Piston coating?
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On The Tree
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From: liverpool ny
Piston coating? I've been searching around and get alot of mixed reviews on piston coatings. looking to see what you guys think about them and at what power level you would start using them if at all?
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From: Portland, Oregon
Are we talking about anti-friction coatings on the skirts or thermal barrier coatings on the top of the piston?
Both will provide you with their intended benefits no matter what power level you are at. Both are excellent options and both are smart choices, if you can afford them. However, neither coated piston skirts, nor coated piston tops are required at any level. Helpful, sure... necessary, probably not.
Coating the tops of the pistons and the insides of the combustion chambers/bottom of the valves is a good idea, it keeps the heat where you want it, for the most part. I have heard of people coating the entire exhaust runner with the same thermal barrier, as well. How helpful this is, I don't know, but it sounds good in theory.
Both will provide you with their intended benefits no matter what power level you are at. Both are excellent options and both are smart choices, if you can afford them. However, neither coated piston skirts, nor coated piston tops are required at any level. Helpful, sure... necessary, probably not.
Coating the tops of the pistons and the insides of the combustion chambers/bottom of the valves is a good idea, it keeps the heat where you want it, for the most part. I have heard of people coating the entire exhaust runner with the same thermal barrier, as well. How helpful this is, I don't know, but it sounds good in theory.
I generally see a 15-20 degree reduction in oil temperature on high compression air cooled harley engines when using a thermal coating on the piston tops and combustion chambers. It typically allows for a few more degrees timing as well.
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From: Portland, Oregon
TA63, thanks for the empirical evidence. I didn't have any first hand experience or measured numbers to provide when talking about the benefits of thermal barrier coatings.
Thermal barrier coatings, when done right, can be very beneficial... especially when the entire combination is set up to take advantage of these aforementioned benefits.
I am not sure what the OP was asking in the original post.
The anti friction coatings on the skirts can also be beneficial, but they are not going to save you from a **** poor designed system that has the skirts being shaved off by the bottom of the cylinder, like a lot of cheap stroker builds do.
Thermal barrier coatings, when done right, can be very beneficial... especially when the entire combination is set up to take advantage of these aforementioned benefits.
I am not sure what the OP was asking in the original post.
The anti friction coatings on the skirts can also be beneficial, but they are not going to save you from a **** poor designed system that has the skirts being shaved off by the bottom of the cylinder, like a lot of cheap stroker builds do.
