A "pro's" view on engine coatings
Banned
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 6,661
From: LA (lower Alabama)
Re: A "pro's" view on engine coatings
Originally Posted by SStrokerAce
Nah, with a lot of brazing and epoxy those heads are worth something!
Bret
Bret
Like Blue Thunders that will flow 410 on a 4.030 bore 430 on a 4.125 bore, that Richard did for me.
TFS "R" heads ain't no slouch either.
Then ya got them there Yates heads that do real good too.
Banned
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 6,661
From: LA (lower Alabama)
Re: A "pro's" view on engine coatings
Originally Posted by SStrokerAce
True, nice numbers Richard got out of those puppies. CNC program or hand?
Bret
Bret
Probe did a mag article on them 5-6 years ago.
Wish I could afford some of these coatings they are using.
Last edited by 1racerdude; Jun 27, 2006 at 09:26 PM.
Banned
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 6,661
From: LA (lower Alabama)
Re: A "pro's" view on engine coatings
Originally Posted by SStrokerAce
I get my bearings done at Swain Tech. It's about $100 for me round trip. After usuing usually 2 sets of mains and rods to get what I need for clearance I figure it's worth it.
Bret
Bret
Double your pleasure-- double your fun---
Banned
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 6,518
Re: A "pro's" view on engine coatings
Originally Posted by 1racerdude
That two set thing is one reason I haven't used any coatings.
Double your pleasure-- double your fun---
Double your pleasure-- double your fun---
I set bearing clearances with usually a STD set and either some .001 or HX on both the rods and the mains to get the clearance I want and THEN I package them up and send them out.
If you mark all the bearings you get them back to put them in the same places.
Bret
Banned
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 6,518
Re: A "pro's" view on engine coatings
Originally Posted by Kevin Blown 95 TA
Anybody have experience with the Clevite 77 coated bearings? That's what I used this time. Looked like something similar to Teflon.
Bret
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,303
From: Jamestown, NY J&P MUscLE
Re: A "pro's" view on engine coatings
Originally Posted by SStrokerAce
When Darrin talks about the efficency I think he is talking about a lot of things. It's odd but there are things that go on in the intake ports and exhaust ports that will change how much timing a motor needs. The less timing the better, but that is also relative to the stroke and rod length. A F1 motor can take well over 50° at idle, but it's not because of the inefficentcy of the chamber/piston design, it's that there's no stroke in there.
Say if you are running a setup like we commonly run here, the coatings are going to help it more than a Pro Stock motor. Now a old Smog headed setup would benefit even more than a LT setup, since the LT has better chambers, and better thermal properties. Or take something like a Cleveland setup, those things have caverns for ports, bad exhaust ports, bad chambers (even on a 4V 302 head) and compare that to a Yates head which is basically a modern version. The old Cleveland will gain more from coatings.
As for bearing coatings, they are worth it on about anything. If you ever go light on oil, starve the pickup or have a bearing spin they will definately save you money or a motor. Do some digging on coated bearings and a guy called Keith Dorton and see what you come up with. FWIW If I have the time and the budget to coat the bearings in a motor, it's done.
Bret
Say if you are running a setup like we commonly run here, the coatings are going to help it more than a Pro Stock motor. Now a old Smog headed setup would benefit even more than a LT setup, since the LT has better chambers, and better thermal properties. Or take something like a Cleveland setup, those things have caverns for ports, bad exhaust ports, bad chambers (even on a 4V 302 head) and compare that to a Yates head which is basically a modern version. The old Cleveland will gain more from coatings.
As for bearing coatings, they are worth it on about anything. If you ever go light on oil, starve the pickup or have a bearing spin they will definately save you money or a motor. Do some digging on coated bearings and a guy called Keith Dorton and see what you come up with. FWIW If I have the time and the budget to coat the bearings in a motor, it's done.
Bret
Bret, how much are you talking $ wise to coat the bearings for a motor and turn around time?
-john
Banned
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 6,661
From: LA (lower Alabama)
Re: A "pro's" view on engine coatings
Originally Posted by Camaro_Guru16NY
Bret, how much are you talking $ wise to coat the bearings for a motor and turn around time?
-john
-john
Banned
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 6,661
From: LA (lower Alabama)
Re: A "pro's" view on engine coatings
[QUOTE=Camaro_Guru16NY]oh duh, yea i guess i should of realized that. lol
-john[/QUOT[
http://engineparts.com/p_performance_bearings.asp
Go here
-john[/QUOT[
http://engineparts.com/p_performance_bearings.asp
Go here
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2,684
Re: A "pro's" view on engine coatings
Originally Posted by Camaro_Guru16NY
oh duh, yea i guess i should of realized that. lol
-john
-john
Last edited by Kevin Blown 95 TA; Jun 29, 2006 at 06:23 AM.
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 520
From: MD
Re: A "pro's" view on engine coatings
You know, I have yet to see a back to back test with the same parts uncoated and then coated with thermal barriers that show any statistically relevant change in HP or BSFC. Someone recently said they were going to do it using Swain tech’s coatings (swain agreed, one of the few coating’s companies that I really trust) but I never saw any results.
As far as shedding and lubricating coatings, those fit the “extra measure of safety” category, I don’t believe that they give you anything till you have a problem otherwise.
As far as shedding and lubricating coatings, those fit the “extra measure of safety” category, I don’t believe that they give you anything till you have a problem otherwise.
Registered User
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,001
From: Bay Area, CA
Re: A "pro's" view on engine coatings
I dont think anyone has said that they give you a performance edge cause they dont....cranks ride on a layer of oil, not on the bearing. Should a situation arise where the crank does make contact with the bearing, the coating is very beneficial.
So if you consider that you starved it of oil for a bit and now your bearings are still okay because of the coatings, yet your competetor smoked his uncoated bearings and is pulling his motor...yes it is a performance edge.
So if you consider that you starved it of oil for a bit and now your bearings are still okay because of the coatings, yet your competetor smoked his uncoated bearings and is pulling his motor...yes it is a performance edge.