Ceramic Coating 2 - The final frontier

[QSHIPQ <QSHIPQ@aol.com>]

Many private mails on CC of EM's.  Running about 50/50 right now.  Let's
combine some of the knowns, and  address some of the "theories"

* Reducing underhood temps. THE reason to do this mod, proven, documentation
all over the place.  Bruce, no we didn't measure surrounding temps, it's a
race car, that wasn't our goal, nor the one promised by the guy with the "new"
revolutionary hitech coating 5 years ago, it was hp man (specifically, it
wasn't hp, man).  Back then 500USD was the cost.  BTW, SoC "claimed 400USD+,
so I didn't think my pricing example all that out of line.  Repeat the
"sacraficial" procedure once, and my B4B goes up.

*  Measured gains in HP.  Not documented to be a claim.  CC Manufacturers
claim that the hp gains are minimal at best ("10-13hp on a 1100hp race
car"<?>) Calibration of my butt (with g-tech and vericom) shows that I can
"feel" 10-12hp gains in my Levis.  5 or less, I challenge, can be a whole
bunch of other factors.   Again, here audis won't fair so well, the average
runner length of the 2 piece EM is less than 9" between the head and the
turbo.  So heat "loss" to the turbo or velocity "gain" at the turbo (some
argue both sides here, irrelent for this) CC'ing the manifold is hardly going
to give you massive hp OR turbo response.  An audi trans am car, or a buick v6
with exhaust plumbing to the turbo measured in FEET not inches are going to
fair better in either the HP or response catagory benefits.  The
manufacturers, racers and their dynos confirm this, ask 'em.

*  Coatings are sacraficial, that is to say, they will degrade over time, they
are DESIGNED to do that.  Given the properties of turbo motors, the inside
will degrade faster than the outside, but both do.  Want to make the inside
coating last the longest, I would figure out what makes all that carbon
buildup on the inside of the EM (and it's there with the CC or without). 

*  Coating makes EMs last longer.  Well, ok, so for 400USD, in three years
(and if you are sold on coating benefits, you will be looking at it again),
your  1200USD 2 piece exhaust manifold will look better and won't have cracks
or rust when mine does?  Will you have how many miles on her by then?  What
will be the price of a used 2 piece manifold in three years? Hmmm, interesting
to note, I have sitting in my office, a well used 2 piece manifold that has
been on a highly modified tqc for 4+ years, with no rust or external cracks,
and it looks like it is about 6 months old.  I even pulled apart the bellows
clamps with no heat or undue force.

*  Coatings increase exhaust velocity, increasing the turbo response (faster
spin at lower gas velocity).  Ok,  I 'understand' the claim.  Hey, I got
another idea, how bout taking an hour and pulling off the turbo, having the
hot side blades cut, and reinstalling the turbo.  I know someone that does it
for $100USD (me), and we aren't "guessing" or theorizing anything.  So, 2 ways
to get the same result.  The latter cheaper and proven effective, no helicoils
either, total cost = 100USD + 21USD in gaskets vs 800 + 20bux in gaskets +
400USD in CC + Helicoils + mabe a head removal and install.  

*  How many of you EM CC folks have coated the exhaust port runner, a proven
CC upgrade (get the heat OUT of the head), and cheap too?  All post shutdown
operations functioning properly?  Which fan ya using in the radiator?  Have
you done any mods to get hot underhood air out of the bay?  

IN SUMMARY:
Elusive claims of audi turbo power and response do to EM CC is unfounded, and
an expensive B4B mod, regardless of the price you insert (don't forget, you
have to get the manifold off, and/or the 2 piece first), coatings are
sacraficial.  Claims of reduced underhood temps is proven and founded.  

None of this is controversial either.  The information is available TO you on
the www.


HTH

Scott Justusson
QSHIPQ@aol.com