I will be getting my system coated in the next few months.
I had hoped that this thread would have generated more discussion because there are a lot more players than the two discussed.
I had a system coated with Jet Hot some years ago. As with all the vendors, it looked nice when new but didn't hold up. I sent it back to Jet Hot at least twice in about 4 years to be recoated.
I've had the same problem with Airborne. It's been back for 1 recoating after 3 years. The second time, the coating flaked off after a week of running.
I swore I'd never do another system in mild steel because of the corrosion problems encountered when the ceramic comes off. You put a ton of work into fabrication only to have them rust, usually from the inside out, in under 8 years. The exterior had some areas of light surface rust and many areas of discoloration. Yes, both companies supposedly coated inside and out.
A quick search on the net comes up with at least 5 or 6 companies doing ceramic coating. I've heard good things about both Swain and HPC but have never used either of them.
I'm leaning toward Swain this go around. Their coating is not a 2 mil thick coating as are most of the other ceramic coatings. They do not coat the inside of the tubes. Their coating is primarily for heat reduction purposes. Their literature lists it as a 3 layer .015"- .020" thick coating. It only comes in white.
It is supposed to cut radiant heat by 50%. I can live with the white color if it is that good and doesn't flake off in a year.
I'd just as soon not get my headers coated at all. They are stainless and the natural heat coloring on them looks "right". But I can't put up with the tremendous amount of heat that comes from the pipes when the car is at a standstill or running slowly.
The 351C and ERA bodywork leave a very small envelope for the exhaust system. The heatshield on the bodywork deflects a vast amount of heat, but it is only on the upper flat portions of the bodywork.
Swain lists their coating as "functional", not cosmetic. I'm all for functional and don't really want a polished or chrome look. The slip fits into the collectors have to be masked off so no coating is put there. +.030" on the diameter would equal no slip fit!
Anyone had any experiences with either Swain or HPC? Both companies have been around a long time.
Swain Tech Coatings
HP Coatings