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Valve Springs
Uncoated valve springs quite often operate at a temperature that is 30 degrees F hotter than the oil. Poly Moly, PC-9 and Peko Poly Moly™ applied here reduce that temperature by 20 degrees, thus increasing the life of the spring and allowing it to maintain its tension for a longer period.
Bearings
Swain Tech’s coating doesn’t change the dimensions of the bearing shell and it improves the life of the bearing and crankshaft journal as well. These oil-attracting, low-friction coatings also provide a back-up lubrication system in the event of oil starvation.
Exhaust
Swain’s TBC White Lightning™ ceramic external thermal barrier (rated for 3,000 degrees F), applied at a thickness of 0.012- to 0.015-inch, holds heat energy in the header, bringing a cooler environment to the engine compartment while simultaneously keeping exhaust gas velocity high and improving the scavenging effect. The scavenging aspect is particularly useful in a turbocharger application, where a coated manifold can actually improve the response of the turbocharger.
Lubricating Issues
An oil-shedding type of dry film is applied to connecting rods and crankshaft counterweights to cut down on the windage parasite, as well as in the lifter gallery and in oil pans to foster oil better drain-back. The non-stick coating caused oil to bead up on the surface of the part and prevent it from sticking.
A third type of coating, BBE™ (black body emitter), is formulated for heat dissipation and relies on high-emissivity copper oxides, vanadium, and some ceramics that radiate heat from a surface. It is commonly applied to brake rotors, cylinder heads, the exterior surface of an intake manifold, intercoolers, engine blocks, etc. to extract heat from them.
The Yield
If you run an engine with uncoated components, tear it down, then have the stuff coated and then reassembled, the results are traditionally demonstrate an improvement of at least 2 to 5 percent (sometimes as high as 7 percent) increase in horsepower and torque at the same rpm and clearances as the uncoated engine. Because of this largesse, engine tuners will respond by making jetting or computer changes, altering ignition timing, and using light weight oil for maximum gain in power.
The Cost
At the very minimum, you should consider applications for the pistons, cylinder heads, and exhaust system. The cost for a typical V8 treatment would be about $750.
What’s next?
In the next few months, we’ll be following the build-up of a 454ci GM Performance Parts LSX cylinder block. It’s ostensibly a street engine and will operate on 93-octane pump gas. Turbocharging will pay a major role in power production. Our goal is to first run the engine without coating the components to establish a baseline on the dynamometer. After disassembly, the parts will be coated and the enhanced engine will go back on the pump. We’ll chart the changes and give you the dirt.