This is an area that, while it does not generate power, it dramatically improves performance in a car. In competition it is critical to lower the operating temperature of the brake system, especially the fluid.

The temperature is obviously generated by the pad coming in contact with the rotor or, in the case of drum brakes, with the shoe coming in contact with the drum. Pulling the car down, you are going to generate tremendous heat. This heat can mean an increase in the temperature of the brake fluid. This will give you a spongy pedal or a long pedal and decrease your ability to brake. It can also lead to failure of the brake pads or a warped rotor which can lead to less effective braking. What we want to do it manage heat. We can do this in a number of way.

Starting at the rotor, we can coat the non-contact surfaces with a thermal dispersant. This allows heat that is generated by the braking action to be radiated away from the rotor faster and has a tendency to distribute the heat a little more evenly over the rotor itself. On drum brakes you can coat only the non-contact portion of the drum

We can coat the exterior surface of the hub to act as a further radiating surface for the rotor itself. In theory, you could do the inside of the hub where the bearings ride to reduce the amount of heat that is transferred into the bearings and the bearing lubrication. On dick and drum brakes you can coat the backing plate.

The back of the pads can be coated with a thermal barrier. This will reduce the amount of heat that moves from the pad to the caliper. The next step is to coat the caliper.

1. The inside curve of the caliper. Using a thermal barrier to reduce the amount of heat absorbed by the caliper.
2. The exterior of the caliper away from heat is coated with a thermal dispersant. This will allow heat that gets into the caliper to be more rapidly transferred to the air surrounding the caliper, thereby further cooling the caliper, reducing the temperature of the caliper and the temperature of the fluid.

In addition, the puck or piston that holds the pad against the rotor should be coated. You can coat the face that makes contact with the pad with a thermal barrier. You can coat the skirt or the sides of the piston with a dry film film lubricant. When combining a thermal barrier and a thermal dispersant you should see a dramatic drop in brake fluid temperature. This leads to improved braking. This will allow your vehicle to go into a corner deeper before they get on the brakes to slow or to stop faster which will give you the advantage over cars running hotter brakes.

There are two primary reasons to coat a crankshaft. Coatings provide increased lubrication to the journals and aid in shedding oil from the counter weights. Depending on the intended use, a different coating may be required for the counter weights.

The crank journals should be coated with a dry film lubricant. After coating the excessive build up should be remove by using a scotch bright pad or similar material. Do not assemble the crank and bearings tight. Do properly, there should be no need to change the clearances to allow for the coating. The coating will burnish to near 0 dimension during running.

By coating with a dry film lubricant, you increase lubrication levels, reducing friction and adding a protective layer. Normally a film of oil provides lubrication. The rotational action of a crank couple with the pressure-fed oiling system, aid in keeping a film of oil in place at higher pressures. However when pressure exceed what the oil can carry away, the oil will flow away from the point of contact. Our dry film coatings can lubricate at pressures exceeding 3500 PSI which is well beyond what you would expect to see in use. In addition the coatings are 'fluid retaining' and help keep a layer of oil in place. The coating actually becomes more lubricious or slippery as pressure increases, which enhance the protective, friction-reducing action.

The type of lubricating solids used will have a major effect on the ability of the coating to provide the desired protection. Certain ingredients such as 'Teflon' are very slick only at low pressures and rotational speeds. Traditional lubricants like graphite do not lubricate in environments where moisture is not present. Moly (Molybdenum disulfide, MOS2) as well as other extreme pressure lubricants that can carry tremendous loads while experiencing extremely fast rotational speeds. The resin must also be capable of maintaining a bond under the same conditions.

The counter weights can be coated with a thermal dispersant or a thermal barrier. Both of these coatings have good oil shedding characteristics. The thermal dispersant will be use in most cases as it not only sheds oil but also helps cool the crank by transferring heat generated by in the crank to the oil more rapidly. The thermal barrier should only be used in drag racing applications where the engine will only run for a short period of time. The thermal barrier actually traps heat in the crank.

One of the best applications for coatings is in the combustion chamber area. Coating the combustion chamber of a cylinder head can increase performance significantly. In addition, more compression can be run, as the proper coating will resist detonation. Tuning changes can also increase the level of power generated. Coating intake and exhaust runners can also impact performance. Coating the exterior and the area under the valve cover can improve heat management. By coating the combustion chamber, you reduce the amount of heat that escapes during the power stroke, which means more of the heat generated is utilized in 'pushing' the piston down. The coating also insulates the surfaces so that they absorb less heat, reducing the load on the cooling system and reducing the amount of dimensional change the head may see from the heat it absorbs. The coating functions in several ways.

