Anyone try piston coatings?

So after blowing up my headers (here) I got some new ones made by Dean. I figured this would be a perfect time to go over my top end gaskets even though they weren't leaking, since they would start leaking as soon as the bike was back together with my luck.

Well, I decided to replace the exhaust studs with some ARP ones since they headers are off, so I won't have to worry about them breaking down the line. The last stud decided to break off in the head. So much for just doing rocker gaskets, I pulled the head and took it to a machine shop to let them deal with it today.

Anyway, to my topic, since I have new head and base gaskets en route (due here Thursday) I was thinking I might as well re-ring the pistons and hone the cylinders while they are off.

Along those lines, has anyone tried a thermal barrier coating on the piston face? I have heard mixed things about coating the skirts, mostly that it comes off in short order, but haven't heard too much about the coating on top. Supposedly it keeps more of the heat in the combustion chamber.

Anyone ever deal with them? Good/bad/mixed feelings?

Yes, contact Ericz, he has tried a couple of coatings on his builds if I remember correctly.

In the race shop, we did use some coated pistons in forced induction, mainly turbo, engines. Not sure if I'd spend my time and resources at this point in your project....I think I'd find some othe ways to invest that cash. It DOES help with keeping heat in the combustion chamber. At times of 'freshening', you'll see 'burnt' deposits on the bottom side of the piston on a 'gasoline' fueled engine. Alcohol engines not so much. When we coated the crowns, this was very minmal if at all. Unfortunately, this was before we bought the dyno, so I can't say it does ANYTHING for power. IMO, I'd say the only advantage in your situation, MIGHT be slightly less oil temp? We have coolers on our engines....we're not endurance racing the thing, (well 99% of us aren't!), so....?

Hmm that is good to know. I have no plans on boosting the engine anytime soon (actually got thinner gaskets to raise compression) and I don't endurance race it, so looks like I can save my money.

YES!!! Im a big fan of the coatings. And when i build engines for others i usually try to sell them on the idea.
Ive asked a few people that also race about their experiences. One guy in particular,, sadly no longer with us (RIP) but he raced Sports cars on the west coast circuit and a few times at national events (Road Atlanta, Mid Ohio)
So, he told me,, that his whole range of race cars, (MG, Austin, Jag, VW and Porsches) he coated all his engines.
He owned a perfomance engine machine shop in Oregon here very well known (50 years) , And he said
"I dont rebuild my engines anymore, they are blueprinted to perfect specs, now all i do is recoat them"
On the main straightway at PIR pulling 11,000 rpm over 120mph the temp gauge is bouncing between 200-210 as the thermostat opens and closes. Now if you can keep your engine that cool in a race car under full race,,my hats off to you.
Dan told me,,,,"Those motorcycle engines you build will probably outlast their owners before they need a recoating, but on the race cars i get about 2 seasons out of the coatings, i can tell when its time to recoat when i lose 500 rpm off the top and see about a 15-20 deg rise over normal temps.
Dan did his own coatings at his shop,,, but I often use the following local shop, tested at Bonneville and world record speed holders in several classes. http://www.finishlinecoatings.com
Apparently i talk too much and people complain about my long postings, so if you want to know more, just let me know.

^ Anything less than a short novella is good. Get much past 2 or 3 paragraphs, it's getting too long. That said, I've never tried piston coating. If it's that good, why don't production cars get it from the factory? You'd think that in bulk production, it would be cheap enough to do.

I would say that unless you are providing forced air induction, our air-cooled engines don't need coating. If you are racing and want a little piece of mind AND you are rebuilding your engine anyway... go for it but its not necessary. Is it cool? Yes. Its a bit like running nitrogen in your car tires - totally pointless. (And before you flame me for that one read up on it.)

That being said I live close to Swain Tech - one of the more well-regarded coating businesses out there. They did my exhaust headers for a VERY reasonable price. *If* I were to ever have to tear my engine apart I probably would have some things coated. But that's because I want to tell people what I did to it, not because it needs it.

I got my XB 9 pistons, valves, heads coating. Just need to install my motor

Its TRUE that you dont HAVE to coat anything, just as you dont NEED to do the Air Box mod to improve breathing, upgrade your exhaust, Mod your breather, buy better tires, upgrade your brake calipers or buy premium high quality coffee or Micro brew beer. Coors light will do the job right?
Ive built motors without it, but as I said, I TRY to educate people about the benefits of the coatings. The simple reason you dont see it in production cars is that even a mod or deviation of $0.03 is significant, everything is built to a price point, Car companys and motorcycle manufacturers have it penciled out to the penny each and every cost vs benefit. Buells are pretty good out of the box, and for the money a LOT of fun for the money. Maybe one of the best deals out there. But I bet if you asked Eric Buell what he would do different if there wasnt Budget constraints it would be a interesting conversation.
Coatings can add up as theres a long list of things on a engine to coat. But just doing the pistons and valves is not expensive at all and returns excellent value for the money IMHO. YRMV

Where's the value for a street bike?

Depends on many factors, are you going to keep it? If so, a LOT. if not, then not so much. Also depends on who does the coatings. Locally the shop i use doesnt charge much at all to do the pistons and valves.

the piston by far benefits the most, a quality ceramic coating on the piston top shields the piston, as well protects it,
a good quality Moly coating on the sides lubricates it and reduces friction and galling, on the underside they use a Oil shedding coating that while the oil splash is important to cool the piston,its important the oil does NOT stick and coat the bottom as it can and will coke, cokeing is oil that cooks off and becomes a coating that adds weight, increases heat and deprives the piston of cooling, thus accelerating the problem,

Ceramic barrier coatings on the valve faces, combustion chambers and exhaust ports are also excellent at reflecting the heat as opposed to ABSORBING the heat. Everyone wins if the combustion heat passes out the exhaust without overheating the engine, just as a exhaust coating on the pipes is far superior than a pipe wrap.

basic physics. All you are doing is making it work better. more efficient Pencil out the costs to determine if this is worthwhile. Many manufacturers are experimenting with the coatings., Im seeing it being used more and more and even in a limited fashion by large companys such as Toyota, Porsche, Ford, GM and others. But its slow to come in. Look how long it took for Ford and Gm to figure out how much better galvanizing body work works,, now all metal is treated for anti corrosion in body work, especially in the truck lines, back in the old days it was predictable where your Ford or Chevy would rust out at.