Swaintech coated headers?

Discussion in 'Mechanics Garage' started by woody77, Oct 7, 2011.

  1. woody77

    woody77 New Member

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    If my bike isn't moving, I bake on it, especially in the height of summer. The more I poke at things, the more I think it's the heat off the headers and exhaust, than it is the heat off the engine itself (especially right after going up some of the big hills that are on my commute).

    So I've been kicking around the idea of getting the headers and exhaust ceramic coated. I have stainless single-pipe headers (stock config), and then 2 into 1 pipes on each side before the mufflers (supertrapps).

    Although I could consider some generic carbon mufflers to replace the trapps (which are honestly getting annoyingly loud in my "old age" of 34).

    Anyway, has anyone on here have any experience with getting motorcycles headers ceramic coated to reduce rider (and maybe engine) temps?

    Thanks!
     
  2. donald branscom

    donald branscom New Member

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    Ceramic=glass holds its heat. Why would you do at?
    Make aluminum exhausts. Aluminum gives off its heat.

    Racing motorcycles with fairings were never intended for city driving and that is the problem. The engine space has that fairing wrapped all around it and all at heat is held in at space.

    I would get another fan to switch on when needed.
    Turn off the headlight if you have too. Make a separate switch for the lights.
    The start switch will last longer too.
     
  3. woody77

    woody77 New Member

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    I totally agree that it's a track-based fairing design. Anything less than 40mph and the bike is simply not flowing enough air to keep itself cool without the radiator fans cycling (especially with the 10-20% grade hills in my area).

    Ceramic coated headers (at least in automotive applications) can reduce under-hood temperatures by over 100°F. The ceramic keeps the heat in the headers, and the heat then goes out the exhaust pipe, instead of heating everything in the engine bay. For the turbo cars (like my WRX), with EGTs of 1500°F... it makes a difference of hundreds of degrees near the pipes. And if that works as well on motorcycles, it should (in theory) drastically reduce the temperatures inside the fairing (and then the temperature of the air that comes out of the fairing and bakes me when I'm stopped at a light in the summer.

    What I don't want is more heat being dissipated (into the air around me), going out the tailpipe would be much preferred.

    And since the radiator is back in the fairing, if coating the headers reduces the temperatures in the fairing, it should reduce the temperature of the air flowing up around the radiator (at least until the bike is moving again, when it probably doesn't matter at all). Which means less time running with the fan on (and a happier engine).
     
  4. GreyVF750F

    GreyVF750F Member

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    I ceramic coated a set of headers for my car back in 98 which I used for about 6 years. It did as you said. It kept the under hood temps down compared to my current headers. So I don't see why it wouldn't do the same for you bikes exhaust.

    I believe though most of the heat your feeling is from the engine and you won't notice a temp change setting in traffic.

    When I researched coatings at that time I came upon this company.

    Welcome to Techline Coatings: Industrial Site | CermaKrome™

    You can do your own. The pipes have to be sand blasted, coated (air brush works) then baked in an oven (NOT house oven) then polished if you want. The thing about the house kitchen oven is another story.......
     
  5. stoshmonster

    stoshmonster New Member

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    I had the aftermarket exhaust for my 6th gen. ceramic coated in Satin Black finish back in June Woody.
    I had it done at Classic Coatings in Sheboygan Wisconsin.

    Here's the link. Click me.>>>>>Classic Coatings: Powder Coatings and Ceramic Coatings

    [​IMG]
     
  6. Nitrousva

    Nitrousva New Member

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    You could also wrap the headers with header wrap.
     
  7. Spike

    Spike New Member

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    I did the Jet-Hot ceramic coating on mine.
     
  8. woody77

    woody77 New Member

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    Spike, how did the jet-hot work out? what were the pros/cons of having done so?
     
  9. woody77

    woody77 New Member

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    Stosh, same question to you as to Spike, what differences did you see from the ceramic coating of the headers?
     
  10. stoshmonster

    stoshmonster New Member

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    No help here Woody,I haven't installed them yet.
     
  11. woody77

    woody77 New Member

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    Well, let us know when you do! :)
     
  12. Spike

    Spike New Member

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    worked out fine, fairly quick turnaround, looked good. As to the heat issue, I couldn't say for sure, I didn't measure a before and after, so I have no objective readings. Plus I went from the stock headers and mufflers to the coated Motad headers and Staintune mufflers. So any difference I perceived, I couldn't put it down to the coating vs. different system.

     
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