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Thermal Barrier Piston Coatings

A Thermal Barrier Coating is a spray-on coating usually applied to the top surface of the piston. Its function is to reduce heat transfer into the top of the piston. The benefit of Thermal Barrier Coating is highly dependent on the application and its use. Thermal Barrier Coatings are more effective if other components of the engine such as the combustion chambers, valves, and exhaust system are also coated.

Advantages:

Thermal barrier coatings will reduce heat transfer from the combustion chamber to the piston crown.

Disadvantages:

There is some additional cost added to the price of the piston for adding a Thermal Barrier Coating. While the cost may be somewhat insignificant, there will be additional expenses in coating the other combustion components in order to yield the full benefits of Thermal Barrier Coating. Once the piston is coated, there cannot be any machining or modifications done to the piston crown. If any modifications are needed, the piston will need to be recoated.

Mahle offers its Powerpak piston kits which come with the Grafal coated piston skirts and a phosphate coating. These two coatings are mostly utilized for street and racing applications and have been proven reliable for many years. They are applied during the production process, so it is very inexpensive and well worth the benefits when the cost equates to pennies on the dollar. The other coatings are beneficial but are structured mainly for more specialized applications where engines are under severe and extreme conditions.

The benefits of piston coatings have been debated for many years, but if properly utilized in the right situations, they can be a great way to extend the internal part’s life expectancy and even the performance it delivers. If you think a particular coating might be better for your application or you are not sure which would yield the best results for your engine, give the folks at Mahle Motorsports a call and get the best recommendation from professionals.

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