Exhaust Component Life Extension

[DCMY #92]

Several years ago I replaced the exhaust manifolds and exhaust flanges on my 50+ old 6V53 naturals. I bought new DDC parts before manufacture of the 6V53 was suspended.

Recently I had new SS risers fabricated. While removing the old risers from the flanges I noticed that 3 of the 4 flanges were like new, but one had some internal wall loss inside the dry sides of the flange (or tail piece since it's not really a flange). I then recalled that I had replaced this one (right bank - starboard engine) some years before. This one is still quite serviceable, but I called Detroit to price a new one.

Detroit has 4 right bank flanges in Germany - for $800 each. I didn't ask about left bank flanges or manifolds. I then searched the web and found 1 used flange (with a hole corroded in it). I order a new flange from Detroit before they are not available at all and the price goes even higher.

Here is the point of this post: I contacted Jet Hot (they install all kinds of high performance coatings, many of them on exhaust components). They will coat the flanges inside and out for $35 each, and my manifolds inside and out for $305 each. I'm definitely going to have the exhaust flanges coated. I'm considering having the manifolds coated also. The originals lasted a long time, but since these parts are now obsolete it seems useful to install high temperature corrosion protection to extend their useful life.

 

[oscarvan]

Tell us more about the "coating".....

And I'm talking physics..... like, you know, science.... not marketing.

 

[DCMY #92]

Their website is jet-hot.com. I have no affiliation with them.

I learned of them at NHRA drag race events over the years. Their coating is used on many race car exhaust headers. It provides high temperature corrosion protection, looks good, and is said to provide a performance increase. I don't know if improved heat dissipation or some other factor is responsible for the performance increase. The stuff is very popular in this application and seems to last a long time. After visiting their site I see they install a variety of coatings for aerospace and military applications.

The coating they recommend for the "dry" diesel exhaust parts inside and out is called 1300. It comes in many different colors. For inside "wet" exhaust components they recommend Marine Gold coating. They say that at this time they are achieving 7 to 10 day turnaround times.

Those running 71 and 92 series Detroits may not find value in coating since aftermarket parts appear to be available for many of these models. Unfortunately, I don't find many 53 series aftermarket exhaust parts available.

If you are running a 53 series engine and your exhaust manifolds have allot of hours on them (shutdown is probably more damaging than running) you should consider removing the exhaust flanges (rear) and thermostat housing (front) from the manifolds and swapping the manifolds to the opposite side of the engine. When I replaced my manifolds a few years ago I noticed that all of the thinning was at the back end of the manifold. If I had known this and turned them around some years before I could have doubled their useful life.