Ceramic coated exhaust

[Keith Foster]

Hi all, I hadn't really cared for the blue/purple color the headers were turning near the port after 6880 miles. So, being that it's been cold+snowy in the north east US I decided to send out my exhaust for coating at forum recommended Performance Coatings in Auburn, WA.

 

The color I chose was what their web site described as "satin fresh blast". My hope was that it would be close to the silver color of the cylinders. As you will see in the pictures, it is very close (to my eye).

 

I had the headers, front crossover and under-engine crossover coated, inside and out. It cost me $150 for the whole job, including shipping from Maryland to Washington and back. $110 was the coating charge alone for the 4 pieces.

 

When I reassembles I used the set of metal sleeves that fellow member Aaron Bard had made/sold. Things were tight going together, but I sure won't have the rattle anymore. I also took this opportunity to grind/file away all of the weld spatter that peppered the system. The pipes look so much better without all of these pimples.

 

For all of the hour I've had them installed I am quite pleased with how the job turned out. I didn't coat the Ti mufflers and connector pipe, so some of you may be turned off by the two-tone effect, but I'm digging it so far. We'll see how well this coating holds up through the summer. Cheers !

[Guest Brian Robson]

It looks great and very clean. Why would you not take the opportunity to get a new crossover instead of the poor quality original one?

[Keith Foster]

It looks great and very clean. Why would you not take the opportunity to get a new crossover instead of the poor quality original one?

42823[/snapback]

Thanks for the compliments Brian.

 

I wouldn't say that the stock crossover is of poor quality, as in materials or construction or fit, maybe poor performance (by some's opinion) but not poor quality.

I have entertained a Stucchi, but for several reasons I've passed on it. Funds, fit issues (as I've read), need to remap are some items.

 

But mainly I am unconvinced that the Stucchi is is all the deal that people claim. I've seen the posted graphs, and I'm considering a PC III later this year (because my bike is set up really rich). But the crossover? I'm luke warm on it. Being that I can pull a good 3-4 foot power wheelie in 1st gear I'm not so hot on a handful of extra hp for the coin involved.

 

Here is a couple of observations - someone here posted some pics of the stock crossover they sawed up. I couldn't see where there was an obstruction to flow in it. When I dismantled my exhaust I ran a piece of wire into the crossover and I didn't run into anything, the wire ran out the same side outlet and rattled all around.

 

I'm no exhaust designer, but if the stock crossover is quite open as I think it is, I wonder how much bang for the buck the Stucchi brings to the table? My $0.02

[jrt]

Keith, I appreciate your skepticism. I think a lot of parts are over-hyped with respect to the improvements they bring. I bought a Stucchi crossover- found one used- and installed it. There were/are some fitment issues that I took care of with some extra washers here and there. But it did make a noticeable improvement in the bike.

I don't think it's so much the openness of the crossover as it is the shape- I suspect that the X shape helps scavenge exhaust from each side more efficiently.

 

But to the point of your post- I like your pipes! They look very nice and one of these days, I'm going to have to consider doing something similar.

Jason

[Guest Brian Robson]

Sorry Keith, but I disagree over the quality issue. Firstly something will come loose in the crossover, usually one of the posts holding the baffle in place, (trying to figure where the rattle is coming from) then all, and I mean all, of the spot welds will develop pinholes and then both of the tailpieces detached from the main body of the crossover.

Mind, this all occurred around 40,000Km and may not be helped by riding in all weathers, but it is pretty thin SS

[Guest callithrix]

Interesting I had mine done the same way a few months ago and the cost was about $50 less. I don't know if you installed them yet but the coating is very porous to grease residue so be careful about oily residue on your hands when installing them, otherwise you'll end up with ugly finger prints on them. They really compliment the look of the bike and have a factory look to them once installed. Do you have the front crossover gaskets? I had to wait about a month for them to be ordered.

[Keith Foster]

Interesting I had mine done the same way a few months ago and the cost was about $50 less. I don't know if you installed them yet but the coating is very porous  to grease residue so be careful about  oily  residue on your  hands when installing them, otherwise you'll end up with ugly finger prints on them. They really compliment the look of the bike and have a factory look to them once installed.  Do you have the front crossover gaskets? I had to wait about a month for them to be ordered.

42877[/snapback]

 

On the cost, I don't know? More shipping cost?

 

I had the idea that the coating was sensitive to oil/grease. I have a couple of marks, but I did the work on a table covered with a towel and kept my hands clean. I even took off my wedding ring to avoid rubbing gold into the surface (honest honey, I've been in the garage all evening, I put my ring in the tool box )

 

On the front crossover I used some SS sleeves that a V11LeMans.com member had made + sold last summer. I bought a pair as a preventative measure back then. I also had bought a pair of the OE graphite sleeves, but I didn't use them.