RE: Header on 6 cylinder, JET HOT, hot starter
When I was autocrossing my GT6 after a couple of runs the starter got so much
heat off the header (which ran right under it) that it wouldn't turn over. I
solved
the problem by getting a small piece of what we in the construction industry
call
"ductboard". It's metal foil on one side and fiberglass insulation on the
other. It
is used in forming air duct without sheetmetal.
I cut a length of it as long as the starter and wide enough to go all the way
around. Then I made V grooves in the fiberglass (it's stiff and can be cut
with a
sharp knife) so the board would bend around the starter. It was only about
3/4"
thick so it would slide around the starter body, reflective side out. I tied
it on
with a piece of stranded copper wire stripped of its insulation. A notch was
cut
in to keep the foil away from the positive cable.
All of this was before I discovered header wrap. I used the wrap on my TVR's
header- mainly to cut down on under-bonnet heat. It was a lot more expensive
than the ductboard though. I think I used more than one roll of the stuff
and
wrapped it back to the first pipe connection. If I was to do the job today I
probably would go for the JET HOT treatment even with the higher cost
because I hear the wrap will shorten the header life.
At least the ductboard job can be done on a GT6 with the header in the car- I
don't know if this could be done on a TR6 though. Both the JET HOT and
wrap are best done with the header off (although I did the wrap job with my
header on, the engine on a stand, and the intake on.
Larry Bickel
ljbtvr@aol.com
Lancaster, PA
'68 GT6, my sleeping racer
'71 TVR 2500, my street car and sometimes racer
'85 Dodge Van
'83 Chevy S10
'80 Yamaha 650
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