DAMAX Race Engineering - Experience with Ferrari Exhausts

Based near Silverstone, Damax Race Engineering is run and managed by Robin Ward who has been involved in high level motorsport for many years gaining experience through World Championship Sports Cars, European and British Touring Cars, World and European Rally Championships, FIA and British GTs. Robin Ward of DAMAX comments...

"Having used Zircotec's coatings on a GT2 Ferarri we noted a 50^oC (122^oF) reduction in underbonnet temperatures. I am very Impressed!!"  

Use of Zircotec Diamond Black Coating by Lamborghini

Automobili Lamborghini selected Zircotec to supply a thermal barrier for its one million Euro Reventón car. 

Lamborghini needed a durable solution that protected the composite bodywork and components at the rear of the car. Traditional paint finishes were unable to meet the stringent quality and durability requirements set by Lamborghini.

Zircotec delivered not only a highly durable coating but one that satisfied the requirements of Lamborghini's Styling Department. 

Luca Meschiari, Head of Exhausts at Lamborghini comments...

"The Zircotec coating was the only coating that satisfied all our requirements."

 

"It is durable and offers significantly better performance than any other solution we have seen."

 Use of Zircotec coating on Koenigsegg's CCX supercar

The Competition Coupe X offers incredible performance, dispatching 0-100km/h (62mph) in just 3.2 secs with an 806 bhp engine helping the car achieve over 295 km/h (183mph). Installing the bespoke 4,700cc engine in a sleek aerodynamic carbon fibre body means packaging space is at a premium. The result is a very restricted engine bay with sensitive components and painted composite parts close to the exhaust. The CCX also incorporates a new exhaust system with catalysts moving nearer to the engine (to improve light-off time) further increasing underbonnet temperatures.

Koenigsegg needed a solution that would dramatically reduce underbonnet temperatures, in order to safeguard sensitive electrical components and the composite bodywork.  

Jeff Stokes, Koenigsegg's Chief Operations Officer says....

"The Zircotec coating offered us an immediate solution and substantial improvement over the coating we were already using."

 

"There was no tooling investment for ordinary heat shields, it is low weight and it needs minimal packaging space." 

 Zircotec Coating Use on Classic Aston Martins

Desmond J. Smail is one of Europe's leading specialists in the service, restoration and sales of classic Aston Martins.

Desmond uses the Zircotec coating on his cars to reduce underbonnet temperatures, help prevent temperature-related degredation of sensitive components and reduce heat soak.

Desmond Smail comments.....

"Most classic cars have very poor thermal management from new. Our customers today don't want to be cooked.........or have the finish of their rebuilt engine ruined by heat within a few thousand miles. They also expect reliability equivalent to modern vehicles, so components and fuel systems have to be protected from the heat of the engine. The Zircotec coating has proved extremely effective at addressing all of these issues."

"In its natural state it looks like the period asbestos paint, but of couse it lasts many times longer making it ideal for competition cars. For road cars, we usually specify a silver finish that matches the engineering quality of the DB Series."

"We have found Zircotec to be a very professional business, managed by people who genuinely care about quality of service. They are a great supplier for a specialist in high quality, high performance restorations."

Team Dynamics Racing & British Touring Car

Zircotec's Performance White coating is currently being used by Team Dynamics Racing on the exhaust manifold and collector of their British Touring Car.

Oliver Collins, Manager of Team Halfords comments...

"here at Team Halfords we are always looking for that little bit extra. With the Zircotec coating on our exhaust system’s we get much cooler engine bay temperatures without suffering any real weight penalty. The coating is extremely durable requiring virtually no maintenance, so it is a great way for us to gain an edge.”

Turbo Dynamics offers Zircotec Coatings on turbochargers

Zircotec's Performance White and Performance Colours coatings are used by Turbo Dynamics on various turbocharger casings.

Peter Marsh, Turbo Dynamics Managing Director, comments...

“The coating provides a real benefit wherever under bonnet temperatures are an issue. The coating protects under bonnet components that might otherwise be damaged through heat radiation, whilst general under bonnet temperatures are also greatly reduced."

"In terms of turbocharger performance, the thermal dynamics are such that keeping the heat within the exhaust gases provides an increased response with reduced spool-up times....."

Feedback on Formula Student Racing Car

Every year Zircotec supplies thermal barrier coatings to a number of teams entering the Institution of Mechanical Engineering Formula Student Competition, though 2008 was the first year that our Performance White coating was used on the University of Hertfordshire car.

Tighter packaging at the rear of the 2008 car led to reduced space being available between the front of the engine and the firewall behind the drivers back. One of the Hertfordshire team had worked with Zircotec before and had seen the benefits offered by our ceramic coatings, hence Zircotec's involvement in the 2008 car. 

Jamie Muir, the Hertfordshire teams exhaust designer comments....

"the Zircotec coating limits the expansion of each part of the exhaust manifold, allowing the proximity of the primaries to be reduced to around 3mm in places, and allowing the team to take full advantage of the space behind the firewall without suffering excess temperatures and heat soak.”

 

“temperatures were monitored during testing. There was an average temperature of 37.5°C behind the firewall, 24°C within the driver’s cockpit, and 22.5°C right up under the drivers seat. This was a massive improvement compared to previous cars (where exhaust wrap had been used) and was instantly noticed by our drivers."

 

"another advantage noticed by the team was an ability to work around the exhaust within minutes of the car returning from the track. Parts of the engine would still be dangerously hot but the exhaust manifold was cold enough to be worked on almost straight away.”