Snake oil too??

[lkurek at smtpgate.anl.gov]

     Actually, I have a small home porting operation going on the side (2-3 
     sets of heads a month), and use both Dry Film Lubricants (DFL) and 
     Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBC) extensively. While I lack the equipment 
     to determine if the coatings have any real world effects, my 
     experience has been that they work as theorized. By TBC'ing the 
     chambers and falve faces, all of the engines I have applied the 
     copatings to show -0- detonation (this is reading off a knock sensor 
     using regular pump gas). In fact, a few late model LT1 engines I have 
     done this for have allowed people to run 11:1 compression with 89-92 
     octane and no detonation. Also, seems the engines run 10-20 degrees 
     cooler as well. I suppose the TBC is doing something to keep the heat 
     in the charge, and not absorb into the engine. The DFL, on the other 
     hand, seems to work pretty well to decrease wear. I use it in valve 
     guides on the heads, but a lot of places also put it on piston skirts 
     (TRW now does this from the factory as an option), bearing shells, and 
     there is even a version for the cylinder walls. Considering the high 
     pressure these coatings are supposed to be effective at....works for 
     me. ONe thing is for sure, the stuff is DEFINATELY bonded to the metal 
     substrate...unlike Shit...er....Slick 50 type products.
     
     As far as the expert recommendations on this, pick up a copy of either 
     of David Vizard's books on head porting or engine building...he claims 
     20-30% increase in power from fully coating pistons and chambers in a 
     race engine. I wonder if there is a different degree of benefit at low 
     vs high RPM operation, but the results I have seen speak for 
     themselves. It doesn't hurt anything at worse, and shows a decent 
     reduction in detonation sensitivity and more power at best. Why not...
     
     TTYL!
     
     Larry Kurek


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Snake oil too??
Author:  <diy_efi at efi332.eng.ohio-state.edu> at internet
Date:    3/26/98 9:24 PM


Questions:
     
Anybody running powdered coatings in their engines, like 
heat barrier or DFL?  What results have you had?
     
Any advantages on the street?
     
What about the ones you apply yourself?  Snake oil with 
poison?
Reply off list.
Shannen