A few listers had asked for opinions of ceramic coating headers after I had
used them for a while. I have been meaning to write this up for a while.
I had my home made headers ceramic coated inside and out for $150 inside + $30
inside by a local powdercoater. I checked primary header temps before and
after coating and got the same ~425deg surface temperature. Initially this
was surprising until I realized that after only 3 or 4 minutes the pipes are
only warm to the touch. By warm, I mean it is comfortable, not the kind of
thing where it won't burn, but maybe 90deg or so. Obviously this means that
there is much less heat being absorbed by the pipes so the ceramic seems to be
working as advertised.
As far as finish, they seem to be holding up pretty well. I had them done in
satin silver, they are duller then the color that they were when I picked them
up, but they are still silver. I suppose there may be something to clean it
with but I haven't tried. The surface adhesion seems to be very good. The
process included sand blasting, and at the end of the pipes where I have a
slip fit connector, all it has done in service is scratch the surface of the
coating, nothing has gone through to base metal.
I asked about the prep process for the internal coating and I was told that he
used a "pickling" process to prep the internal tubing. I don't remember the
process anymore but it was chemical. The coating also has a lifetime
warrantee against chipping, peeling, or flaking. That is probably something
that varies by company but it is nice to know it is there if I ever need it.
I have noticed that on some of the uglier welds, the ones that sit very proud
of the tubes, the ceramic has chipped in a couple of places. Mostly this is
in the area of the collectors where it was difficult to get clean welds around
the joints between pipes.
I think that about covers it, but if anyone has any more questions I'd be glad
to try to field them.
James Nazarian
71 MGBGTV8
71 MGB Tourer
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