Head shielding works

Why it matters

Exhaust manifolds, headers and downpipes run at exhaust gas temperatures well above 800 °C — turbocharged or naturally aspirated. Left bare, that heat radiates straight into the engine bay, cooking wiring, fuel lines, coolant hoses and intake plumbing. It also heat-soaks everything around it: intake air temperatures climb, and the oil and coolant running past the exhaust side of the engine pick up heat they then have to shed through the radiator and oil cooler. On a turbo car, heat that escapes the exhaust is also energy the turbo never sees. Proper shielding keeps the heat where it belongs: inside the pipe.

How we do it

We don't wrap — we build a shell. Every heat shield is custom made for the exact part in front of us, whether it's a set of NA headers, a turbo manifold or a downpipe.

First the part is covered with a high-temperature insulation layer, cut to measure and fitted to follow every bend, collector and flange so there are no gaps. Over that goes a stainless steel cover, cut and formed to the shape of the part piece by piece. Each piece is then welded to the next — hundreds of small welds on a single manifold — until the whole thing is one rigid, closed stainless shell. Nothing is clamped, tied or glued; the shield becomes part of the part.

Flanges, V-band collars, sensor bosses and wastegate ports are left clean and accessible, so it bolts on exactly as before.

What you get

Lower under-bonnet temperatures — and with them lower intake air, oil and coolant temperatures, which means more consistent power and less heat soak lap after lap, not just on the first pull. Wiring, hoses, fuel and brake lines around the exhaust are protected. Exhaust gases stay hotter and faster inside the pipe, which helps scavenging on an NA engine and spool on a turbo. The welded stainless shell is lightweight, doesn't fray, soak up oil or fuel or fall apart like fabric wrap, and it lasts the life of the part. It also it looks fast.

We shield headers, exhaust manifolds, downpipes, turbo housings, wastegate pipes and anything else that gets too hot. Send us a picture of what needs shielding and we tell you the price.