What's a good price for ceramic coating?
 

Gonna get the new manifold from Abe. Figured I would get it ceramic coated.

Talked to one guy who runs a shop that does auto part ceramic coating. He wants somewhere around $175, but we are still negotiating, because he is hedging because he thinks it's a full tubular manifold. I sent him some pics, but even if I get him down to $100 or something is that a lot? I have no experience with this type of service.

Okay, so this guy is in the range that I should expect.

You might ask Abe if he has a contact to do it before shipping to you. Lots of very reasonable shops here in the DFW area. I've used SPC in Arlington multiple times (SPCoating.com).

I think you need to research the quality of coating to assess value, not just the price. Very few get a lot of positive reviews as I understand it.

$250 is the going rate for ceramic coating on a manifold. Any cheaper than that and its just fancy paint.

Anyone thought about Cerakote? Local guy does it on the hot rodders headers. Does flames, etc. More curious if Cerakote could be an alternative. Or just pretty and no use for turbo crowd?

Its pretty, it will hold up to the heat, it will reduce underhood temps some, its still not as good as swain white lightning as an insulator.

Thats what I figured. Just curious.

I'm expecting my abe built EFR manifold back from Swaintech any moment now. I'll post the price and pictures once I have more info.
I'm having difficulty finding a box to send the downpipe out in.
I opted for swaintech because of the relatively thick coating that's applied

How do you figure this?

Experience.

I also agree with this sentiment.

Because of experience.

Dann

Well, there's two companies in the USA that do an actual ceramic coating and thats how much they charge.

Hm, only two eh? What are those companies?

Given that my needs are less extreme than say a professional race team I could do with a lesser coating just purely for rust protection and some insulation (even if it isn't up to the snuff of the real stuff).

One of them is Swain in NY, the other is in California and I can never remember the name. Pick the one closest to you.

This is what the guy says he is using.

Cerakote Coatings

This is the specific coating he was suggesting.

http://www.cerakotehightemp.com/finishes/C-7600Q/

Product application instructions.

http://www.cerakotehightemp.com/reso...%20Systems.pdf

Apparently it is an air cure product.

There is some data here that I cannot parse as to thermal conductivity and diffusivity.

http://www.cerakotehightemp.com/reso...ure%202013.pdf

Any of these worth a damn?

Other Header Coatings | Pro Kote Indy

If you remember, post up about the California based company. I'd rather deal with a west coast company than ship my junk across the country multiple times.

Leafy is implying there are only two companies who offer a coating which significantly helps reduce radiant heat. Other coatings (Cerakote for example) are largely for aesthetic and/or corrosion resistance purposes - they don't manage heat like Swain.

I went with Cerakote since: A) a local guy sprays it, B) it offers good corrosion protection, C) it's cheap, D) it looks pretty.

I couldn't be happier with the coating durability as I scraped my down pipe on the transmission casing, tunnel, k-frame, and engine block while trying to get it fitted. It looked like hell, but a wipe with a wet rag revealed the Cerakote was unmarred.

-Zach

Okay, good to know. I'm really more interested in corrosion issues up here than radiant heat.

The local guy will do it for $125.