Ceramic Coating Exhaust Headers
Discussion
There's ceramic coating and there's ceramic coating. One form essentially uses a ceramic heavy paint to deposit a layer of ceramic on the surface. The other, used by Zircotec, is for powdered ceramic material to be passed into a plasma arc to "spray" it onto the item in question. Bloody impressive to see and looks great on the finished product. However at the moment, the car's not built so I can't tell you how well it actually performs, but Zircotec will point out that they're used by various F1 and WRC teams so there must be something in it.
I went the DIY 'ceramic paint' route using a product called Black Satin or something like that.
I can't say it's made much difference to the exhaust surface temperatures, but then it's only a few micros thick (and they do warn against applying it any thicker).
It smartens the exhaust up IMO compared to the original not-very-stainless slightly rusty finish but it's not coping with the heat spectacularly well and is looking a bit crinkly in places despite the makers claims that it was good for some humungous temperature.
It doesn't look anything like as sexy as the Cermachrome exhausts (which probably do provide effective insulation too) but at a tenth of the price I shouldn't really complain. It's a definite improvement over the original rusty crud, anyway.
I can't say it's made much difference to the exhaust surface temperatures, but then it's only a few micros thick (and they do warn against applying it any thicker).
It smartens the exhaust up IMO compared to the original not-very-stainless slightly rusty finish but it's not coping with the heat spectacularly well and is looking a bit crinkly in places despite the makers claims that it was good for some humungous temperature.
It doesn't look anything like as sexy as the Cermachrome exhausts (which probably do provide effective insulation too) but at a tenth of the price I shouldn't really complain. It's a definite improvement over the original rusty crud, anyway.
Testing Bobs patent bung for leaky manifolds?
I think you need the pre-cats removed to have the internals coated BTW. The insides of mine are perfect after 4 years, but the coating has been eroded on the curvature hit by the port (the most important place to coat IMHO). I'll prolly get it 'touched up' if I can
I think you need the pre-cats removed to have the internals coated BTW. The insides of mine are perfect after 4 years, but the coating has been eroded on the curvature hit by the port (the most important place to coat IMHO). I'll prolly get it 'touched up' if I can
Camcoat black satin ceramic paint is good stuff. It's all in the prep. Your headers must be properly shot blasted using 80-120 grit aluminium oxide and degreased/well cleaned thereafter before spraying (use panel wipe and then a tack rag). You can apply 3 or 4 layers (letting each layer dry naturally overnight in cool weather or half day in hot weather), sprayed using a detail spraygun (0.6mm -0.8mm jet).
I did my headers/uppipe/downpipe and i can tell you once the engine has been turned off they are cool enough to touch after just a minute or two. I will be doing the hot side of my turbo in the new year as i have just enough paint left over for 3 or 4 layers, and plenty of Aluminium oxide (re-useable 100's of times) for blasting.
As my turbo is small enough to stick in the oven i will be curing it for a couple of hours after spraying to make sure the paint stays and hardens properly, but so far i'm very satisfied with the results.
After Blasting
Last coat of Black Satin, headers and downpipe
Plasma ceramic coated parts is probably the ultimate way to go but it is really expensive and could end up costing £100's or £1000's depending on what you have done, but a complete in and out plasma coated exhaust system from headers right back to the muffler and Turbo would be the way to go but i think Camcoat is pretty damn good for what it costs and next best thing to the white plasma powder coating
I did my headers/uppipe/downpipe and i can tell you once the engine has been turned off they are cool enough to touch after just a minute or two. I will be doing the hot side of my turbo in the new year as i have just enough paint left over for 3 or 4 layers, and plenty of Aluminium oxide (re-useable 100's of times) for blasting.
As my turbo is small enough to stick in the oven i will be curing it for a couple of hours after spraying to make sure the paint stays and hardens properly, but so far i'm very satisfied with the results.
After Blasting
Last coat of Black Satin, headers and downpipe
Plasma ceramic coated parts is probably the ultimate way to go but it is really expensive and could end up costing £100's or £1000's depending on what you have done, but a complete in and out plasma coated exhaust system from headers right back to the muffler and Turbo would be the way to go but i think Camcoat is pretty damn good for what it costs and next best thing to the white plasma powder coating
ScoobieWRX said:
Camcoat black satin ceramic paint is good stuff. It's all in the prep. Your headers must be properly shot blasted using 80-120 grit aluminium oxide and degreased/well cleaned thereafter before spraying (use panel wipe and then a tack rag). You can apply 3 or 4 layers (letting each layer dry naturally overnight in cool weather or half day in hot weather), sprayed using a detail spraygun (0.6mm -0.8mm jet).
I did my headers/uppipe/downpipe and i can tell you once the engine has been turned off they are cool enough to touch after just a minute or two. I will be doing the hot side of my turbo in the new year as i have just enough paint left over for 3 or 4 layers, and plenty of Aluminium oxide (re-useable 100's of times) for blasting.
As my turbo is small enough to stick in the oven i will be curing it for a couple of hours after spraying to make sure the paint stays and hardens properly, but so far i'm very satisfied with the results.
After Blasting
Last coat of Black Satin, headers and downpipe
Plasma ceramic coated parts is probably the ultimate way to go but it is really expensive and could end up costing £100's or £1000's depending on what you have done, but a complete in and out plasma coated exhaust system from headers right back to the muffler and Turbo would be the way to go but i think Camcoat is pretty damn good for what it costs and next best thing to the white plasma powder coating
That stuff looks great, do you have any supplier details, I've found their website but no where to buy it from.I did my headers/uppipe/downpipe and i can tell you once the engine has been turned off they are cool enough to touch after just a minute or two. I will be doing the hot side of my turbo in the new year as i have just enough paint left over for 3 or 4 layers, and plenty of Aluminium oxide (re-useable 100's of times) for blasting.
As my turbo is small enough to stick in the oven i will be curing it for a couple of hours after spraying to make sure the paint stays and hardens properly, but so far i'm very satisfied with the results.
After Blasting
Last coat of Black Satin, headers and downpipe
Plasma ceramic coated parts is probably the ultimate way to go but it is really expensive and could end up costing £100's or £1000's depending on what you have done, but a complete in and out plasma coated exhaust system from headers right back to the muffler and Turbo would be the way to go but i think Camcoat is pretty damn good for what it costs and next best thing to the white plasma powder coating
Cheers,
Rich.
You can buy it directly from Camcoat in half ltr tin size as a minimum purchase. Altogether including delivery and VAT i paid around £90. That's pretty good VFM baring in mind what you're getting.
Their number is on the frontpage of their website, and they also distribute through Demon Tweakes but it's a lot more expensive that way so i would go directly to Camcoat.
Edited to add: Even this Satin Black coating glows redhot under pressure, just very odd to see it go back to shiny black a short while after use.
Their number is on the frontpage of their website, and they also distribute through Demon Tweakes but it's a lot more expensive that way so i would go directly to Camcoat.
Edited to add: Even this Satin Black coating glows redhot under pressure, just very odd to see it go back to shiny black a short while after use.
Edited by ScoobieWRX on Monday 27th October 23:49
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