Unlike powdercoating, which...
Unlike powdercoating, which goes on dry and is electrostatically bonded to the part, ceramic coatings are sprayed on wet like paint. A light coatjust enough to cover the partis all you need. Kelly Inman demonstrates the proper technique above.
Before used parts can be sprayed,...
Before used parts can be sprayed, they must be chemically stripped to remove old coating, grease, dirt, and anything else. Parts, such as this turbocharger housing, are then heated to approximately 500 degrees F for an hour to get rid of any remaining oils. After that, they are sandblasted with an aluminum oxide.
Once the part has been sprayed...
Once the part has been sprayed with the coating, it is air-dried for 30 minutes to let the water carrier evaporate. The part on the left has just been sprayed with titanium coating and has taken on a greener tint than the piece on the right, which has not been coated yet.
When the parts have air-dried,...
When the parts have air-dried, they are heated in the oven at approximately 165 degrees F for about 20 minutes to evaporate any remaining moisture. They are then cured at a minimum of 500 degrees metal temperature for one hour.
After that high-temperature...
After that high-temperature baking, the process is complete. The color of the titanium coating has changed from green to a good-looking light gray.
In addition to titanium coating...
In addition to titanium coating (left), high-temperature ceramic coating comes in black, white, and gold (center), which share the same heat properties. According to the guys at Specialized, black coating has a higher capacity for resisting heat and can go as high as 2,500 degrees or more (aluminum melts at around 1,200 degrees F, iron at around 2,750). The part on the right is finished with Chromex ceramic coating.
Tough and good-looking. Sure, thats what they say about us, but these words are also applied to some of the new coatings showing up on hot rods.
For years, coatings meant chrome. Chrome contributes shine and style, but not much in the way of protection from heat or corrosion. A few years ago, powdercoating appeared as the hot new alternative to chrome. Powder-coating is colorful and offers excellent chip and scratch resistance, but can-not withstand temperatures above approximately 300 degrees.
Ceramic coatings, such as those offered by HPC and MCCI/Jet-Hot, give the advantage of high-temperature thermal protection for a reduction in radiated heat and lower underhood temperatures. Like chrome, thermocoatings provide a good-looking finish to engine parts. Unlike chrome, the high-temperature protection of ceramic coatings helps prevent corrosion and discoloring, making it a popular choice for exhaust headers.
The next step up the evolutionary ladder of coatings is the relatively new ceramic coating popularly known as titanium coating. The fact is, there really isnt any titanium in titanium * coating. Thats just the name of one of several colors available, including gold, black, and white. The advantages of this high-temperature thermal coating with ceramic binders is its out-of-the-ordinary appearance as well as its extraordinary temperature ratingapproximately 1,400 degrees metal temperature.
Titanium and other ceramic coatings can be used on exhaust systems, intake manifolds, brake components, brackets, alternator housings, and any place where you might want protection against corrosion, rust, and heatas well as an alternative look to chrome.
These photos were taken at Specialized Powder Coating in Huntington Beach, California, one of a handful of shops around the country that has recently started offering this new product. At Specialized, the price of titanium coating on a new set of street headers starts between $100 and $150 dollars, depending on the headers. For the protection you get in return, thats hard to beat.