Ceramic Coating a Holset

[casuprock]

Chances are if you have a Holset, you're like me and are too cheap to send something out to get it ceramic coated. Luckily, it's not too hard to put lipstick on a pig...

I have a HE351VE that was in need of some TLC. The compressor housing looked like the previous owner used it as an anvil... while the exhaust housing was coated in the usual oxide and diesel effluent residue.

I ceramic coated the exhaust housing using the following steps:

Step 1 Cleaning:
- Disassemble turbo
- Xylene bath to remove all diesel residue and oils that were on the surface
- Naval Jelly & sponge water to remove the oxide layer
- Brass rotary brush until it looked like a fresh casting.
- Zero residue cleaner (MAF cleaner) to remove any dust and prepare surface

Step 2: Ceramic Coating
- Buy Zirconia Adhesive & Paint Paste McMaster Carr PN 7564A11
Note: Zirconia oxide ceramics are good up to 4000F... this is higher than the 2300F for Silicate based ceramics. They also are best for thermal shock.
- Thoroughly mix the zirconia compound
- Use a soft bristle paint brush to apply the compound applying thin coats 0.020" or less at a time.
- Let air dry 24hr at room temp and lightly sand between coats
- After it's done you might want to have a different color other than "bone white", then just go buy an ultra high temp paint (sold for headers) and go to town.

Here's an image of the exhaust housing after 2 coats:

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Cleaning the compressor housing was simple:
- Flap wheel on drill press to remove "anvil marks" from previous owner
- Brass wire brushes on a drill press
- Buffing wheel on a drill press
- Use wet buffing wheel with some baking soda to get a nice polish out.
- You can easily smooth the ID bore of the turbo outlet which may be rough from casting (probably negligible performance gain, but it makes me feel better about life, so I did.)
- Smooth out the bore of the turbo outlet with some flap wheel sanders and a drill extension. Note: Be sure to put a piece of nylon tube around the steel drill extension so you don't bang up the bore.

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[brian9397gsx]

That looks really good, very good idea for guys on a budget like all of us are. I just wonder the longevity of the coating and if it performs like the regular coating. I may think of doing my mani and turbo housing while its still apart.

 

[jjrock5]

Looks good

 

[casuprock]

That looks really good, very good idea for guys on a budget like all of us are. I just wonder the longevity of the coating and if it performs like the regular coating. I may think of doing my mani and turbo housing while its still apart.

Many years ago I used this stuff to coat thermocouples that see 1600F constant service temperature inside a U burner furnace. I think it will hold up... we'll see!

 

[brian9397gsx]

I may give this a shot , I hope it works for 80 bucks for the pint

 

[casuprock]

I may give this a shot , I hope it works for 80 bucks for the pint

The pint goes a long way... I used 1/8 of it for this. It has "group buy" written all over it if you can split with some people.

I use it for stuff with my work too, so...

Here are some pics of painting the ceramic coated turbo with VHT header/manifold paint. It looks good... looks like I paid a lot more than $250 for this turbo.

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24Hr after the final coat of ceramic and 4 hours after the coat of the header paint, you have to put on your apron and open the oven... There are some critical steps to making sure this goes down correctly. You can bake out the paint on the car by running it at idle for different time periods but why would you risk that after getting this far?

- Make sure your wife/girlfriend aren't home (probably the most important step )
- Heat the oven to 250F and leave the exhaust housing in there until the surface temperature reaches 250F. You can buy a non contact IR thermometer from SparkFun or elsewhere.
- Leave the housing at 250F for 1/2 hour once it has reached temperature. This will bake off any moisture in the ceramic and prepare for further baking steps. It will also preset the high temp paint.
- Let the housing cool down, to room temp if possible.
- Repeat the process at 400F for 1/2 hour.
- Again, let cool to room temp.
- Repeat the process one last time at 600F (or the highest your oven goes)

This should bake out moisture from the ceramic and set up the high temp paint.

