IndyKote:  Space Age Technology for Down to Earth Uses.

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Question 1.

  • "How much of a temperature reduction can I expect on my manifolds and turbos from IndyKrom and IndyBlak?"
    

  • Answer: "Surface temperature reductions of 50% and more have been recorded for IndyKrom and reductions of 65% and more have been recorded for IndyBlak. A combination of an initial coat of IndyKrom followed by a coat of IndyBlak will see even further improvements in temperature reduction". Please see our "Technical Reports" page.
    

• Question 2.

  • "My cast iron manifolds are constantly cracking and my manifold bolts are always breaking. Can ceramic coating help prevent these problems?"
    

  • Answer: "Yes, ceramic coating of both the inside and outside of the manifolds greatly reduces the temperature of the manifold itself, thereby significantly reducing its' thermal expansion and contraction rate."
    

• Question 3.

  • "I am in a mining environment. While ceramic coating sounds great for engines, what other applications can ceramic coating be used in to enhance my operation?"
    

  • Answer: "There are many other areas in a mining operation where ceramic coating can be of huge benefit. Look at these and see if they would apply to you."

    1. Pit De-watering.

    Many pit de-watering pumps, especially in a coal mine, suffer greatly from acid attack of the pump impellor, pump housing and associated piping and fittings. A normal solution is to fit expensive nickel or stainless impellors and fittings but these are still prone to attack over time. The best solution now is to buy the cheaper iron impellor, ceramic coat it and the pump housing. Ceramic coating is totally impervious to acid attack.

    2. Truck Cabin Air Conditioning.

    I many cases, the exhaust pipes of some mining trucks have to be routed close to the operators cabin due to space limitations. This has the effect of imparting excess heat to the cabin thereby reducing the efficiency of the air conditioning unit. Ceramic coating the exhaust pipes will not only reduce the radiated heat by up to 65% or more, they will also last up to 10 times longer than a standard uncoated pipe. Many operators chose to "lag" the exhaust pipes with heat-proof lagging. While lagging is effective (about 80% as effective as ceramic coating), it has to be done regularly and tends to hold moisture thereby greatly accelerating the corrosion process of the pipe itself. Ceramic coating is guaranteed not to corrode, flake or chip off for 2 years. The best solution here would be to ceramic coat the pipe, then apply lagging over the top."

    3. Underground equipment.

    In underground coal mines there is often a build up of Methane gas, sometimes to quite elevated levels. Coal dust can also ignite at 204 Deg C. Coating exhaust manifolds and pipes of underground equipment reduces manifold temperatures to less than 166 Deg C, far below flash point thereby creating a much safer and more comfortable working enviornment."

    4. Acidic Water Supplies.

    As most minesites are located in remote areas, the water quality available for engines is either quite poor or acidic. By ceramic coating the outside of the engines cylinder liners, corrosion and erosion of the liners is eliminated.

    The uses and benefits of ceramic coating may be endless. Your imagination may be the only limitation.

     

• Question 4.

  • "What parts should be treated?"
    

  • Answer: "Any part subject to friction, loss of lubricating film, heat damage, corrosion or abrasion. In addition enhanced appearance is possible for parts such as headers, brackets, and suspension pieces
    
    

• Question 5.

  • "How long will the coatings last?"
    

  • Answer: "Depending on the coating, part life increases from two (2) to ten (10) times what is normal can be seen. In addition coatings such as IndyKrome can provide virtual lifetime protection against rust. The dry film lubricants may burnish until they are no longer visible, however, the active materials are bonded into the pores of the part and continue to provide protection."
    

• Question 6.

  • "How much power will I gain?"
    

  • Answer: "This will depend upon many factors that will vary from application to application. Testing has shown significant power increases on a dyno. In addition certain changes can be made in such areas as tolerances, timing, jetting and the lubricants used, that will increase torque and H.P. and are only possible through the use of coatings. Horsepower gains of up to 40h.p. have been measured in independent dyno testing."
    

• Question 7.

  • "Why is IndyBlak a better themal barrier than IndyKrome, since black should emit more heat than a silver coating?"
    

  • Answer: "While it is true that black normally is a better color to emit heat, in this instance the color is not as important as the fillers in the coating. These fillers are very effective insulators, sufficiently so that the black color does not affect the function. Interestingly the silver color of IndyKrome or any other Metallic Ceramic Coating comes from the aluminum filler. Aluminum is a very good conductor of heat. Yet the effectiveness of these coatings are not degraded."