My original thread got me thinking...

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...ification.html

and after reading this:

All About Header Wraps



Is it worth getting my brand new "stupid-expensive" J's Racing header sent out to be coated before I have it installed? I already got a price quote from Jet-Hot for $165 to have it done. What say you guys?

 

Not sure if you have heard of Swaintech but I had heard about them a few years ago and they are known to be the best in the business when it comes to coatings. They can coat just about any mechanical part on a engine that is critical to the operation of an engine. They coat internals, bolt on pieces like intake and exhaust manifolds and even exhaust systems.

Swain Technology for engine piston coatings, race engine coatings, ceramic header coating, carbide metal coatings, thermal spray plasma coating, metalizing closures, spray welding

Check them out and see what you think.

 

Your post is interesting but the link is from a coating company here's the view from the other side:
material

faq

I have had the same header wrap on my Jazz for the past two years never removed and never one problem. And all my cars for the past 25 years all my cars with both regular and stainless steel headers again NEVER a problem of any kind. Problems come from poor installation you must follow directions.

 

Swaintech is by far the best thermal coating company in the business that uses the most durable materials (wont scratch off, you need to grind it to remove it). However, ppl mainly use them on turbo parts more than N/A b/c of the massive heat generated by turbos. I am using Swaintech coating on both of my boosted cars. Underhood temps and radiant heat were SIGNIFICANTLY reduced (measured via IAT logs). Before i have used Polydyn and Jet Hot, and those burned off within a month. THey dont have any good thermal insulation either. Swaintech, however, is not cheap.

I have a pic of swaintech vs. jethot if anyone's interested.

On a Jet hot coated pipe, you can burn urself by hovering your hand over it. With Swaintech, the heat is almost not there. (but dont touch it!!)

However, header/exhaust wraps can get job done very well as Claymore said. The rumor flying around is that wraps hold moisture when it gets wet and can cause the manifold to crack. i have yet to experience such claims on stainless steel material but most aftermarket header companies void warranties if header wraps are used on their header. If wrapping the header, all you need is to wrap the upper portion, as its least exposed to rain.

EDIT: Jethot quoted $165 for that header? Swaintech would be a tiny bit more expensive, if not the same price, but definitely worth it

 

Please post the pic on the jethot coating.
I have used their coatings before on a header
and was very happy, I could actually touch the headers
without burning myself.
THe headers were coated inside/out for $150!

 

Yeah, post it please.

 

I personally would not get a J's header coated. I want to see that thing after $600 haha.

here are some companies I heard and saw good things about. Here is a thread I was telling you about. after having the car turned off for 2-5 mins the guy was able to hold the header bare hand cause of the coating.

link to ephatch ephatch.com forum


Swain Technology for engine piston coatings, race engine coatings, ceramic header coating, carbide metal coatings, thermal spray plasma coating, metalizing closures, spray welding <link to company, the best if you are going to get it done.


edit: just saw he posted about that company, but from what I read they are one of the best.

 

Swain Technology is a very good "job shop" in the Thermal Spray Coatings field. Jet Hot's price is almost certainly for a Plasma-applied ceramic coating on the exterior only. The headers mentioned where you couldn't feel the expected heat close to the surface were coated inside and out. I spent 8 years as a sales engineer working for the company that actually started this industrial technology in the 1930's. The molybdenum coating that is standard on ALL piston rings in use in every internal combustion engine today was developed by this company, named Metco, Inc., now known as Sulzer/Metco headquartered in Switzerland.

If Wave's headers are expensive already, just wait for the bill for a one-off id/od ceramic coating, but once done, the header will be amazing and last forever. If you have the money, Wave, go for it. Every jet turbine engine in the world has around 4000 parts, and 3000 of them are made with a variety of coatings. Most metals melt at 2000 degrees F. or below. Jet engines have internal temperatures of up to 3000 degrees. Coatings like the ones you are considering make this possible.

 

Here's a copy of the quote from Jet-Hot:

 

Man, Plasma coatings for one-at-a-time work have come down a whole lot since my days in this industry. But then, I did not sell the service to the public, I sold, installed, and trained the techs. on the equipment.

I left the industry in '85, and at that time the prices in the quote would only have been applicable to the outside surface. The prices quoted will be justified by the performance of the coatings.

 

what company you think your gonna go with?

 

Wave,
BTW, the coating process that you are considering was invented by Metco, Inc. They were headquartered on Prospect Ave. in Westbury, LI, until Sulzer in Switzerland bought them out about 15 years ago.

 

Cool, I'm pretty close to Westbury, LI. They still located there?

 

I don't know. I left them in 1985 and have not had contact directly with them since. I would be very surprised if Metco were completely gone, but unfortunately through the last 15 years they lost their industry lead position. A lot of their less talented competitors who could only make cheap copies of the equipment and materials invented by Metco grabbed more market share through reduced prices.

The Plasma process invented by Metco makes an ionized gas stream that can make nearly the heat of the sun (gun gets to 30,000 degrees). Powdered metal, ceramic, or mixtures of both are injected into the "flame" by a secondary gas stream. The Plasma gun is as loud as a jet turbine engine (125 db), and can give the operator using it radiation burns from the light created by the gas stream.

The Plasma systems made by Sulzer to compete with Metco were absolute garbage quality, but Sulzer was still able to buy out Metco eventually and take over their patents.

 

So based on what you just typed can it be inferred that Jet-Hot is "pretty good"?

 

Yes- Swaintech and Jet Hot both use the same processes and many of the same materials. Jet Hot has specialized in engine parts, particularly headers. Swain seems to be involved in any and all engine parts. If you had a race engine and wanted to coat the top of your pistons with ceramic, I would go with Swain.

 

Dont coat it.

 

OK, why not?

 

I say go for it. You paid so much already, just go all out and get the beat money can buy

 

Why are you going to? So you dont burn your hands on it and reduce temps a little? Why would you be touching it in the first place? Hahaha.
If you want to lower engine bay temps pull the rubber lining on the windshield wiper crowl. (Back of the hood) Its a simple mod many do.

I dont think its worth it. The header alone was expensive, why pay more money to ruin the sexiness of the header and gain nothing? Put the damn thing on and tell us about gains!!!