Is it worth getting these ceramic coated for hp and reduced engine temps? If so, what coating color is best?

 

Most popular color that people get them coated is black, like how PPE offers them. Also, Rafi from RR-Racing advised using thermal tape to keep the heat down. Hopefully, he can chime in on the specifics.

-Josh

 

i thought the coating was to keep the mild steel for rusting. iim not a engineer but why would heat after the engine affect performance? I was told by old tuners that as long as the parts are true SS,. t304 it doesnt need to be coated.

 

It helps keep underhood temps down since SS gets really hot. SS won't rust but having the headers ceramic coated inside and out will help exhaust gases flow out faster which will improve hp (probably not that much) but it does

 

The stock exhaust manifolds use a heat shield to reduce the heat that radiates up to the rest of the engine compartment. IMO, headers should be ceramic coated or wrapped to keep down the radiated heat. Color really doesn't matter, except when a company (like Jethot) uses it as a differentiator for different grades of coating.

Lou

 

Under "perfect" circumstances you could keep all the combustion heat trapped in the cylinder not permeating through the block, head or piston. Post combustion this heat would then exit through the exhaust being contained within the pipes and exiting the tailpipe. At the stage of the exhaust exiting the head and entering the header / exhaust manifold, hotter / faster air exiting the head will assist in drawing fresh air into the cylinder, hence improving scavenging.

Additionally, reducing any radiated heat, especially on SS parts in the engine bay will benefit intake air temps among others. Then ultimately, for purely aesthetic reasons, ceramic coating the headers will keep them looking good for years to come.

 

There isn't necessarily a better or best color for reducing temps, though different color / types of ceramic coatings offer higher operating temperatures. On the lower end of the spectrum traditional polished ceramic coating is good for 1000F -1100F metal temp which equates to about 1200F - 1500F EGT. This coating is VERY susceptible to temp extremes caused by too rich or too lean fuel conditions or timing issues. Therefore, polished ceramics are NOT to be used in turbo or supercharged applications in most situations.

On the other end of the coating spectrum are high temp ceramic coatings. These are usually good for temps in the 1700F - 2000F+ range and are unaffected by temp or tuning extremes. Colors are varied in the silver, black, gold, etc, ranges.

 

Cool thanks, ill probably go black

 

Did you have PPE do the coating? They're coating (ceramic) seemed to be of high quality on my steel ones.

 

I think it was an option for $300 extra. I went with titanium and copper ceramic coating good to 2200F for cheaper

 

So would it be agrees that ceramic coating means i dont need Thermal tape/ wrapping the headers?

or should i wrap to help keep temps further down even if ceramic coating?

i know its advised to wrap the starter which i will end up doing either way. but just want some clarity before i order both ceramic coating and thermal wrap from RR-Racing.

 

^^^^To answer your question, yes - one or the other. Don't need both. I prefer a good Thermal coating.

Lou

 

I ordered my ss ppe headers coated. Color didn't matter, you can't see 'em unless you get under the car.

Don't wrap them.

 

This is worth a read as SS only needs to contain 10.5% Chromium to qualify as SS and that leaves the other 89.5% iron/carbon mix which will corrode if salt is present and as we all know it will also rust too as it is mostly iron.

https://www.reliance-foundry.com/blo...ainless-steel/

That said for all but Arizona, if it's a DD and rain driven, where a wrap gets damp, 304 SS can rust out. I would advise against a wrap if you want them to last.


That said, would I wrap up in the engine bay? Yes. Under the car. NO!

 

following your advice after some local sourcing. getting em locally done, with copper inside as well for a good price. I pulled the trigger on the power upgrade option by RR-Racing.

the waiting begins.