hi Dan
Jet Hot is a brand name (one of many) ceramic thermal barrier coating. Check
with the hot rodders and rice boys in your area to find out who does a good
job. Putting a thermal barrier coating on tube headers is a good idea to
reduce underhood and cockpit temperatures and for cosmetic reasons. From a
performance standppoint, it also keeps the exhaust gas velocity higher by
retaining the heat, although this is of questionable value if the header is
dumping into an uncoated exhaust pipe with muffler. Stainless steel retains
its strength better at high temperatures when compared to mild steel - i.e.
it's less prone to the cracking that headers are nutorious for. Some cars
and header designs seem more prone to cracking than others - any comments
from users out there on TR6s? Regardless of which metal you go for, I'd
suggest coating both inside and out of the tubes to reduce thermal stresses.
Unless you have a really bad problem with engine compartment heat I wouldn't
use exhaust wrap over ceramic coating - it may help a bit, but it looks like
hell, especially after a short period of road weathering. If you decide to
use wrapping instead of ceramic coating, you pretty much have to go with
stainless headers as the increased pipe temperature seems to result in mild
steel headers developing cracks in a fairly short time.
cheers
Scott
>From: Don Malling <dmallin@attglobal.net>
>Subject: Coating Tubual Exhaust Headers TR250/TR6
>Date: Sat, 10 Apr 2004 09:14:11 -0400
>
>I understand tubular headers should be Jet Hot coated or Ceramic coated for
>reasons of heat and sound. Is that correct? If so, why would I buy
>stainless rather than mild steel? Is Jet Hot and Ceramic the same thing?
>Will I have to wrap them regardless of material (Stainless vs Mild) or
>coating (Jet Hot vs Ceramic)?
>
>Don Malling
>
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