Performance of Exhaust Wrap compared to Zircotec Coating
Performance Ford Magazine used a Sierra RS500 Cosworth and a rolling road to see what temperatures might occur normally with just the factory fitted bare manifold. They then used the same car to test the performance of a leading Exhaust Wrap alongside that of Zircotec's Performance White coating. As you might expect, Zircotec's coating was found to the best solution overall, providing significant reductions in Under-bonnet temperatures, air intake temperatures and charge temperatures. The measured results are as follows and speak for themselves;
|
|
Bare Manifold |
Heat Wrap |
Zircotec Coated |
Findings |
|
Air intake temp. |
37 oC |
29 oC |
23 oC |
Reduced air intake temperatures have a direct impact on engine performance with a 5oC temperature drop equating to a 1% (approx.) increase in engine power. |
|
Air charge temp. |
53 oC |
48 oC |
45 oC |
|
|
Under-bonnet temp. (moving air flow) |
18 oC |
16 oC |
17 oC |
The general under-bonnet temperatures shown here present no real problem. Temperatures are kept low when the vehicle is moving as a result of forced under-bonnet air flow. |
|
Under-bonnet temp. (2min idle/no air flow) |
62 oC |
45 oC |
41 oC |
Under-bonnet temperatures become a real issue when the air flow stops, i.e. when the vehicle is stationary and idling. This is where the ceramic coating offers some serious protection. |
In short, the Zircotec coating outperformed the Heat Wrap in all of those areas that really matter, though both products are shown to offer a significant benefit compared to doing nothing (and for some vehicles doing nothing is not really an option). In some applications the Zircotec coating has been found to reduce under-bonnet temperatures by as much as 50oC (122 oF).
Performance Ford found that Heat Wrap offers a "sensible budget option" though the magazine concludes that the Zircotec ceramic coating "was easier to fit, looks the part, is pretty much fit-and-forget, and is a proper motorsport product." The Zircotec coating gives a proffessional factory finish to a manifold, and it does really look great when compared to Exhaust Wrap. Furthermore, Exhaust Wrap deteriorate with age, looses performance and is likely to have to be replaced periodically (the measurements presented above are for new Exhaust Wrap). By contrast, the Zircotec coating simply stays on and continues to perform.
Performance Ford goes on to say that "if you can afford it the Zircotec coating is much easier to work with" it "looks awsome" and "lasts for ages."
Click Here to view a pdf copy of the full article which appeared in Performance Ford Magazine's December 2008 issue (reproduced here with kind permission of Performance Ford Magazine) or alternatively go to http://www.performancefordmag.com/past-issues.htm