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[imagine-02]

Looking good.
Do you plan on sharing the test results after you run the turbo for a while?

 

[casuprock]

Looking good.
Do you plan on sharing the test results after you run the turbo for a while?

Yes I'll post the results... good or bad, they'll be posted. I just put an HTA68 on my wrx, so I might do a test patch of the coating on that hot side since it sees daily use.

 

[casuprock]

Shiny on the outside doesn't do a lick of good if the inside is rough... Bored and honed the entire compressor outlet. Might do a little more flaring to "port" the outlet into the mating pipe diameter. Friction is the enemy.

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I've been getting some PM's about how well the ceramic insulates. Regarding the insulating properties of zirconia, it is one of the best materials available for this application. If it's good enough for jet engines...
"The cubic phase of zirconia also has a very low thermal conductivity, which has led to its use as a thermal barrier coating or TBC in jet and diesel engines to allow operation at higher temperatures."

I'll have to use a IR thermometer to read the temps when I get a chance.

 

[dragonov_elite]

Yes I'll post the results... good or bad, they'll be posted. I just put an HTA68 on my wrx, so I might do a test patch of the coating on that hot side since it sees daily use.

How is this stuff holding up on your HTA68? Where did you purchase this from?

 

[casuprock]

So far it has not peeled off. EGTs peak about 1400F on my wrx so the exhaust housing can't get hotter... I have a turbo timer on there so it doesn't cool off too fast. Sorry I can't give a more scientific test yet.

I got the zirconia coating from McMaster Carr supply. Part number posted in the first post. McMaster Carr PN 7564A11

 

[DSMunknown]

FFWD Connection - Race Components That Will Freeze Your Brain

 

[ckrell]

Is the coating still hanging in there

 

[LiquidX]

I'm interested in how well it's doing too after this time period.

 

[goodbuds]

I've turned my holset into a porn star.

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[Turbotsiawd]

I couldn't find where they sellthe paint can someone give me a link?

 

[SlickPyro]

Google mcmaster Carr from the first post ti get to their website and then use their search and copy the part number from the first post. I found it last night it was like $82 for a pint. I wanna know how well this works and if it holds up. My budget can't afford swaintech coating. If I could coat all my stuff (manifold, turbine housing, and o2 housing) for $80 sum and a few hours of my time and it works well I'm all for it.

 

[jpmxrider489]

Im also thinking about doing this. How is the coating holding up. I had trouble with one in the past that just burned off but that was duplicolor or something. So for around 80 bucks and some time its well worth it. Sure beats 300+ for my mani, wastegate, dumptube and housing.

But what is Xylene bath? Would you have to do this on new parts not every used?

 

[SlickPyro]

Im also thinking about doing this. How is the coating holding up. I had trouble with one in the past that just burned off but that was duplicolor or something. So for around 80 bucks and some time its well worth it. Sure beats 300+ for my mani, wastegate, dumptube and housing.

But what is Xylene bath? Would you have to do this on new parts not every used?

the op doesnt seem to be responding. but may I suggest to you jpmxrider try detective coating their site they are located in st marys, PA and they do ceramic coating of the mani, turbine housing, and o2 housing for like $200.

 

[jpmxrider489]

Never saw there sight before but there prices seem very fair. Ffwd connection has good prices as well but like the ceramic color better than black.

 

[spoolin ddub]

Never saw there sight before but there prices seem very fair. Ffwd connection has good prices as well but like the ceramic color better than black.

The ceramic color is a lower temp and doesn't last an long then the satin black. . I have ran both and underhood temp wise there is a big difference. Satin black hands down!! The ceramic is prettier but I'll never run the ceramic color again.

I go to LOKO in IL. The coating prices are very reasonable. My turbine housing and JHacing T4 manifold was $160 for satin black and the ceramic has lasted years. My manifold was also DEI wrapped and looked damn near new when I took the wrap off.

LO-KO™ Perfomance Coatings

 

[jpmxrider489]

Ffwd connection has a dual stage, what did you run?