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Author
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Topic: Ceramic coating worth it?
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65_289
Gearhead Posts: 761
From:
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 09-24-2002 04:28 PM
   
Are coated headers worth the extra bucks? I am wanting some 6111's for my b-day, but I cannot decide if the coating is worth the extra $190. Will they decrease the under-hood temps that much?
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Ryan Wilke
Gearhead Posts: 1501
From: Stanton, Michigan 49707
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 09-24-2002 04:41 PM
How does the saying go: "It depends...."I ran painted headers which began rusting within a year and after about 2- 3yrs they looked bad....yeah, I sandblasted them and put on a good high-temp paint too.  However, with the last pair of headers I bought, I spent the extra 200$ and had them Jet-Hot coated. That was in 1999. I can tell ya that they still look SUPER! The coating is very tough; meaning hard to scratch (not impossible)...unlike the painted headers which were VERY easy to scratch and then the scratched area really rusted fast! I'd say if you know you're going to keep the headers for 5+ years, then the ceramic coating is worth the extra cost. If you're not sure or sure you won't keep them on that long, then I wouldn't "slap down the jack". just my 2 cents,
Ryan 
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kid vishus
Gearhead Posts: 4538
From: middle of NC
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 09-24-2002 04:43 PM
I had the headers of on my racecar coated by JetHot, and it is amazing how much cooler it is under the hood now. And they cool off so fast now, within 10 minutes you can work around them without fear of getting burned. Plus it makes them last alot longer. I'm not sure if what Jet Hot applies is the same as ceramic coatings from the manugacturer though.
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65_289
Gearhead Posts: 761
From:
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 09-25-2002 08:01 PM
TTT. Anyone else?
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Scott (69Mach)
Gearhead Posts: 451
From: Walnut Creek, CA USA
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 09-25-2002 08:05 PM
Ditto on all fronts. Why go to all the effort of building a nice car only to burden it with rusted headers that look like crap. I wouldn't buy an uncoated set ever again.
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65_289
Gearhead Posts: 761
From:
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 09-25-2002 08:08 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Scott (69Mach):
Ditto on all fronts. Why go to all the effort of building a nice car only to burden it with rusted headers that look like crap. I wouldn't buy an uncoated set ever again.
That is a good point, but I am only interested in performance. If the coating will not help with performance, then it will be hard to convince me to get it! 
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SteveLaRiviere
Administrator Posts: 33371
From: Saco, Maine
Registered: May 99
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posted 09-25-2002 08:22 PM
From what I've seen lately, I wouldn't even think of using headers that weren't coated. I remember yearly header painting--never again! ------------------
'70 Mustang Mach 1 - '72 Mustang Sprint - '94 F-150
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steve'66
Gearhead Posts: 6522
From: Sonoma,CA,USA
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 09-26-2002 01:04 AM
quote:
Originally posted by 65_289:
That is a good point, but I am only interested in performance. If the coating will not help with performance, then it will be hard to convince me to get it!
I'm with you on this point! Ours aren't coated, and if it takes them 5 years to rust through that's good enough for me.  BTW our's is a 10.90 bracket racer, not a show car. The paint on the Hooker super comps burned off in the first 30 minutes.  But who cares, LOL SteveW
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TomP
Gearhead Posts: 4812
From: Delta BC Canada
Registered: Dec 99
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posted 09-26-2002 01:15 AM
I doubt the coating helps much with performance. It looks like all the most serious race cars use uncoated stainless headers, solves the rusting and if it helped performance they would coat them.
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kid vishus
Gearhead Posts: 4538
From: middle of NC
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 09-26-2002 01:18 PM
I honestly believe it does help make more power. Any time you can keep under the hood temps cooler it keeps the fuel charge cooler which makes more power. Not only that, but by keeping the heat in the tubes, instead of it getting out thru disipation, it makes the gases flow faster improving the scavenging affect.
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Scott (69Mach)
Gearhead Posts: 451
From: Walnut Creek, CA USA
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 09-26-2002 03:42 PM
Should have the same affect as wrapping your headers (keeps the heat in) without the risk of spontaneous combustion if you drop some oil on the hot headers.
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Ryan Wilke
Gearhead Posts: 1501
From: Stanton, Michigan 49707
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 09-26-2002 05:52 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Scott (69Mach):
Should have the same affect as wrapping your headers....
...the only trouble with wrapping the header tubes is that the wrap will hold any moisture (dew, rain, car washing, etc.) that gets on them against the pipes when they're not hot enough to dry the wraps. Then the rusting process is even faster..... -- If a fella is only looking to coat/paint items SOLELY for performance-oriented reasons, then why would a fella paint ANYTHING on the car; such as the intake manifold, engine block, cyl heads, or any other part of the car drivetrain/body for that matter? Ryan
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65_289
Gearhead Posts: 761
From:
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 09-26-2002 05:54 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Ryan Wilke:
-- If a fella is only looking to coat/paint items SOLELY for performance-oriented reasons, then why would a fella paint ANYTHING on the car; such as the intake manifold, engine block, cyl heads, or any other part of the car drivetrain/body for that matter? Ryan
My car is painted because it came that way. And I didn't have the block, heads, etc painted when I got the new engine.
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kid vishus
Gearhead Posts: 4538
From: middle of NC
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 09-26-2002 10:25 PM
My heads and block are painted black. Black is proven to dissipate heat faster than bare cast iron. That's why mine are painted.
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Ryan Wilke
Gearhead Posts: 1501
From: Stanton, Michigan 49707
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 09-27-2002 09:39 AM
quote:
Originally posted by kid vishus:
My heads and block are painted black. Black is proven to dissipate heat faster than bare cast iron. That's why mine are painted.
-- I'm with ya on that, KV! The same goes for your radiator. In fact, flat black radiates heat a touch better than gloss black. It's also easier to see if you have a coolant or oil seeping leak on a flat color surface......... -- Which is the similar reasoning (but opposite) to maintain a silver coating or white paint on your headers & exhaust system; to retain or keep the heat inside. (That's why you don't want to coat/paint your headers black!) When heat retention is the quality you want, also remember that a thicker coating is good. However, when you want to radiate heat (to lose heat) there is a limit as to the thickness of the coating/paint to put on before the coating/paint radiating qualities deminishes and starts becoming insulating...
In other words, if you paint your block/heads with a heavy coat or two, it may not radiate as much heat as 1 light coating. This is why Eastwood Co. sells a very thin, lacquer black paint for 'Radiator Paint' (It would be best for radiating heat if the lacquer was flat black, but I'm not sure that's possible) For aluminum, if I could, I'd get it anodized flat black; it's a VERY thin coating and still keeps it from corroding or oxidizing. Coatings are KOOL for handling heat! These are the same reasons why the Big-Boys are coating piston heads, combustion chambers, etc.
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