610094-new-viper-owner-looking-missing-parts.html

 

[TexasPettey]

Coated Edelbrocks with no heat shields. I couldn't get the stock shields to fit well with the headers. I bought some Edelbrock shields to try, but they wouldn't fit well either. No problems with heat, even with the ROE SC.

 

[revived_gearhead]

Belangers with "stock" heat shields. Not hard at all to get the stock shields to conform. A little bend here and a little foot action there. I tried it without, but the heater box was roasting hot.

 

[DAMN YANKEE]

Group buy would be for the nice custom heat shields....the stock one work, but are ugly IMO.

 

[ViperTony]

Group buy would be for the nice custom heat shields....the stock one work, but are ugly IMO.

The only nice ones I've seen are Inconel heat shields from DC Performance. Are there any others out there?

 

[dave6666]

Starting to sound like my shiny OE ones are worth some scratch...

But the poll is looking like they'll be re-installed when I do the exhaust conversion here in a bit.

 

[96GTS]

It sounds like it's all a matter of personal opinion. I have a fire extinguisher because a bare hood for a gen I and II Viper is $15,000 and I don't want my insurance company to total the car I've poured my heart and soul into. It sounds like you've already made up your mind, so get them and have the piece of mind because if something bad happens you'll beat yourself up for not doing it.

 

[dave6666]

It sounds like you've already made up your mind...

No, have not made up my mind. That was the purpose of this thread. To help me make up my mind.

 

[Red Snake]

I have coated Belangers with no cats, stock heat shields.

 

[FE 065]

I've got an extra set of Gen 2 heat shields..

 

[ViperTony]

No, have not made up my mind. That was the purpose of this thread. To help me make up my mind.

Dave, at the very least get the PS vent tube from Roe. You have the option to try out the headers without a heat shield for a while before deciding to put them back on. You don't have to unbolt the headers to install the shields, rather, using some elbow grease and a rubber mallet simply mold them around the Belanger's. If nothing else, its a good workout should you decide to put the shields back on afterwards.

 

[fqberful]

I have M&M's with Jet-Hot Extreme Sterling coating AND a set of stock heat shields. It's easy to make the stock shields fit. I'm going to cover that when I post my Gen III how-to for these headers.

I have measured the temps with stock exhaust, and the headers. The coated headers drop that temp about 250-300'F, the heat shields another 200-250'F. This is against a base temp of about 850'F with the stock head pipes measured about 4" from the head, under load.

I know you can't see your pretty pipes, but your car is worth way more. Especially on the drivers side with the brakes and clutch plumbing so close, you can very easily boil the fluid there. The heater hoses on the right side [ Gen III ] can also be an issue.

The shields just reduce the temps more and protect your investment.

My 0.02 FWIW YMMV.

 

[dave6666]

Dave, at the very least get the PS vent tube from Roe. You have the option to try out the headers without a heat shield for a while before deciding to put them back on. You don't have to unbolt the headers to install the shields, rather, using some elbow grease and a rubber mallet simply mold them around the Belanger's. If nothing else, its a good workout should you decide to put the shields back on afterwards.

I've got the Big Brakes puke can for the P/S cap issue.

A good workout? With liquid razor blades I've heard?

Anyway, I've got a perfectly good set of shields on the car now. This poll is providing the needed guidance/persuasion I need to decide to put them on for the header install.

And maybe some parts business for Tator by those that tossed theirs...

 

[SSSSE YA]

I have the DC Performance Inconel Heat Shields. I love them Viper runs much cooler.

 

[mike & juli]

No, have not made up my mind. That was the purpose of this thread. To help me make up my mind.

Dave--Kudos to you for asking opinions!! It's great to have people on here who are not 'know-it-alls' and act it...you do not, and you post great write-ups as well...you truly are an asset here on the forum...and no, I did not say 'ass' as you may have expected!
We have B&B Ceramic Coated Stepped Headers w/heat shields...yes, cuts down on heat.
Good Luck on your decision...looks like coated headers get the nod for heat shields so far.
~juli

 

[rtigert]

Belangers w/o shields. No problems till I drove from Dallas to Vegas and was then stuck in traffic on the strip (July)... Smelt something burning, like electrical, pulled over, searched the entire engine compartment to find the bottom of the A/C fresh air box had a hole melted in in about 1"X1.5".

 

[BOTTLEFED]

My GTS came with borla headers and no heat shields when I bought it
My friend works at HPC/Jethot and I get a good deal on coatings, so I took off the headers and had them coated with HPC/Jethot extreme-coating. When I removed the freshair box it was fine but the blower case was warped a little.
I then ran the coated headers, minus the shields, for a month or so and checked the areas around the headers. Now the case has opened up and warped more and the freshair box has a 3/4" hole melted into it. The O2 sensor wire shielding was melted as well, so I replaced it with some high-temp wrap.
Needless to say I have just bought some used shields from a forum member and will be fitting them soon.