Technical Brake Components Getting Hot

I found this on google... hmmmm

http://www.thermotec.com/products/11600-clamp-on-heat-shield.html

 

I bought some muffler insulation a a NSRA show. was some sort of granulated ceramic encased in aluminum and was flexible. installed on top of my mufflers and it cut almost all the heat up thru the floors. I thought it was Insul-shield but can't find it on internet. may be out of business or changed names. what ever it is it is killer!

 

One of the first things I'd want to know is that the heat was NOT the caliper dragging. After a run, jack up the front and see that the brakes are not dragging. Then you'll know the residual and heat are not causing other problems.

Cosmo

 

I didn't burn myself when I touched the calipers directly after driving. I remember them feeling hot though but not as hot as the M/C if I remember right.

Dot 3 boils at 401 Deg F and I have very fresh new fluid 1 month old. I don't think I could have put my hand on the residual if the brake fluid was boiling. I think the heat on the residual and M/C is coming from two sources. Conduction from the frame that is getting heated by the exhaust pipes direct radiation, and heat travelling in the air forward and behind the exhaust but not in a direct path. If I can put my hand on the M/C for 3 seconds I doubt it would be above 200 Deg F. Maybe that's a good indication it's not boiling.. I'm mainly trying to be sure I'm not causing premature wear on seals, etc from the heat more than anything else.

I'm tempted to just take that rear extension sheet metal piece off (it looks like S*^%T.. as if the heat shield already doesn't look like crap aesthetically!) and use what I had before and leave the insulation out as suggested earlier by Crusty Nut.

 

I have had the SAME header wrap from thermo cool on my OT car with headers for 10 years and never a problem and never replaced. Also had it on previous cars with the same result.

The horror stories you read about come from INCORRECT INSTALLATION follow the instruction and it works just fine.

 

I like the suggestion of removing the insulation, allowing for at least a little air flow between the heat shield and M/C.

This place:
http://www.designengineering.com/catalog/design-engineering-inc/exhaust-wraps-accessories
has a bunch of different wraps and things that claim to keep the heat inside the exhaust pipe. Might help with this setup if the heat shield isn't enough.

 

Thanks for your help. That's the problem I have. I don't know if the heat shield is enough and I don't need to bother with any more heat shielding. I can touch the M/C and it's hot enough I want to take my hands off after 3 seconds but is that really enough to prematurely ruin seals, etc? I'm confident brake fluid isn't boiling but rubber melts at 208 to 347 deg F depending on the type, that is below Dot 3 boiling temp of about 400 deg F.

On a side note, I've heard of people having boiled their brake fluid, in those cases I wonder if the M/C seals were shot?

 

Here is another way to look at this issue. I have an ot vw that I had issues with my calipers dragging and heating them up red hot. After I replaced both fronts I had to replace my hoses. The inner section of the hose would collapse and not allow the fluid to drain. The hose looked perfect on the outside but the inside was bad.

 

Thanks that says if brakes are dragging, fluid is boiling and it's damaging components as well. I'm sure fluid is boiling in my case but cast metal surfaces of the M/C are hot (to my hand) but maybe not hot enough to damage seals. Hard to tell. I can put my hand on a pot of water and it could feel the same level of hot well before water boils.

 

I only skimmed the replys above.
Are the brakes dragging now? Like you said, no damage is occurring to any rubber parts, but you have concerns of boiling the fluid.
I'm guessing not. I think you are chasing a problem that doesn't exist and is improved with the insulation out. One thing I haven't seem mentioned is how much free play is on the M/C pushrod and is there a return spring. Should be 1/8 to 3/16" free play with the brake pedal at rest.

 

Thanks. I have 1/8" free play between the push rod and M/C bore. I checked with the car on jackstands and also with the car on the ground and there is free play. I also installed a decent return spring.

I don't suspect fluid boiling at all. I think you are right I am chasing a problem that doesn't exist.

I pulled the insulation out. I added a piece rear of the original heat shield, and I added a piece forward. It's super ugly but should work. I think the forward piece will help some and also still allow air to come in. I also insulated the 2psi residual valve just to see what happens. I will drive it tomorrow afternoon and put my hand underneath to feel the M/C and 2 psi residual.

Here are some photos I took today:



View attachment 3067528

 

Just got back from driving to a beach town 25 min north in North County San Diego. Wow what a difference with the insulation removed, the extension pieces added forward and aft of the original heatshield, the M/C is completely cool to the touch. I also checked after some more stop and go driving and it feels much cooler with the ugly heatshields. With time I may find someone who can fab something better looking but for now it's drive worthy.

Thanks to all that helped.

 

http://www.designengineering.com/

Maybe this can help.

 

Thanks, I'm thinking I can just leave what I have for now even though it's a bit ugly but I will keep that stuff in mind for sure. I almost bought one of their spark plug boot insulators to protect my residual before going through a bin earlier this week and finding the aluminum backed insulation sheets.