I just picked up my downpipes, turbine housings, and wastegate housing from the coating shop. I'm very pleased with how they turned out, the downpipes almost look chrome. I wasn't going to, but I'm going to get my headers coated now, but just on the outside. It's all 100% gauranteed for 3 years.

 

They do look cool!

When do we get to see some vids of this thing running?
I was looking at dougs TT web page and he posted some videos last night. They have me all pumped up now. These TT V8's rule!

 

Thanks. I still have the dyno videos on my website, driving videos are coming...

I just got my wife a digital camcorder for Christmas, so as soon as the novelty of it has worn off for her, I'll try to get my hands on it and take some videos.

I'm either going to install the "Sharkbar" or build my own rollbar/harness bar, either way it will include a camera mount. I'm dropping the headers off tomorrow to get coated, turn around is a week, so I should have it all together on about 2 weeks. In the meantime, all that needs to be done to the car is to put the seats back in and finish plumbing part of the power steering system. After that, it just depends on the weather here in Chicago. Realistically, it will probably be March or so...

As for TT V8's, they are pretty cool. I still can't believe how the same engine can idle and drive so smoothly around town, but as soon as you hit the throttle it just jumps to life. 700 ft lbs by 3000 rpm with a 3200rpm stall means that the power and torque are right there when you want it, and it keeps coming harder all the way to redline. I haven't driven it on the street with more than 5-7# boost and it's too much, I can't imagine driving it with the 20-22 psi of boost it's tuned up to.




[Modified by Monty, 7:02 PM 1/7/2003]

 

Nice looking pieces, Monty. If you need someone to hop-down and hold the camera for ya...

 

:cool:, I have watched the coating industry just explode in the last 10 years. Nice vendors to choose from and some competition to boot!
Lots of coatings like.......
Plasma sprayed Zirconia Titania Yttria Ceramic Composite Coating over a Nickel Aluminium Bond Coat :eek: ( Piston ring)

 

Why not the inside too ? I'd think they would hold up even longer than
3 yrs if inside and out are done.
My headers were purchased with an outside coating, but after a few yrs.
the coating started to crack. :cry

 

The higher heat of a turbo engine sometimes causes the cermaic coating inside of the headers to flake off. If the ceramic flakes pass though the turbine, there is potential for turbine wheel damage.

The headers are custom made 16 guage 321 stainless steel, fully TIG welded, so they'll last forever. The stainless steel is almost as effective as coated mild steel at not radiating heat, and since it's stainless it won't rust either way. The only reason I'm coating htem now is to match the appearance of teh other coated components.

 

I love seeing that motor! I can't imagine that kind of power. WOW !!!

 

"I see" said the blind man :)

:cool: I didn't realize this, that's good to know for when I get another set :cheers:

 

that is awsome looking, Forget polishing everything I have, I am just gonna smooth it and send it in for some ceramic coating. How much did that run though? Oh I was looking to get rid of my manifolds, cause I just don't like the placment of the turbos, I began asking around and I was thinking of just doing a 16 or 14 guage mild steel header setup then have them cryo'd and ceramic coated. But I am still told that they would only last for a short time in that case. They even said that going to 321 stainless wouldn't last that long, they said my iron manifolds would still be the best bet. I disagree I want stainless. you bought all your piping from Burns right?

 

Thanks. The downpipes (inside and outside), turbine housings, and wastegate housings came to $175. The headers are going to be $100 to get coated, 100% guaranteed for 3 years.

I just dropped the headers off yesterday to get coated, along with the sway bar linkage I made(getting powder coated). The owner says he's done alot of turbo headers and he usually coats the inside as well. I asked him about possible turbine damage and flaking coating, and he said he'd never heard of that. However, I have read/heard people claim that flaked off ceramic coating from inside the headers damaged the turbine wheel when the flakes passed though it. I just played it safe and told them to coat the outside only.

I personally wouldn't go with mild steel, I'd go with cast iron weld els first, but there are plenty of guys out there running mild steel turbo headers and they seem to work pretty well and last. To be honest, some of the "junk yard" turbo projects amaze me. I' certainly no expert welder or fabricator but some of the stuff I see out there is pretty scary. But hey, if the thing runs 10's and makes a 1000hp, who am I to say....

I know a couple of people who have been running custom turbo setups for as long as 5-6 years using the same 321 stainless I did, and they're headers look the same as mine - no cracking, sagging, etc.

I bought most of my stuff from Specialty Products Design, they sell the same stuff as Burn's, just a different name, but I do have some materials from Burn's. Their prices are about the same as well.

The key to making your turbo headers last is to use good materials like 16 gauge 321 stainless, good/clean welding(TIG preferred), accounting for thermal expanision by using long smooth bends, slip joints, or expansion joints, and supporting the turbo so that the weight is not supported by the headers.

If I ever build another set of headers, I'm going to use Burn's double slip joint collectors. they're like the one's I have, with a 15* merge taper witj a cone inside, but they have a slip joint to account for thermal expansion. If you can reduce the stress on the headers, they wion't crack and will last forever.


[Modified by Monty, 9:08 AM 1/11/2003]

 

I am totally gonna get everything I can ceramic coated. That funny your talking about the weld els. I have been shooting e-mails back and forth between this one guy who is currently building a set out of weld els. He sent me a picture of his current progress and it looks absolutly amazing. th welds were clean as can be. Basically it looked nothing like I thought it would.

 

Weld el headers can look really nice, expecially if they're coated. If 321 stainless is too much, that's what I'd recommend. A good welder and some prep work and you'd never know they weren't one cast piece.

I just got my headers back today....

 

Holy good god! that looks so good. I am still trying to decide between the 321 or the weld els. I found a guiy that is doing weld els turbo headers that look to be exactly what I want. So I am thinking that I will just have him build me a set.