Ceramic Coating vs. Heat Wrap

[lnferno]

I'm thinking of either heat wrapping my manifolds, downpipes, etc and was wondering would would be better option:

Ceramic Coating
-or-
Heat wrapping

Ceramic coating is a little more expensive. I could have Swaintech on the east coast do it, but it would take them 2-3 weeks whereas I could heat wrap it for less time and money, but I don't know how much more effective the thermal barriers would be between the two?

Thoughts?

[blmlozz]

ceramic coating all the way, wrapping can catch fire, trap moisture and is just generally not the superior solution. Plus, on the O.E. manifolds, I would imagine wrapping those would be very tricky.

I think vast will coat and port your manifolds for 320$ with a core charge, that's what I'm planning on doing when i have the motor out

[lnferno]

Yeah, I realize that ceramic coating is the superior method than heat wrap, but I'm on a budget and I'm trying to see if the cost is proportionately worth the effectiveness. There's really no right or wrong answer, I guess I'm struggling with waiting 3 weeks more week where I could heat wrap it now and get close to the same effect for less $$$.

[awd2ks4]

Coating for the win

[A62TURBO]

Yeah, I realize that ceramic coating is the superior method than heat wrap, but I'm on a budget and I'm trying to see if the cost is proportionately worth the effectiveness. There's really no right or wrong answer, I guess I'm struggling with waiting 3 weeks more week where I could heat wrap it now and get close to the same effect for less $$$.

I think you answered your own question

[blmlozz]

Yeah, I realize that ceramic coating is the superior method than heat wrap, but I'm on a budget and I'm trying to see if the cost is proportionately worth the effectiveness. There's really no right or wrong answer, I guess I'm struggling with waiting 3 weeks more week where I could heat wrap it now and get close to the same effect for less $$$.

Do everything right the first time and it pays off later.
Would you rather save $100 now, or take the manifolds off again, possibly replace them because of moisture build-up.. or worse, have the wraps catch on fire and destroy the car?

[casawhites4]

Heat wraps catch fire? Moisture build up, a bunch of people use heat wrap just make sure it tight and you get heat wrap glue. You should be ok

[blmlozz]

Heat wraps catch fire? Moisture build up, a bunch of people use heat wrap just make sure it tight and you get heat wrap glue. You should be ok

they soak up oil,dirt and crap.. which can catch fire, seen it happen, twice.

[awdbiturbo]

Do everything right the first time and it pays off later.
Would you rather save $100 now, or take the manifolds off again, possibly replace them because of moisture build-up.. or worse, have the wraps catch on fire and destroy the car?

No...That will not happen! My DP's have been wrapped for ages, I am pretty sure my car hasn't caught on fire yet!

[lowered97a4]

catch fire lol maybe if u wrap the turbo with it, i wouldnt wrap the manifolds prob would crack them, ceramic coat the manifolds and reflective wrap the inlets

[ToMMyRsK04]

Send em' to Swain Tech .. get em coated

[lnferno]

Ok, I think you guys have convinced me to go the Swain Tech route. Their website does a pretty good job of selling the ceramic coating approach. It sounds like for spending a little more $$$, this is the better method for achieving the best thermal barrier over thermal wrap. Although, it would have been cool (no pun intended) to have seen actual results illustrating the difference between ceramic coating vs. heat wrap.

Thanks all for allowing me to use you guys as a sounding board on this.

[A4 Meets 27t]

How much does Swain tech cost to coat the stock manifolds?

[lnferno]

How much does Swain tech cost to coat the stock manifolds?

~$200

[A4 Meets 27t]

DPs? same thing? Would you guys do DPs along with the manifolds?

[Dan@JHM]

I'm thinking of either heat wrapping my manifolds, downpipes, etc and was wondering would would be better option:

Ceramic Coating
-or-
Heat wrapping

Ceramic coating is a little more expensive. I could have Swaintech on the east coast do it, but it would take them 2-3 weeks whereas I could heat wrap it for less time and money, but I don't know how much more effective the thermal barriers would be between the two?

Thoughts?

so heres the thing, the way the manifolds are designed you probably will not be successful with wrapping them, now if you had a header design you might be able to. i would recommend ceramic coating them if you want, but as far as the downpipes there is no problems with wrapping them, especialy if you spray them with some HIGH HEAT header spray(that goes above 1000f), that way if moisture does get in there you will not have a corrosion issue.

[Dan@JHM]

ceramic coating all the way, wrapping can catch fire, trap moisture and is just generally not the superior solution. Plus, on the O.E. manifolds, I would imagine wrapping those would be very tricky.

I think vast will coat and port your manifolds for 320$ with a core charge, that's what I'm planning on doing when i have the motor out

actualy A LOT of race teams use header wrap with great success, i honestly have not heard about them catching on fire especialy since fiberglass is flame retardent.

if you do it right i personally think that wrap actualy is more efficient with keeping heat away then ceramic coating is. on my vast gt headers i ceramic coated them and wrapped them over the ceramic coating to be as heat efficient as possible.

[K04B5]

maybe this is dumb... but theoretically wouldn't you want to coat the inside of the piping/header/exhaust to try and eliminate the heat transfer to the metal pipes? I've always wondered about this. My understanding is that the less heat that is transferred, the more efficient and more free flowing of the gases through the exhaust. Definitely no proof or anything to back this up, but its my own little theory based on my LITTLE knowledge...

[DxC]

maybe this is dumb... but theoretically wouldn't you want to coat the inside of the piping/header/exhaust to try and eliminate the heat transfer to the metal pipes? I've always wondered about this. My understanding is that the less heat that is transferred, the more efficient and more free flowing of the gases through the exhaust. Definitely no proof or anything to back this up, but its my own little theory based on my LITTLE knowledge...

how confident are you that the ceramic will stay adhered to the metal over time? tons of vibration/heat cycles ... prob results in chips and flakes going into your turbo.

[blmlozz]

actualy A LOT of race teams use header wrap with great success, i honestly have not heard about them catching on fire especialy since fiberglass is flame retardent.

if you do it right i personally think that wrap actualy is more efficient with keeping heat away then ceramic coating is. on my vast gt headers i ceramic coated them and wrapped them over the ceramic coating to be as heat efficient as possible.

the two I saw were shit jobs on stangs. I didn't say they will only they can. Which is perfectly true.

[K04B5]

how confident are you that the ceramic will stay adhered to the metal over time? tons of vibration/heat cycles ... prob results in chips and flakes going into your turbo.

ohh I have no idea. thats the sort of thing that would depend on the quality of the ceramic job, metal of the manifolds, and the process i guess. probably the sort of thing that most of us wouldn't be able to afford. it was just a thought that i've always had about ceramic paint...

[Dan@JHM]

the two I saw were shit jobs on stangs. I didn't say they will only they can. Which is perfectly true.

there are people that could screw an air filter install up so i believe people could mess up even a simple header wrap and catch thier engine on fire.

[[email protected]]

The Swaintech White Lightning product works as advertised.

But only coat cast manifolds and not tubular ones unless you want to destroy it.

And you don't want to coat the inside of the manifold as the ceramic coating is rough and would create unwanted turbulence. It would also possibly flake off and the piece would damage the turbine blades.