Ceramic Coating advice.

[Speeddm]

I just wanted to share with you all a little caution. I had a local "experienced" shop coat a set of pistons for me recently and I have to say I have NEVER ran into such terrible work. I had originally sent them out for a new style coating. The pistons sat for several days prior to opening the box. After he finally opened the box he called me and informed me that we would have to go conventional with this set due to an existing skirt coating. No problem so I thought. Take a look at the pics of round one.




as you can all see the cracking due to sloppy work and look at the bare spots on the sides of the valve reliefs. This simply will not due.

So I emailed the shop and the owner apologised and said send them back on my dime and ill re do them.
We emailed back and for the in the next few days and he informed me that he was shocked at his work and that he was going to redo them and give me a full refund.


Holly Crap to make things worse. i just noticed after posting he never blasted an re did nothing. Look close and you will see the exact same cracks and imperfections in the coating he just buffed them up thats all.


I replied that if they are good then the refund is not necessary and that I received work and I will pay for good work. .


Well I received them last week just as I left town so I didn’t get to chance to inspect all of them till today
Again the cracking of the coating. Crap packaging job high spots that look like dust nibs over 4 of the 6 pistons.




I am NOT going to start a flame war here. BUT If you are doing a build PM me and I will tell you who NOT to use for coatings.

[DreadedFist]

oh snap, that's not good at all

[jdms13rhd]

Oh man!
I've dealt with top gun coatings in Calgary (the best place for coating, or so I've been told my almost every shop and builder in Alberta). Took a SR20 equal length header there for coating. They sent it back, I installed it and started to crack and peel right away. I called them to ask what coating they did (this first coating was a beige color), They say thats only good to a certain temp and I needed the high temp coating because its turbo charged. I said, no shi* its a turbo charged header. So I sent it back, got it done in the super high temp stuff (army green color), It has lasted several years but still some peeling. Paid like $180 plus shipping twice for it.

I have had friends with similar stories. Some from the same place now. So I am always a bit weary of getting stuff ceramic coated. Your pistons look terrible! I really feel bad for you. I also encourage you to post the shop that did the work, but its up to you. That last pic you have posted almost looks like dents in the pistons? The shop owner is retarded to think he fixed their work! Looks like they made it worse!

[Bruizer]

I intended on going with Topgun but after talking to customers, I went with SCmotorsports out of Edmonton a few years ago. Went with them again this year for all my exhaust, engine covers and intake piping coatings.

[amnash]

why do people coat the pistons? benefits?

[cortexx]

Ive decided to get my tomei manifolds, dump pipes and greddy downpipe ceramic coated instead of using the wrap that came with them.

I've done some research and it seems the ceramic coating reduces the surface temp of the manifolds by up to 40%-50% . It also looks alot nicer than wrap and lasts longer if done correctly .

Seems that for turbo applications you want the higher temp coating (up to 1500 Deg c) , or it'll flake off.

Im also looking get the intercooler and rad finished in a similar coating that does the opposite of the ceramic, it is a heatsink compound that increases the ability of the item to radiate the heat. again , it looks pretty nice and helps extend the life of the item.

http://www.fireballcoatings.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4&Itemid=12

I'll post details and some pics when i get it back along with the cost.

[Speeddm]

Top Gear is very good used them before. They will be fixing these pistons next week.

[amnash]

Ive decided to get my tomei manifolds, dump pipes and greddy downpipe ceramic coated instead of using the wrap that came with them.

I've done some research and it seems the ceramic coating reduces the surface temp of the manifolds by up to 40%-50% . It also looks alot nicer than wrap and lasts longer if done correctly .

Seems that for turbo applications you want the higher temp coating (up to 1500 Deg c) , or it'll flake off.

Im also looking get the intercooler and rad finished in a similar coating that does the opposite of the ceramic, it is a heatsink compound that increases the ability of the item to radiate the heat. again , it looks pretty nice and helps extend the life of the item.

http://www.fireballcoatings.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4&Itemid=12

I'll post details and some pics when i get it back along with the cost.

in that pic the laser temp gun is pointing at two different spots.. we use one at work and there super accurate on small things. left one looks like its on the dump pipe? and the one on the right looks like its on the compressor..

[Spencer87]

in that pic the laser temp gun is pointing at two different spots.. we use one at work and there super accurate on small things. left one looks like its on the dump pipe? and the one on the right looks like its on the compressor..

...I thought that seemed off....

[Speeddm]

In light of recent contact from the shop. Here is there name. Mark Davison with Pro SC Motorsports.

[MarusGTR]

in that pic the laser temp gun is pointing at two different spots.. we use one at work and there super accurate on small things. left one looks like its on the dump pipe? and the one on the right looks like its on the compressor..

I did notice that but I thought I just didn't know my turbos. I dunno, I'm having a hard time believing this part: "The ceramic & metal particulate is held in suspension with a very flexible high temp polymer that allows us to ceramic coat springs and and parts that will flex"

What would be the purpose of coating a spring?

[JNS Performance]

I just got a whack of stuff back from Top Gun, They powder coated valve covers (wrinkle black), coated 2 intercooler pipes (gloss black), and ceramic coated my manifold and downpipe (matte black). They did an amazing job with absolutely no imperfections. I would highly recommend to anyone in the prairie provinces.

[jdms13rhd]

I just got a whack of stuff back from Top Gun, They powder coated valve covers (wrinkle black), coated 2 intercooler pipes (gloss black), and ceramic coated my manifold and downpipe (matte black). They did an amazing job with absolutely no imperfections. I would highly recommend to anyone in the prairie provinces.

Have you driven with those parts yet and given it a good run. When I got my mani coated from them I had to get the highest temp stuff they got and it still peeled slightly. Maybe it was a bad prep job on my mani :S

[Speeddm]

Alright i just recieved and Email from Mark. He has agreed to make it right. He ultimatly prefer to recoat them his self but he has offered to pay to have them fixed by Top Gun in Calgary at his cost. At the end of the day I feel that is a good finish to a 3 week nightmare. All I asked him to do was to pay to have the coating removed. HE chose to go above and pick up the tab to recoat them as well.

[Bruizer]

What kind of coating did you get done? Like the name of the stuff?