[NYR]

I was wondering if anyone has used a coating on the turbo heat shield and if so which one and were you able to see if it lowered eng temps? I know a lot of guys remove the heat shield to have access to the wastegate and my heat shield was/is currently removed bc of that but I am wondering if I am getting some heat soak from it. I don't really notice anything major but keeping heat away from eng compartment from turbo and exhaust is always good. Any thoughts?

 

[Body Massage]

I would imagine a lot of the heat can escape with the shield off.

Rather than being stuck down at the back of the engine.

BUT WHAT DO I KNOW!?!?!

 

[NYR]

You might be right due to the airflow but I was wondering if anyone took some actual data with it on vs off.

 

[spinall4]

I have a spare heat shield (both of the actually) sitting on the shelf waiting for me to get my air compressor fixed or a new one. As soon as I have air again, I'm going ceramic coating crazy. The full 3" turbo back exhaust, I have one of the OEM Volvo DEM heat shields I'm going to coat, a spare R manifold, K24 Turbine housing, ect.

I have no testing data on the R, but on my first turbo DSM I took a bunch of the heat shields off and it was a major mistake. I ended up ruining the hood with heat damage, and cooking components next to the turbo like the alternator. From now on all my cars retain all all of factory heat shielding, and I usually upgrade it because I can ceramic coat everything my self. It $125 to buy a huge quart of ceramic coating which will do all the parts on my car three times over again.

 

[Bergmjs]

No use in coating an aluminum heatshield. It's made of aluminum on purpose because it is a fantastic conductor and emitter as well as being highly reflective to incident radiation (heat). The primary purpose of the heatshield is to reflect the radiation coming off the turbo back downward to keep it out of the engine bay. Coating it with anything will reduce this effect, the best thing you can do is polish it keep it nice and shiny.

This is as opposed to ceramic coating a cast iron part which is not as naturally reflective or nearly as good as a conductor. The cast iron parts are usually directly in contact with the convective stream of exhaust flow anyways, so the best way to keep the heat out of the engine bay is to keep it in the part. This is what the ceramic coating is for because it is actually acting to insulate the part and keep the heat from radiating off.

 

[NYR]

Good points made by all.I wasnt thinking and forgot that its made of aluminum. Guess ill clean it and throw it back on. I miss my 1g.

 

[spinall4]

No use in coating an aluminum heatshield. It's made of aluminum on purpose because it is a fantastic conductor and emitter as well as being highly reflective to incident radiation (heat). The primary purpose of the heatshield is to reflect the radiation coming off the turbo back downward to keep it out of the engine bay. Coating it with anything will reduce this effect, the best thing you can do is polish it keep it nice and shiny.

This is as opposed to ceramic coating a cast iron part which is not as naturally reflective or nearly as good as a conductor. The cast iron parts are usually directly in contact with the convective stream of exhaust flow anyways, so the best way to keep the heat out of the engine bay is to keep it in the part. This is what the ceramic coating is for because it is actually acting to insulate the part and keep the heat from radiating off.

I feel you on the polished aluminum parts being best, but I have taken the time to polish a couple turbo heat shields before, and although the look great when your done I will personally never ever do one again. It was way too much ****ty hard by hand work for the result, which is you have upkeep on them and have to keep redoing them with metal polish to keep them looking good.

This is why now I ceramic coat everything. Its much less hard work, and the hardest parts is spending some time sitting down at the blasting cabinet sand blasting everything clean before coating.

I have hand polished aluminum (both cast and fabricated pipe) I/C pipes as well, and never again. Maybe if I were 16 again and had all the time in the world vs. being 30 and having a wife and 2 kids.

 

[dougy]

i powder coated mine "clear"

focus on fire wall...

http://forums.swedespeed.com/showthread.php?191098-Firewall-Turbo-heat-shield-replacment-Mod

 

[Bergmjs]

I feel you on the polished aluminum parts being best, but I have taken the time to polish a couple turbo heat shields before, and although the look great when your done I will personally never ever do one again. It was way too much ****ty hard by hand work for the result, which is you have upkeep on them and have to keep redoing them with metal polish to keep them looking good.

This is why now I ceramic coat everything. Its much less hard work, and the hardest parts is spending some time sitting down at the blasting cabinet sand blasting everything clean before coating.

I have hand polished aluminum (both cast and fabricated pipe) I/C pipes as well, and never again. Maybe if I were 16 again and had all the time in the world vs. being 30 and having a wife and 2 kids.

Oh I never said I would ever actually polish a heat shield by hand, that sounds terrible haha. Just saying that even dirty aluminum will reflect more than a ceramic coating, but shiny aluminum is best.