MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Exhaust manifold

I have just brought new tubular exhaust manifolds, Is it worth getting them enameled? where is a good place to do this? and what sort of cost? What are the advantages to doing this, temperatures etc.... or are there other better ways to go?

Thanks
Graham
GLG Lavis

First, let me say the info below is based on reading, not practical experience. A lot of reading, but still it's academic info rather than experiential information...

If by enameled, you mean ceramic coated, there are two reasons to do it...

First, to reduce heat. From everything I've read, there's a significant & noticeable reduction in engine heat with ceramic coated headers.

Second, is appearance. The ceramic coatings come in a variety of colors. Most common are a polished aluminum look & black. Some offer other colors too & at least one offers a chrome looking finish. These finishes are reported to hold up way better than high temp paint.

Typical cost is about $175-225.

Best known source is Jet-Hot, www.jet-hot.com ; if you live in/near a bigger city, you can probably also find a local place to get it done to shave shipping.

For header heat reduction you want the headers coated inside & out, so ask about that. I've found several say they really can't get a good coating on the inside. Jet-Hot & others guarantee their coatings inside & out.

hope this helps.

Others likely have actual hands on experience to share too.
rficalora

GLG - As you are in Oxfordshire, there is a company on the AEA Technology site at Harwell who quoted me for ceramic coating. I can't find the details at present 'cos it was too much for me at the time, having already spent £1,000 on Peter Burgess heads, Piper cam, new followers, new timing gear etc, but from memory the price was about the same numbers as quoted by Robert F but don't divide the USD figure to convert to GBP (ie the cost is about £175-£225). As with so many things this side of the pond it is 1.5 times dearer than in the States!
L Webb

L Webb

(As with so many things this side of the pond it is 1.5 times dearer than in the States!)

I've found the same thing, but usually 2-4 times more expensive in the UK than in the US/Canada. Just yesterday I was searching for prices and a supplier for an exhaust back pressure test kit. Two that I compared were also available from UK suppliers - the photos were exactly the same (one model had a US flag inside the plastic case) and one even used the same part number.

The cheaper model was $26.48 in the US and $65.50 (37.53 pounds) in the UK. The more elaborate model was $41.99 in the US and $224.50 (129 pounds) in the UK!

I found much cheaper prices for parts for my Rover 3500S in the US than in the UK. I think the UK suppliers must be excessively greedy.
Phil O

HELLO Mr. Lavis,,, i'm sure there are places in england that do the ceramic coatings,, as for this side of pond i sent my headers to jet hot a little over a year later they look as they did when i took them out of the box!! i bought my BV8 already converted the p/o had wrapped the new headers [as of 2001,,when he completed the car"thats an understatement" the completed part,,]with this mesh type JUNK thats suppose to cut down on heat.. i cant say how much heat it cut down on,, but i can say that for "4" year old headers they were CRUSTY,,and the wrap was filthy & nasty lookin,,another 2 or 3 years & i believe the headers would have rotted thru.. jet hot coats both the outside and the inside of the headers[important!!]...considering what a pain in the ass the headers are to put on & take off & that the ceramic wont [when done right] discolor like chrome,,burn off like paint,,hold moisture & create condensation like the wrap crap,,all that alone is worth the price to me,,as far as heat reduction?? they make big claims,,my car definatly runs cooler on the temp. guage but then i replaced the stock radiator[inadiquate] with a bigger aluminum one when i did the headers,, my right foot still gets awful hot in the summer time?? but then i do tend to hold that foot to the floor alot,,,Hmmm???
denny

I have ceramic coated block huggers + a ceramic coated crossover. It definitely helps underhood temps.
Carl Floyd


While we're talking ceramic coatings... anyone have the exhaust pipes that run under the floors coated & notice a reduction in heat coming through?
rficalora

This thread was discussed between 24/02/2006 and 25/02/2006

MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical BBS now