Header coating

[openwheeler37]

Iv'e done some reading in previous post on this subject but the posts were a few years old. Is anyone still coating their headers to control "under hood" temps? Our headers run really close to the oil cooler, lines and coolant hoses so i'm thinking about coating them. There is a local company that ceramic coats so i'm wondering if its worth looking into. http://motorsport-coatings.com/index.php

[lancer360]

I had mine coated by Jet Hot with their 2000 degree coating. Seems to have made a fairly significant difference.

[racerdad2]

Ceramic coating inside & out works extremely well with reducing temps & improved exhaust flow

[Wren]

For an FB, the only reasonable way I have ever seen to control the header temperature is to wrap it with the SS(formerly inconel) shields from heatmaster. Yes, it is expensive ($1/sq.in.), but it is worth it. I have yet to see anything that can even come close. We run a piece sandwiched between the exhaust and the diffuser(contact on both sides, you have to pull the diffuser down to remove the heat shield) and the diffuser suffers no damage from essentially touching the exhaust.

Yes, you need jet-hot coating, but that is to keep the exhaust from melting itself since it doesn't receive much airflow when it is properly covered.

[lancer360]

I can't afford the $1/in^2 stuff so I make my own using ceramic insulation from McMaster Carr. I can make my own that are very effective for $0.25 to $0.50/in^2 depending on what size I need and how much material is wasted.

Insulation http://www.mcmaster.com/#93285k18/=onx57h
0.015" Sheet metal http://www.mcmaster.com/#1217t21/=onxfv6
0.006" Sheet metal http://www.mcmaster.com/#90415k822/=onxhrj

Biggest issue I find on most of this insulation material is everyone saying how good their product is, but very few companies actually pay to have the testing done to determine what the thermal conductivity of their product is. Without a thermal conductivity rating you really have no way to compare products. So you are basically left to either take the salesmen's word or the recommendations from others on what products work for them. There are so many of these different insulation materials out there it is basically a shot in the dark. McMaster Carr does publish the thermal conductivity rating of the insulation material they sell for comparison if you can find any info from another manufacturer.

Between the header and the block I use two layers of the insulation for 1/4" thk. with a layer of 0.015" 301 stainless sheet metal on either side and 4 to 6 rivets. McMaster Carr sells 301 as thin as 0.006 in 12" x 10' rolls. 0.006 is just slightly thicker than a piece of paper if you needed something more formable for other areas of the car. We attach ours with stainless tie wraps. I have been running the same ballistic shield for 3 years with the same silicon water hose right behind it with no thermal failure issues.

Unfortunately I got the opportunity to test the ballistic heat shield at Watkins Glen when I grenaded the engine. #1 rod completely exited the block, tore a water hose in half and put a dent in the ballistic shield. Shield did it's job and the header didn't have a mark on it from any high speed debris and there was no oil fire.

[S Lathrop]

My advise is not to coat the headers. Coated headers are nearly impossible to repair.

Follow Chris's advise.

[openwheeler37]

If I do get them coated, would the 1300 degree coating be enough or do I go for the 2000 degree coating? How hot do the headers actually get?

[BURKY]

Take, post#6 advice.....

[lancer360]

If you do get them coated, go with the 2000 degree.

[Buc01]

Absolutely have them ceramic coated.

I used to own a coating shop. I did back to back temp testing on coated headers vs non coated. Can see up to 50% reduction in the header temp (norm is closer 30%).
I used Cermakote (the silver stuff that when polished looks close to chrome).
Headers will last longer, look great, run cooler, and one of the laws of thermodynamics (see one of my previous posts) states the temperature of a gas is proportional to the velocity. Thus the hotter you keep the exhaust gasses in the header, the faster they exit the exhaust pipe. Hmm... wonder if that might make combustion chamber evacuation better.....

Aaron

[B Reid]

I have this on my FC Zetec car. Amazing stuff and extremely durable.


http://swaintech.com/race-coatings/r...aust-coatings/

[kea]

I've also used Swain Tech, since the early 80's, and think it's the best !
My last (personal) application was on a 1600cc SuperVee where the intake manifold was directly above the exhaust. Talk about a heat issue !

[SStadel]

I use Motorsports Coatings in Delavan for our FE headers. They do an excellent job at a reasonable price. I've (tried to) attach a picture of the header we just had done a couple of months ago.

