ceramic coated headers on break in

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67belevdere/225

67belevdere/225

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does anybody have any thoughts on a fresh break in with ceramic coated headers?
i installed a new set of hooker headers on a 67 camaro yesterday at the shop and the instruction
from hooker was not to break in engine with them to use a old set.
my headers are new non coated but was going to send them out and have it done.
maybe the hookers can't take the heat ?
 
If you run the engine without any air flowing thru the engine compartment to cool the headers, they can get too hot in localized areas, damaging the fresh coating. If you can get a good sized fan on each side, blowing air on the headers during break-in you might avoid a lot of that problem. (note: I added the word might after I reread my post)
 
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Also most header companies recommend not using the headers for breakin's because that is usually the time you will find leaks and they don't warrantee them if the coating is ruined by an oil or antifreeze leak.
 
69_340_GTS said:
If you run the engine without any air flowing thru the engine compartment to cool the headers, they can get too hot in localized areas, damaging the fresh coating. If you can get a good sized fan on each side, blowing air on the headers during break-in you can avoid a lot of that problem.
Click to expand...
thats what i was going to do , i have this huge drum fan to blow on her
 
I know TTI does NOT recommend having them installed to break-in a motor..
 
They don't recommend it cause it can get hot enough to cook the coating off and not just in spots. And I doubt a fan will help. I don't know a single header manufacturer or ceramic coater who recommends using them for break in.

Break in exhaust temp is WAY above your regular temp. And for over 20 minutes of high RPM (assuming you're breaking in flat tappet) action. Ceramic coated headers need to set the ceramic coat. They do this through heating/cooling cycles. Just like any other annealing process. The heat bonds it. The cooling strengthens it. Skip the cooling and well...

If you wanna try it and risk your however many dollar headers, go for it. I know I wouldn't.
 
There are other ways to cure the coating other than the procedure specified by the manufacturer. Some cure in an oven....but who has a oven that big,powder coaters do.
I know of people who have heated them with a heat gun and ir thermometer and did the heat and cool cycled before put on their car and survived the break in period.
 
Lustle, on a do it yourself attempt on header coating, I burned my coating right off. UGH!

Reason? Yep, ran lean as hell!, vacuum hose popped off and it was done! Baked right off! Carb was a hair on the lean side to start with.

Otherwise, to the OE poster, or anybody going to use coated headers on a new engine;

Do! make sure the carb is within reason of a tune. Not to rich or lean.

Timing close; Not so off for it to cause problems. AKA, more heat
 
mine did survive !!!

the problem as I think is during breaking time the timing isnt right
the exhaust gas are way hotter and the headers turn red on some engine
because of it,the fresh coating isnt hard enough to keep the heat

so moment the engine is starting get the timing as close the fastest you can
and of course that true oïl and prestone arent good for that coating

for mine they survive the new engine but didnt survive the rust
 
The reason header makers dont want you breaking an engine in with new headers is because most of the time, people dont have enough timing in the engine.

This is real simple. When the engine fires, immediately pull it up to 3000 RPM and pull the timing up to 36* and let the engine break in.
 
RustyRatRod said:
The reason header makers dont want you breaking an engine in with new headers is because most of the time, people dont have enough timing in the engine.

This is real simple. When the engine fires, immediately pull it up to 3000 RPM and pull the timing up to 36* and let the engine break in.
Click to expand...

Winner!!!!!!!!

I make sure it has at least34* at the lowest RPM I plan to run. Even if it has 40* it's not going to hurt it as there is no load.
 
TXDart said:
There are other ways to cure the coating other than the procedure specified by the manufacturer. Some cure in an oven....but who has a oven that big,powder coaters do.
I know of people who have heated them with a heat gun and ir thermometer and did the heat and cool cycled before put on their car and survived the break in period.
Click to expand...

Powder coater I know has huge ovens he cures his in. And he uses the heat cycle thing too. 150 first time. Then 250. Then 350. Or something like that. Even still at the end of the day, aside from some serious industrial ovens, most ovens still doesn't get as hot as most exhaust. I know he also doesn't recommend using them on break in. It's just an extra precation. Why potentially wreck your new coating? Almost everyone has an old set of headers/manifolds lying around.

rumblefish360 said:
Lustle, on a do it yourself attempt on header coating, I burned my coating right off. UGH!

Reason? Yep, ran lean as hell!, vacuum hose popped off and it was done! Baked right off! Carb was a hair on the lean side to start with.

Otherwise, to the OE poster, or anybody going to use coated headers on a new engine;

Do! make sure the carb is within reason of a tune. Not to rich or lean.

Timing close; Not so off for it to cause problems. AKA, more heat
Click to expand...

Isn't that a *****?

I mean you can do everything possible to set up an engine and have it run perfect right out of the box. But I personally still wouldn't. Swapping headers (out of the car at least) is an easy job. Even in the car it's worth it. I just would hate to risk the however many hundred dollar coating. Especially if it came from the factory like that. And then you gotta bead blast it and sand and re-coat and yeah. Hassle city straight ahead.
 
They say not to break in with them because too many people think that getting the car fired and up to RPM is good enough, which is FLAT WRONG.

Not enough ignition timing during break in is the biggest reason exhaust temps spike to high levels and damaging coatings. Rich or lean plays a much smaller part in the equation.

Header manufactures prefer to not warranty stuff because of user error.

I've broken in a bunch of engines with coated headers and never had an issue with coatings burning off.
 
My coated Doug's were brand new when I broke in my 340 last year. They still look new to this day.

Like both Robs said, give it plenty of timing and it'll be fine. Header manufacturers like to error on the side of caution because, as already said, they don't want to be held responsible for some dumbass breaking in his motor with insufficient timing (nor should they be).
 
Also, if you have them coated by plasma spraying the ceramic its probably not going to be a warranty issue. Its an industrial process but at least two companies advertise for automotive aftermarket, Swain in US, Zircotec in UK.
 
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