Engines produce heat as a byproduct of combustion, and while that heat normally is dissipated by the oil, coolant, and exits through the exhaust, much of it bleeds from the engine into the surrounding systems. Headers can exceed temperatures of 1,000 degrees F easily, so when delicate electronics or wiring pass through their area the concern becomes a real focus.

Heat can also be harnessed for added power in turbocharged applications. Design Engineering has updated its line of products to expand both turbo blankets and protective insulation lines.

Spark plug wires are at particular risk in V8 engines as they are routed between header primaries, the hottest part of an engine. A plug wire resting on a primary will eventually burn through, no matter the silicone insulation.

“Our Exo Series header wrap and spark plug boots are derived from the off-road guys that need something that’s high abrasion and impact-resistant. We took 304 stainless steel and over-weaved it in our fiber-glass wrap to provide an extremely durable wrap that holds up to all the elements of off-road,” explains Design Engineering’s Mike Buca.

With regards to the spark plug boots, Design Engineering took the same extreme approach as the header wrap. “We came out with a dual-wall silicone boot with a stainless steel 304 over-wrap on it. It gives an air gap around the boot, so when the boot lays on a hot header it can cool down a lot, and prolong the life of the plug wire,” Buca said.

If you demand more out of your insulation, check out the offerings from Design Engineering using the contact information below.