wrapping DP/UP 2 years AFTER install?

**iNVAR** · August 3, 2011

About 2 years ago, I went stage 2 with an Invidia catted DP. At the time, I didn't think I'd need wrap... but in the last 2 years, I've noticed that the engine bay is extremely hot after a drive, especially since I sit in traffic in NYC frequently. Heatsoak sucks!

Anyways, I'm sure eventually my VF40's going to kick the bucket, and I figured when that happens, it'd be a good time to remove the DP and UP and wrap them.

Is it too late to wrap the pipes then? I'm worried that corrosion will get trapped inside. Should I not do it?

If it's okay to do, what steps should I take to prepare the pipes? Scrub them down with a cleaner? (Bar Keeper's Friend worked on my polished stainless tips, maybe use the same stuff here?)

Thanks.

**Max Capacity** · August 3, 2011

I wouldn't do anything to the DP. May be have the catless UP ceramic coated.

Do you change your oil at 3000-3500 miles ? I think that is more important.

But I'm no expert

korpsepatrol · August 3, 2011

If and when the turbo dies, it wouldn't hurt to wrap both. However it wouldn't be totally necessary. It does lower the heat coming out of my engine bay a bit with my dp wrapped. I will most likely be wrapping any after market header and up combo I get eventually. I have not seen any rust or corrosion forming on my pipe.

If you are really worried about corrosion and heat soak, I would do what Max Capacity suggested and have your pipes media blasted and ceramic coated. Then if you want to wrap them again you would have the corrosion front covered.

I have had my pipes wrapped on both my 06 and now my 08. If I had the money and patience I would get them ceramic coated as well. This is all rather overkill in my opinion btw, but still its the small things.

**thefultonhow** · August 3, 2011

I've been thinking I should wrap my UP, but it's a total pain to take out. Still, I'm worried about killing my VC gasket on that side with the heat. The DP is easy peasy to take off, so I will probably wrap that eventually to save my axle boot. I just need to be able to afford the good wrap.

turbodog · August 9, 2011

I would never run any aftermarket exhaust parts in the engine bay without heat wrap. Makes a major difference in underhood temps. Minor improvement in throttle response, boost threshold, etc.

**iNVAR** · August 9, 2011

My UP is stainless from Invidia. Seems kind of like...a waste to blast that and coat it. Pulling these pieces out right now would be a pain so anything I do would be when the turbo dies since everything would be out anyway....

The DP is a catted Invidia and being that I'm in NYC, all of the exhaust has probably seen salt and other crap on it throughout the last few years.

Do I need to media blast it to clean off everything before wrapping? More importantly, if the pipes are media blasted, do I HAVE TO now have it ceramic coated? Or is the media blasting just for cleaning?

Do you think scrubbing everything with fine steel wool and/or Bar Keeper's Friend will suffice?

Thanks for the responses so far!

**MasAyinde** · August 10, 2011

I've been thinking I should wrap my UP, but it's a total pain to take out.

I took it out the top this past weekend, not bad at all. I think it's easier to just take the turbo out.

Nolmers06LGT · December 6, 2012

I just wrapped my UP last night- I would personally take steel wool to the pipe, wrap, then seal the whole thing with the DEI high temp sealant. From what I can tell, these wraps are fairly similar to a fiberglass install, and the high temp coating should prevent any further corrosion. Just my 2cents.

Question for you- any advice on the UP / DP install? I'm doing those as well as a turbo blanket on saturday, and since this is my daily driver, I'm stuck at the shop until I finish the install. In order to prevent my better half from killing me for taking all day, I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for the install.

Brprs · December 6, 2012

Take a piece of a 4x4 and place it under the passenger aide head and slightly lift up on it with a floor jack. This will allow a little more room to rip the pipe out of its home. If not you might have remove the left side manifold. After the old pipe is out, the new pipe will be cake to put in.

