ceramic coatings for exhaust header

[eng943]

Has anyone had their exhaust header ceramic coated? If so, could you leave some feed back on the results, or pics.

I do not like my chrome exhaust tarnishing, and am looking into having this done.

[tbarstow]

Go check out a few examples on BMWSportouring.com

My opinion - why waste money on ceramic coating when you can spend it on useful things for RIDING, like gas and tires.

[ArthurKnowles]

My opinion - why waste money on ceramic coating when you can spend it on useful things for RIDING, like gas and tires.

Heat reduction to the driver for one thing. Less cleanup for another. Better looks as well.

I did this to my Concours and was very happy I spent the $80. When I buy a new RT, I might consider it then too.

[AliMar]

Ceramic coating is under consideration by me as well. A friend had his RT done and it looks good. He claims easier cleaning and he's quite happy. If I recall correctly it was in the two hundred $ range...

[PadG]

Heat reduction to the driver for one thing. Less cleanup for another. Better looks as well.

I did this to my Concours and was very happy I spent the $80. When I buy a new RT, I might consider it then too.

Sorry, but I don't get the heat reduction part! :confused:

[AliMar]

The ceramic acts as an insulator... I should have mentioned that in my post too.

[PadG]

The ceramic acts as an insulator... I should have mentioned that in my post too.
Not being argumentative, but you will need a fairly heavy coat to be noticeably insulating. I have often used ceramic coating (perhaps of different type) to coat molds to make the molding surfaces hard wearing, and the one thing that we do depend on is that the coating be thermally conductive for the needed cooling in the plastic molding process! That's why I just couldn't imagine the coating as being insulating.

[ArthurKnowles]

My ceramic coated header on my Concours lowered the tempature quite a bit. Not so much by insulating (like a fiberglass wrap), but by containing the heat ad forcing it out the muffler.

My coating was both inside and out. It surprised me just how much of a difference it made.

[PadG]

My coating was both inside and out. It surprised me just how much of a difference it made.
Ahhhh.....inside as well! Thanks Arthur.

One more question......is this a flame-spray process?

PS: Just checked on the process online, and here are some really nice information to describe the process!

http://pypesexhaust.com/ceramic-info.html

I have a special interests in this because, when I do get my bike, I sure would like to keep the pipes as untarnished as I can also. I had always hated the bluing of the pipe at the bends.

[ArthurKnowles]

One more question......is this a flame-spray process?


I couldn't tell you as I used a local powder coating shop. They also did ceramic coatings. Since they informed me that the process required doing both the inside and outside at once I assumed it was a chemical bath & bake process, but I don't know for sure.

I can say they looked good and did eliminate much of the heat buildup on my Concours. And if you ask around, heat buildup on a Concourse can be pretty intense.

FWIW, you do not have to do them with new pipes. Mine were several years old and had 1500+ miles on it when I had mine done.

The only issue is you need to make sure the headers are just empty pipe. Can't have an attached catalytic converter or anything else attached to them.

[PadG]

The only issue is you need to make sure the headers are just empty pipe. Can't have an attached catalytic converter or anything else attached to them.
That would make sense, since things will get "gummed up" otherwise. Thanks again. The information have been stashed away, mentally, for future reference.