Been considering coating the pistons and combustion chamber. Anyone ever do this and are there any gains proven ?
www.swaintech.com

this was all very hi zoot for a while and we did a number of back to backs on heavily restricted 2 litre motors... bottom line was that as far as power went , there was zero benefit. in fact we saw no benefit in any parameter. can't say their testamonials are wrong... just that one of them isn't mine.

Like the above poster, 10 or so years ago I had Swain ceramic coat piston tops, combustion chambers, exhaust ports, and the exhaust valves where exposed in the exhaust port on a couple of street driven air-cooled Turbo Porsches. The coating looks like flat white/grey paint. Both engines have been apart again since then, but one was taken apart a few months and very few miles after the coating was applied and the only evidence that anything had been done was the areas that were coated had been prepped by media blasting. When Swain was asked where the coating went they claimed that the invisible layer is the protective barrier, the white stuff was just residue. Kind of like the concept of waxing your boat. Someone may believe it works, but I'm convinced it's voodoo B.S.

I used swain tech cermaic gold on piston crown,their treatment on the skirts and head chambers,exhaust valves and ports. Motor made great power on dyno but not sure if the coatings actually helped. Haven't had motor back apart yet so jury is still out,Smitty

Coatings are used mostly where an engine build is really pushing it's limits.

Like a 12.5:1 engine masters engine forced to run 91 fuel or a drag motor set on kill to try to beat a national record (ie: extreme tune where it prob will hurt the motor) or you have the absolute best parts available with best engine designer, best etc,etc,etc and you are still hurting parts amd you don't want to pull some hp out of it.

What is on the ragged edge to us is very mild to many other people. LOL.

Coatings have there place, the question is do you need it and where do you need it ?

Thanks for the input. I dont mind spending the coin if its worth it. I may just stay away from it.