Ceramic coated headers - extra hot?

[wally]

As most of you know, I had headers ceramic coated inside and out a short while ago.

The other evening I started the Uly to warm up while I put on my helmet and gloves.
My brother remarked how glowing red the headers are.
I checked and both were red (where the come out of the engine).

I have noticed more heat around my lower leg after the coatings.

Is this normal? I assumed it would be cooler? It is even more uncomfortable (especially in traffic) and our hottest months aren't even here yet!

[snrusnak]

I would think it would be colder, I think it's supposed to be...

[d_adams]

It should be much cooler after having them coated. Cerakote advertises a 400 to 800 degree delta on exhaust coatings.

http://www.cerakotehightemp.com/resources/files/testing/C7300BlackVelvetTest.pdf

[wally]

I will have to get it checked out. I definitely feel more heat.

The glowing red headers alarmed me...maybe it needs a good tune?

[ali]

the glowing part isnt right...Mine are coated and its pretty cool

[djs2k2]

Do you realize how hot it has to be to glow, somethings wrong!

[d_adams]

Stock headers will glow cherry red under the right (wrong) conditions. Take a pic and post your headers, I'm curious as to the type of ceramic they used if you know what it is.

[Internet Annoyance]

You probably have an air leak, exhaust gaskets? seems likely as you recently had the work done. I find it hard to believe ceramic coated headers would be glowing red unless something is REALLY wrong. All bets are off however with an air leak. I once had a shop customer who I built a custom for...he had NEW custom wrap around chopper pipes in chrome, and I was going to get some other pipes coated anyway so threw his in on the job as a package deal,,
In this case,, i often will coat NEW pipes that are chrome so that the Chrome wont blue (Coatings on the ID only)
So in most cases it works well, in his case he had some aftermarket ally clamps that didnt fit right so i removed them to avoid air leaks, Dumbass throws a pissy fit, wants his stupid clamps back on, I warned him, didnt care, ok stupid, I warned you,,, so the pipes discolored like a skunk stripe down them from where the exhaust clamps leaked,
This was a different design than the Buells and Sportsters, It depended on a clamp holding the pipes onto a spigot,
But the point is,,,, ceramic coatings are great, but any pipe will overheat if you allow an air leak, your problem is either a fuel problem but would also be knocking and pinging,, or you have an exhaust air leak

[wolfo68]

Sounds like a gasket leak to me, if it is all trying to get out where the header meets the head it could make sense.

[burgurboy]

Check your static timing? Too much timing retard can cause combustion in the header.

I've seen a mild small block chevy glow ceramic coated headers at idle. Timing was set at TDC as opposed to 10-14 degrees advanced, like it should have been.

[wally]

Thanx guys!

I replaced both gaskets when I reinstalled the headers and torqued up the bolts to spec.
Is there a (easy) way to check for leaks?

It really is just the first 5cm that glowed red (where it comes out of the head) and I only saw it at night.

But it does feel like it is running hotter.

How would I check timing? I have never had to - just did services (and fixes) and off I go.
Might need to find somebody with ECMSpy to help me maybe?

Thanx all! [up]

[burgurboy]

Yeah, you'll need ecmspy

there instructions out there somewhere. they involve taking off the timing cover, jacking the bike up, in 5th gear turning the motor over by hand (using the rear wheel), and finding TDC when the fuel pump clicks on.


It's not as bad as it sounds. Lik ei said, there are good instructions out there. I'm just pulling from memory, what I did over a year ago.