thermal dispersant

[quattrorunner]

Would it make much difference if I used TD on the cylinders I'm rebuilding? I live in vegas and even a couple degrees makes a difference, but I've never used the stuff and am not sure if it's all just smoke.
I would hate to make the situation worse though, any experience here?

[Grady Clay]

What is "TD"?
What cylinders?

Best,
Grady

[quattrorunner]

Sorry, Thermal Dispersant coating.
I have a 77 3.0 turbo I'm building.

[quattrorunner]

I'd pay the 12.50 or more from you.

[lindy 911]

I don't think the TD coatings are intended for the cylinders. There is an anti-friction coating for the piston skirts that could reduce temps because of reduced friction, but that's a different topic.

There is a significant reduction in heat transfer from piston crown to the underside of the crown with thermal barrier coatings. These coatings are applied to the piston top and the interior of the combustion chamber in the head. Some even do the exhaust port in an effort to reduce heat soak from the combustion process.

I have no scientific data but I used it and it seems to work well.


Lindy

[quattrorunner]

I have already applied the Dry film lube to the pistons skirts and thermal barrier to the piston tops and cumbustion chamber part of the heads, and I actually believe in those. But I would be sad to apply a coating to the fins area of the cylinders and have that coating actually affect in a bad way the cooling effects of that fin.

[quattrorunner]

Thermal dispersants are designed for the underside of an intake manifold of a V6 or V8 american engine. Or anything you would like to "shed heat". The companies would say that it helps, but I want to know from someone that has used it that it works or at least doesn't hurt.

[jpnovak]

If you search for some threads by Charles Navarro of LN Engineering you will find his results saying that thermal dispersant and oil shedding coatings (very similar to TD) are not worth the effort. Of course, this was on aluminum cylinders. I do not know if the same holds for early cast iron cylinders. Aluminum is already a very good thermal conductor and the addition of a coating may not add much to the heat transfer process of the overall part.

I have coated parts for many engines and found that they run very well with thermal barrier coatings on the heads/pistons and DFL on any possible rotating part.

[Flieger]

Sounds a little sketchy to me. All that airflow around the fins is about as good as it gets. At some point, the Aluminum will not be able to shed heat fast enough. You cannot really "suck" heat out.

[quattrorunner]

Thanks for your experience. Yes, I have the DFL on the bearings and cams and stuff, Hope it makes a good running reliable engine

[Wheelsonly]

I figure the developer's did the science to prove it works I am sure it works much better on intercoolers and trans coolers then it does on cylinder heads but I found the it is much easier to clean and looks much better the raw cast aluminum.. I use it on all my projects.. I have over a gallon I'd like to use up so if anyone needs anything done cheap let me know lol..

[quattrorunner]

Super cool. Maybe I'll have you coat the cylinders. How much? I don't have a good oven large enough to do much yet. Shiny black cylinders would be cool.