SSAutoChrome Manifold and Performance Coatings Review
Oct 29, 2004, 03:54 PM
#46
I had my SS header coated by Swain coatings. They in fact are the only true ceramic coatings available. I researched coatings awhile back and found that true ceramic coatings cannot be offered in "colors". This addition of pigment is what can cause failure and flaking of the coating. If you look at a piece coated by Swain as compared to any other company you can see the difference in quality.All other coatings look as if they were simply sprayed on and not baked on. Swain coating looks thick and grainy, like a coarse metal oxide piece of sandpaper. It is almost white in color and they do not and will not coat both inside and outside of the header because they claim that it will flake off within a short period due to no room left for expansion of the stainless steel. In fact they told me that unlike other coatings, if you were to strike the header with a hammer it will actually crack and not just flake off like others. In the past I had Jethot and HRC coat some pieces for me and I was not very impressed, it just lasted for awhile and seemed to fade off and then flake off. Im definetely impressed with Swain. They charge $150 for the piece. Im still in question if this coating will actually promote cracks of the steel, what do you guys think?
Gil-superz
Gil-superz
Oct 29, 2004, 09:07 PM
#48
Hey Gil, I bet your under hood temps are nice 
On the down side I'm sure if anyone's, your manifold will be the most likely to crack. I say this because you went with a top notch thermal barrier. I thought about SwainTech also. I have used them in the past and they do completely eclipse the performance of anything else I have seen for heat containment. Their coating is more of a true heat barrier than most of the others that act more like a heat dispersant. However, they originally quoted me much higher than you, and at the time I was shopping for an inside coat only. Needless to say I could find no one who could, or would, put what I was looking for on the inside of a $250 exhaust manifold. Basically no one wanted to mess with anything that put out less than 25,000 lbs of thrust 
On the down side I'm sure if anyone's, your manifold will be the most likely to crack. I say this because you went with a top notch thermal barrier. I thought about SwainTech also. I have used them in the past and they do completely eclipse the performance of anything else I have seen for heat containment. Their coating is more of a true heat barrier than most of the others that act more like a heat dispersant. However, they originally quoted me much higher than you, and at the time I was shopping for an inside coat only. Needless to say I could find no one who could, or would, put what I was looking for on the inside of a $250 exhaust manifold. Basically no one wanted to mess with anything that put out less than 25,000 lbs of thrust
Last edited by Zeus; Oct 29, 2004 at 09:13 PM.
Oct 30, 2004, 06:26 PM
#52
Yea, I saw that too. The stock metal gasket is in there, I am going to gat another one on Monday sense they are a crush style gasket. I think that a new on should take care of the leak. Mood ring. 
You can definatly see where the heat is, but it is not coming off anywhere that I can tell. Maybe in time it will, but not yet. If it does I will send it back to Jet Hot to have them re-do it. Considering how hard I ran it last weekend, it is holding up very well, as it should for only being used for a week. I had a tough time getting one of the bolts in, i.e. it was turning against the header and the coating hardly scratched much less come off.
You can definatly see where the heat is, but it is not coming off anywhere that I can tell. Maybe in time it will, but not yet. If it does I will send it back to Jet Hot to have them re-do it. Considering how hard I ran it last weekend, it is holding up very well, as it should for only being used for a week. I had a tough time getting one of the bolts in, i.e. it was turning against the header and the coating hardly scratched much less come off.
Nov 1, 2004, 06:36 PM
#56
Originally Posted by BenM
i have the ssautochrome exhaust mani also and was wondering what i should put around the radiator hose to keep it cooler.
Ben
Ben
I used a $10 pipe repair kit from Lowe's. It is the same stuff they use to make casts these days for arms and legs. Once you get it wet, you have 5-10 minutes to shape it and let it set. Just don't do like me and crank the car up before it is cured. The uncured resin discolored (browned) under heat. The kit is supposed to be good for 600 degrees...
Nov 2, 2004, 07:14 AM
#58
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Originally Posted by Zeus
https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/at...chmentid=47147
I used a $10 pipe repair kit from Lowe's. It is the same stuff they use to make casts these days for arms and legs. Once you get it wet, you have 5-10 minutes to shape it and let it set. Just don't do like me and crank the car up before it is cured. The uncured resin discolored (browned) under heat. The kit is supposed to be good for 600 degrees...
I used a $10 pipe repair kit from Lowe's. It is the same stuff they use to make casts these days for arms and legs. Once you get it wet, you have 5-10 minutes to shape it and let it set. Just don't do like me and crank the car up before it is cured. The uncured resin discolored (browned) under heat. The kit is supposed to be good for 600 degrees...
Ben
Nov 5, 2004, 10:57 AM
#59
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Did everyone else have the same trouble that Zeus did with the oil return line and the turbo sitting slightly higher than the stock exhaust manifold?
Has anyone heard of Calico coatings? www.calicocoatings.com . They are in NC and supposedly do alot of coatings for Nascar teams. There price is $125 for inside and out or $100 for just the outside. There highest temp coating is supposed to be good for 1650 F sustained and up to 2000 F peak.
Is that comparable in price to what the other coating companies charge?
Also, my manifold came with the Turbo to Exhaust manifold gaskets and exhaust manifold to the head, gasket. Did you guys reuse the stock gaskets or use these that came with the manifold? Or did you buy new gaskets?
Can you replace the manifold without removing the turbo? Meaning can you just detach the turbine housing from the cool side and the wategate actuator and then remove the manifold and turbine housing from the car? Then reinstall the new header and turbine housing back to the head and cool side of the turbo?
Thanks,
Brian
Has anyone heard of Calico coatings? www.calicocoatings.com . They are in NC and supposedly do alot of coatings for Nascar teams. There price is $125 for inside and out or $100 for just the outside. There highest temp coating is supposed to be good for 1650 F sustained and up to 2000 F peak.
Is that comparable in price to what the other coating companies charge?
Also, my manifold came with the Turbo to Exhaust manifold gaskets and exhaust manifold to the head, gasket. Did you guys reuse the stock gaskets or use these that came with the manifold? Or did you buy new gaskets?
Can you replace the manifold without removing the turbo? Meaning can you just detach the turbine housing from the cool side and the wategate actuator and then remove the manifold and turbine housing from the car? Then reinstall the new header and turbine housing back to the head and cool side of the turbo?
Thanks,
Brian
Nov 5, 2004, 12:09 PM
#60
I went with Swain Tech coatings. Unlike the others, their coating is a true ceramic insulating coating, not just a high-temp paint.
Do NOT use the aftermarket turbo gasket that came with your manifold. Use only the Mistubishi piece. The difference between the two is substantial. If you use an aftermarket gasket, you're on borrowed time.
You can replace the manifold without moving the turbo, but you should be prepared to drop the front side of the exhaust system a couple of inches so the collector portion of the manifold clears the turbo studs.
Do NOT use the aftermarket turbo gasket that came with your manifold. Use only the Mistubishi piece. The difference between the two is substantial. If you use an aftermarket gasket, you're on borrowed time.
You can replace the manifold without moving the turbo, but you should be prepared to drop the front side of the exhaust system a couple of inches so the collector portion of the manifold clears the turbo studs.