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Yay or Nay?
Basically, over the past year or more I've been collecting together the bits for a "alright" engine. Nothing wild, just a mildly tuned thing. I've built the bottom end now and am currently running it in, so I'm starting to look to bolt on some of the things that I have.
I have a brand new, tubular steel, 4-2-1 exhaust manifold and am considering getting it ceramic coated, however.... on just an average engine, is it worth it?
I see two reasons.... keeps the heat in the exhaust, which will keep the exhaust temps up and hence the velocities getting them out quicker. Also keeping the surrounding items cooler with less heat being transferred from the exhaust- the main item being the inlet manifold, which is in close proximity.
Secondly, I'm told it increases the longevity of the manifold, stopping it from rusting etc.
So, on an average/nothing special but a bit more interesting engine (that is being built on a budget that involves saving money where possible to spend in other areas), can anyone offer an opinion on whether or not the expense is worth it please? Personal experiences are always interesting to hear....
Cheers!
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LAndy
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,061
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May 16, 2012 11:21:39 GMT
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Previous retros: 92 AX GTi 92 Scirocco Scala 94 80 sport 87 Golf Cab GTi Current retro: 1965 Clark Cortez YouTube Website Instagram |
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May 31, 2012 22:43:59 GMT
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I used cheap heatwrap on the rally car manifold and was mightily impressed. I don't think we had a noticeable increase in performance, but the reduction in under bonnet temps was excellent.
Actually the best bit was being able to work on the car immediately after the car was running without getting third degree burns!
I'm certainly going to look at ceramic coating and add it to the 'to do' list!
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www.camcoat.com/these guys have been doing it a while and I've heard good things. my concern with wraps is rust
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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luckyseven
Posted a lot
Owning sneering dismissive pedantry since 1970
Posts: 3,839
Club RR Member Number: 45
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Exhaust Ceramic Coatingluckyseven
@luckyseven
Club Retro Rides Member 45
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I had Zircotec coating on my previous turbo setup on my RX-7. Had the turbine housing, downpipe and manifold coated. It was unbelievably effective, you could put your hand on it within minutes of turning the engine off, it was so efficient at keeping heat in. And this is on a fire-breathing rotary with a zillion degrees of exhaust toxicity lol. It's certainly more effective than the more traditional exhaust wrap bandage I've got on my current setup... ...however. It may have been a contributing factor to my turbine housing and manifold cracking up by keeping too much of the heat in. It was a cast HKS mani, so should normally have been well up to the job even of supporting a fairly large frame like the T04S that was on there. Dunno, it's speculation. But for the price, I wouldn't and didn't go for ceramic again. It's not proportionately better at its job than wrap (though a lot neater) and I wasn't willing to keep breaking turbos if it proved to be a contributory factor In addition, I asked for red and got....  ...well, let's be honest, it's bloody pink, isn't it!?  |
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,790
Club RR Member Number: 34
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Exhaust Ceramic CoatingDez
@dez
Club Retro Rides Member 34
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did you have any problems with it flaking off?
every setup ive personally seen with it has eventually ended up cracking and starting to flake. i kind of imagine it a bit like an eggshell, it that is a solid 'shell' coating over the top of a bit of metal thats trying to expand and contract with heat, a bit like powercoat. i don't know if thats true though.
tbh, if youve got a stainless mani, i see no advantage at all over wrap, except maybe a bit of space saving if things are really tight in your 'bay. and the cost compared to a roll of wrap is very hard to justify.
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luckyseven
Posted a lot
Owning sneering dismissive pedantry since 1970
Posts: 3,839
Club RR Member Number: 45
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Exhaust Ceramic Coatingluckyseven
@luckyseven
Club Retro Rides Member 45
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Mine didn't have time to start flaking off, it was only on the car about a year before it blew up (because rotary :  and when we pulled it for the rebuild the cracks were found. In places it looked as though surface rust was beginning to come through, though. I definitely wouldn't have risked it on my current tubular stainless mani, what with stainless' extra propensity for cracking at the best of times, plus it's now got a properly big-frame turbo to hold up. It was just too expensive for me to take another risk on |
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If you can do it, do it. Complete no-brainer. Sounds like the engine is mild enough for it to last a long while, and white ceramic-coated exhausts are just pure sixties F1 filth...  |
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lightly tuned daily driver?
No - spend your cash on fuel
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You're like a crazy backyard genius! |
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Cheers for the advice guys. I'm currently looking at some of the DIY options as a sort of compromise!
But ideally I would much prefer the read deal!
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1953 Minor (Long term project)
PT Cruiser
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and when we pulled it for the rebuild the cracks were found. In places it looked as though surface rust was beginning to come through, though.