[fitfan]

I have this on my FC Zetec car. Amazing stuff and extremely durable.


http://swaintech.com/race-coatings/r...aust-coatings/

+1 if you opt to coat them coated, get a "real" coating (swain is not the only coater, but that or similar) i have the headers in my street car swain coated. and its very good stuff and does work. jet hot is just paint, it really does very little other than cosmetics. dont jet hot them...

but as steve said... a real coating will not come off, and you can't weld repair around easily at all... if you intend to just replace them if cracked - something like swain coated... if you intend to maintain and coat them. do as Steve said.

for my street car the headers are pretty reliable... all i know is on my FF I seem to crack a header about once a year so far... i would never coat them on my FF for that reason.

[racerdad2]

Perhaps the answer is to 'coat' them where they don't crack & use really good header wrap where they normally do ?

[johnspranger]

Had my Stohr FB headers coated locally. The shop does ceramic coatings for piston skirts and Mazda rotors headers, says they hold up. He used MSR ceramic for the internal aspect and sprayed the exterior.

I did a simple test with my IR temp gun. While idling at 2000rpm I ran water temp up to 170F scanned the headers about 2 inches (cyl #1) out then the collector.

Without coating temps were = 810s/640F. After coating it dropped to 720s/490F

The biggest changes I noticed was I could remove my engine cover without gloves following a stint. After I could remove it right away hot but not scorching. The other interesting change is that I can touch the header after about 2-3 mins following a warm up, but I can't touch the cylinders, too hot.

2 practices and one race without flaking, good thus far.

$150 for the headers and $30 to externally coat my muffler.

[openwheeler37]

I use Motorsports Coatings in Delavan for our FE headers. They do an excellent job at a reasonable price. I've (tried to) attach a picture of the header we just had done a couple of months ago.

How is the chrome coating holding up? I was/am thinking about don't the chrome coating but he said the chrome is only rated up 1200 degrees. The black is rated up to 2000 degrees. Not sure how hot the header gets but I don't want to go through all of this to find out I did the wrong coating.

[racerdad2]

Someone with EGT should know...

[Jerry Kehoe]

My experience with the "chrome" look coatings is they look fine for awhile but fairly quickly they lose the chrome look and become a shiny silver color. Still looks good but not like the chrome look you started with. I still like no coating, just use a torch and rub with ATF then when done running spray with WD40 and you will end up with a dark gray or black oxide that lasts forever and if you have to weld it is no problem and a little emery cloth, torch and ATF on the area brings it right back.

[SStadel]

The "shine" dulls, but other than that they hold up fine. I've got two cars that were done in 2003 and the headers still look great.

[Jean-Sebastien Stoezel]

I've got a set of headers that has that silver ceramic coating on it. I'd like to weld a bung on it to install a WBO2 sensor.
Any recommendations on how to prepare the headers? Steve L's post is making me fear this is not possible.

Thanks,
Jean

[Jerry Kehoe]

You will have to grind off the finish around the area you want to weld before you can weld. I think about 3/16-1/4" would do. Not sure other than recoating the entire piece to bring the finish back or merely paint the area as a touch up.

[Jean-Sebastien Stoezel]

Thanks for the reply Jerry. I guess there's still going to be some coating inside the tube that I won't be able to remove. I'm guessing the coating will not burn off from the heat of the welding puddle?

Jean

You will have to grind off the finish around the area you want to weld before you can weld. I think about 3/16-1/4" would do. Not sure other than recoating the entire piece to bring the finish back or merely paint the area as a touch up.

[Jerry Kehoe]

I don't think anything on the inside will bother you. The coatings are sprayed on so I doubt if any of it got in the inside or at least not enough to worry about.

[S Lathrop]

You need to be very diligent about removing the coating. I have had nothing but trouble welding coated headers. The costing on the inside is a potential contamination of the weld. You might try silicon bronze if you are using a TIG machine.

[Phil Creighton]

We used a company called HPC a lot - they do a lot of Indy car team stuff and was very happy with it. Used the process that coated inside and out ,I think, out of a facility in KS. Made a noticeable difference in the engine power band that intrigued us enough to put a standard uncoated system on for a test. It was a flat color only finish.

On Steve's point we had to use a tank process here in Atlanta to strip Jet Hoat coating from Iconel Oreca Viper headers for repairs - it can be done but not cheap when you look at the scale of pricing in these type of cars budget.

Phil