Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Hi everyone,
I am thinking about coating my classic Lotus?s exhaust manifold as it is getting really hot, would you suggest a cermaic coating or a heatshield. I have found a company called http://www.zircotec.com/index.php who offer both, has anyone had any experience with them before?

Had mine done and been very pleased - it was a new manifold and I seem to recall the company was 'Camcoat'

It's expensive (around ?185 at the time?) - only had mine done externally due to cost bit it works well and looks as good as new after 9k miles. I've never thought I had a heat problem but have no prior experience of an elan with an un coated manifold.

Jon

I have a Zircotec performance white manifold, not sure white would have been my first choice but i bought it already coated so i had little choice in the matter. That said i found oily finger prints vanish when the manifold has done a couple of heat cycles and it's only the big marks that stay (but their quite obvious)

I'd say Zircotec's 30% reduction in surface heat is accurate, the thing i noticed which is a little odd is how close you can get your hand to the exhaust after a run without if feeling unbearably hot (even though it will still give you a nasty burn if you catch it with your arm as i found out ). The reduction in Radiant heat is quite dramatic (for example my Clutch Slave is only warm after a run rather than untouchable like my +2 that has a Stainless exhaust)

One massive down side is price, i didn't pay for my coating to be done but at ?300 i'd think twice. Yes you get a good reduction in under bonnet temps and on a GRP car it really helps especially as there isn't a very good through flow of air in that area but you have to remember ?300 can buy allot of quality heat shielding.

Funny you should mention the temp of the slave cylinder being lower. I was replacing my seals every other year until I got a new header and had it coated a few years ago. I haven't replaced the seals since and I noticed that the fluid doesn't turn black anymore. Dan

When i fitted the Stainless system on my +2 i found i'd loose my clutch after 20 mins in traffic on a warm day, turn it off at the side of the road for a while and it would come back.... Did it a couple of times before i noticed the slave cylinder was untouchable hot, so all i did was rig up a bit of Nimbus G2 and it was fine after that.

O and i have a metal cover on my Alternator on the +2 as the plastic one went a bit of a funny shape.

I had part of the Exige's exhaust zircotec'd a few years ago and still as good as new.

I brought this subject up on a Sprite forum since i had changed my mind from the expensive ceramic coating to heat wrap tape. General consensus was that the tape would ruin the headers in short order so now I'm back to ceramic.....just what company. Thinking Swain here in the states but there have been some bad reports on them even though they seem to have the more effective heat reduction coating. Jet Hot seems to be the standard.

Kurt.

Without a doubt - Jet Hot.

I'll second the Jet-Hot recommendation.

I went with JetHot.

No experience yet on longevity as engine still out of the car.

Cost recently was $280 for Extreme 1300 plus shipping.