**MasAyinde** · December 6, 2012

You're better off taking out the turbo also. It really isn't that hard. Take the front half of the downpipe off first, then stick your head where the DP used to be so you can see the oil drain tube. That's the hardest part of removing the turbo and with the downpipe out of the way, it becomes easy.

**PeterJMC** · December 6, 2012

+1 The Up is a bit tricky to pull out from bottom because of the tight quarters. I've never used Brprs's method but it sounds like it would work. You only really need a few mm of clearance.

1) When removing the old UP. Be sure to remove the 02 sensor FIRST before trying to pull it out.

2) when removing the UP, it will be tight with little clearance. Try your best to be gentle and try your best not to force it out. You could end up nicking a gasket and creating a oil leak. (a number of people have mentioned this as a caution, but I've never seen where I could ruin a gasket trying to pull out the UP.

3) If you are re-installing the sensor into the new UP, be sure to install the 02 sensor LAST.

From my past experience and the handful of times I've gone through the above steps... It's better to try and move the turbo out of the way and pull it out from up top then through the bottom.

**thefultonhow** · December 6, 2012

I use an engine hoist in place of the wood...

And how would you change the UP without removing the turbo?

**MasAyinde** · December 6, 2012

these fools want to remove the exhaust manifold like a bunch of noobs. Costs less to take the turbo out.

**PeterJMC** · December 6, 2012

I don't think I took off the exhaust manifold when I pulled the UP out the first time I did the install. But that's a memory from 2006

Drift Motion · December 6, 2012

I thought it's always a good idea to wrap it to keep the CV boots from ripping/cracking

PaSprinter24 · December 11, 2012

I just put the invidia up in nd just took out the manifold. Was only 6 bolts nd also replaced the gaskets while I had it off. Real subey owners wouldn't complain about spending money on there baby

Brprs · December 11, 2012

Real subaru owners dont put new up pipes in when they already have a catless one from the factory

**thefultonhow** · December 11, 2012

Real subaru owners dont put new up pipes in when they already have a catless one from the factory

Meh, there is a benefit to using an aftermarket UP even on cars that came with catless UPs.

Nolmers06LGT · December 11, 2012

UP/DP were installed this past weekend. I didn't pull the manifold. I also didn't pull the turbo, as I really didn't want to break open any fluid lines I didn't have to. My motto has been if its not already leaking, don't touch it. Otherwise, it will probably leak afterwards.

Back to the point- the easiest way to pull the UP is to unbolt the motor mounts and lift the engine. Once the old UP was out, everything was relatively easy- less pulling the rear O2 sensor from the downpipe. Mine siezed up and even with an O2 sensor tool I rounded the hex to a cylinder. Not cool. I ended up just plugging the hole on the new downpipe.

After the install, my tuner flashed a stg 2 map and we went for a test drive. The results were amazing- I never realized how restrictive the stock exhaust was until the upgrade. This car is incredible!

smokee_won · June 12, 2013

Up pipe wrap pictures.

smokee_won · June 12, 2013

Wrapping pipes is called lagging were I was in the service. Most wraps are done without further work done.

I used this black paint that is good to 2000 degrees. I put on three coats, dryed 24hrs between each coat and then cured it in my oven. The instructions say 300 degrees for a while but I did 300 for half hour then 500 for two hours. BTW I am doing my cross pipe and exhaust manifolds the same way. All GS pieces that are ceramic coated but as long as the paint is thoroughly soaked into the wrap fibers and cured one does not have to concerned with moisture getting in and doing damage to those pipes that are not coated ceramic.

Personally I have opted to do two complete overlapping wrap sets per section.

smokee_won · June 13, 2013

The cross pipe and up pipe wrapping has been completed. I started layer one on the smaller manifold. The picture shows the wrap without paint. I need to order some 1" and some more 2" to wrap the big one. I stuff the valleys on the manifolds with wrap so there is no gap in insulation and let the paint soak through to all the layers before curing. I ran out of paint also. I think the second layer on the cross pipe looks a bit flat. I like the gloss look that I achieved on the original layer so I am off to add more paint.