22348bCVC
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posted June 20, 2002 10:07 AM
 Edited By: 22348bCVC on 20 Jun 2002 11:10
HEADER COATING & WRAP
For you engine tuners/builders, thermo/metal/aero-engineers, and Doug Meyers: I have a few questions about headers and the engine.
When the header is wrapped or coated:
1) Will the stainless steel header get 'too hot' and 'wear out' faster on the inside?
2) Can the all that extra "contained" heat negatively affect the head with all that extra, extra high temperature contained in the header and close to the exhaust ports, as oppose to some of the radiant heat being dispersed outside the header itself?
3) Does coating or wrapping the header aid in exhaust scavenging/speed and why would that be a good/bad thing?
I'm thinking about sending my headers to a comapny in San Diego for their coating treatment. The company does mostly aerospace applications, but they have also catered to hi-perf enthusiasts. They claim their product is similar properties to the space shuttle heat tiles and has similar heat barrier properties, thus aiding in exhaust emissions, increased horsepower, and reduced radiant heat to nearby compomnents.
A buddy of mine who races BMW cages, has seen and experienced the coating on a racecar. Off-white in color and the racecar's header was warm to the touch a few minutes after coming off the track. He actualy could wrap his hand on the header a few minutes after the engine was shut off!!! Which only means that almost all of the exhaust heat was being contained inside the header.
What do you guys think?
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Y2KZX12R
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posted June 20, 2002 11:25 AM
In about 1982 when I first read an article written about a ceramic coating that was applied to a set of manifolds for one of the unlimited hydroplane teams at that time. They claimed a power boost from this coating and claimed the pyrometer showed a increase in turbine inlet(turbo inlet)temps. They claimed a power increase etc. So a few years later when the proccess was available to the masses, I had a set of Hooker super comps done. The engine, a long rod 383 SBC made 530 hp with the headers on a before coating. After coating it made a tad over 540 hp. About a 2% increase.
The pipe in my 12 is wrapped but I didnt do a before or after dyno run to see what the gains were.
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Y2KZX12R
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22348bCVC
Zone Head
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posted June 20, 2002 12:24 PM
quote:
In about 1982 when I first read an article written about a ceramic coating that was applied to a set of manifolds for one of the unlimited hydroplane teams at that time. They claimed a power boost from this coating and claimed the pyrometer showed a increase in turbine inlet(turbo inlet)temps. They claimed a power increase etc. So a few years later when the proccess was available to the masses, I had a set of Hooker super comps done. The engine, a long rod 383 SBC made 530 hp with the headers on a before coating. After coating it made a tad over 540 hp. About a 2% increase.
The pipe in my 12 is wrapped but I didnt do a before or after dyno run to see what the gains were.
So I'm gathering from your opinion and experience that it is more of a GOOD thing with no BAD effects. My simple mind and understanding of the exhaust event is that the super hot gases are expanding at high velocities and that the gas will seek the path of least resistance as it expands: past the exhaust valve/head seat, thru the exhaust port, and thru the primary pipe of the exhaust header, mid pipe, muffler, atmosphere, and onto a busa rider's face...if he/she's close enough 
I'm assuming, also, that the Kawi engineers have taken into design considerations the radiant heat from the primary pipes and the resultant ambient temps near the exhaust system and how it affects other parts of the bike in such tight confines near the source of the heat. They designed everything to work 'as is' from the factory, right? Stone stock reliable and durable when used as designed and for its intended purpose.
So what I'm asking or getting at is this: could the higher temps of a super heated primary pipe of a coated/wrapped header cause problems to the internals of the head, ie. valves, seats, chamber, head gasket on an engine assembly? Or am I thinking too damn much?:O
I really want to do this aerospace heat barrier (especially with summer heat around the corner), but I don't want to create more problems and frag or warp something...I don't have swft's budget
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...just relax...my dog wants to use only one of your legs...
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frEEk
Administrator
ummm... yeah
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posted June 20, 2002 01:03 PM
i'm just guessing here, but would imagine a large part of the benefit of coating/wrapping comes in teh form of reducing intake temps, especially in our case with the airbox above the headers & made of aluminum. cant imagine there is very much benefit to having the exhaust gases remain hotter on their way out, tho i could be very wrong. a scavenging issue perhaps?
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fastestr1
Expert Class
Posts: 300
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posted June 20, 2002 02:18 PM
So how does the wrap go on? Is it tape? And last do you just pick it up at any auto parts store?
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Y2KZX12R
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posted June 20, 2002 04:36 PM
header wrap
You can get it from Summit racing or MAW or places like that. I recomend the 2" wide stuff.
A side bennifit is that if you are using a single wire o2 sensor it heats up faster and doesnt cool down as fast at stop lights etc.
And yes, it does keep the temps down in front of the engine.
Also it will increase the operating temperature of the Can.
The mid pipe may discolor slightly to a goldish color also.
As far as doing any damage to the engine... I've never seen any evidence of that.
The same abount of BTU's are coming out of the engine. The gas just stays hotter longer thats all.The added power comes from keeping the gasses hotter longer.
The added power comes from keeping the gasses hotter longer.
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22348bCVC
Zone Head
Posts: 798
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posted June 20, 2002 11:44 PM
Thanks for the input, Y2KZX12R...with the blanket, the coating, coolant mods, manual fan swith, and muzzys fan, my bike should be way 'cool' by keeping the heat where it belongs and minimizing it from where it doesn't belong
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...just relax...my dog wants to use only one of your legs...
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