1. To keep heat in (thermal barrier)
2. To move heat over the surface to reduce hot spots (convection)
3. Reflect heat into ‘cooler’ or shrouded areas of the chamber (convection)
4. The coating retains less residual heat from the combustion than other thermal barriers, thus transferring less heat to the incoming fuel charge. (reduce thermal transfer)

Combining these features increases power levels, reduces part-operating temperatures, aids in reducing detonation and can increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. By transferring less heat to the incoming fuel charge, detonation is reduced, as pre ignition which causes detonation, is generally the result of excessive heat absorption by the fuel as it enters the combustion chamber. By allowing the heat of combustion to be more efficiently used, the fuel, charge is better combusted, allowing more compression while reducing the fuel quantity need (in most cases) and increasing power. By accelerating the burn rate of the fuel, through better heat management, less timing is needed to have the optimum burn occur at top dead center. We have two types of coatings. One is a standard coating for NA motors with lower compression ratios. The other is for very high compression engines (above 13:1) or for engines that have tight quench area as well as turbo charge, super charges and engines using Nitrous Oxide systems.

Coating the ports helps with flow and provides additional thermal benefits. Coating the intake runner with a dry film coating can reduce fuel drop out while insulating the incoming fuel from the heat of the head. Coating the exhaust with a thermal barrier can improve flow by creating a very slick surface, while reducing the amount of heat that can pass from the hot exhaust flow into the head. Coating the exterior of the head with a thermal dispersant allows for fast transfer of the heat that is absorbed from combustion, into the airflow around the head, thus allowing the head to run cooler. This will impact the amount of heat transferred to the intake manifold as well as reduce the heat that accessories will be exposed to, that are mounted on or near the head. When a thermal dispesant is applied to the area under the valve cover, better oil drain back is achieved as well as betters thermal transfer to the oil, which is cooling the head and valve springs.

Exhaust manifolds can either be cast iron, factory-type manifold or a tube steel header typically used in performance applications, though they are becoming very common in OEM applications. There are a variety of reasons for coating an exhaust header.

1. Corrosion protection. The manifold will live longer as well as look nicer. Weather it is for performance or show, coating an exhaust manifold is valuable to you.
2. The coating is a thermal barrier, thus keeping heat within the manifold or header. There are a number of benefits for this.

First, by keeping heat within the manifold you are going to accelerate the exhaust gas velocity, which reduces backpressure and reduces fuel contamination due to reversion. This is a performance benefit.

Second, you will reduce the surface temperature of the manifold. This means that if a person comes in contact with it, they are less likely to be burned and leave skin behind. If there is a componet close to it, it will not see as much heat as it would with an uncoated manifold. In addition, not as much heat will be radiated under the hood or into the engine compartment. This reduces the under-hood temperature, which again, reduces the temperature of surrounding parts, such as alternators and starters. It also reduces the amount of heat drawn in through the intake, which is a secondary performance benefit. There are a number of coatings that can be used on an exhaust manifold or header.

The most popular is Cermakrome. This gives a near-chrome finish, tremendous corrosion protection and is an excellent thermal barrier. On the stock side, Colorguard cast iron is very popular, especially with restorers, since it imparts an original, dark cast iron appearance rather than the light appearance that is more typical of bead blasted finish, which is not truly stock looking. If you need a lighter apperance, you can mix colorguard cast iron with color guard aluminum to arrive at a shade you prefer. Both of these coatings have good thermal stability and are good thermal barriers. On cast iron, due to its porosity, a base coat of Cermakrome be put dawn first, the baked, lightly sand blasted, then the top color put on. On tube steel headers you can use Cermakrome, Colorguard over a base coat, In most cases a single coating is acceptable. In extreme cases it might be advisable to use a base coat with a topcoat. You can coat most colors with Cermaclear to create a glossy finish.

A base coat can be installed under Cermakrome for more insulation. This will impart higher temperature capability allowing Cermakrome to be run on 9 to 1 motors, which typically have an extremely hot exhaust gas temperature. We can also coat the inside of a header to reduce the amount of heat that is transferred into the metal of the header itself. The end result of a coated manifold or header will be better performance, better appearance, reduced corrosion, which means long term improvement in appearance and will reduce componet and under- hood temperatures.

Gears are one of the parts in the driveline that can benefit the most from a dry film lubricant coating. They are subject to extreme pressure, have minimal lubrication and minimal cooling. The most critical point of load is found in the ring and pinion. From, here the direction of power turns 90 degrees. This is the highest point of friction and load in the entire driveline. By putting a dry film lubricant onto the gears, whether it is transmission or rear end gears, we are allowing the gears to have the ability to be lubricated at loads up to 350,000 PSI. The benefits are reduced friction, heat and wear.

Reduced friction really means that more of the power that is generated in the engine will reach the drive wheels rather than being absorbed by trying to turn the gears.

A secondary benefit in coating gears is that you can run lighter weight lubricant. There are two benefits from running a lighter lubricant. The first is the fact that you reduce drag. For a gear to turn in a heavier fluid takes more power. The lighter the fluid, the less power lost, simply to turn the gears in this fluid. The second benefit is the fact that a lighter fluid will carry that heat easier and transfer it to the case more readily than a heavier gear lube.

Different gear lubes have different thermal properties but a lighter gear lube will always have better characteristics. By coating your ring and pinion, transmission gears, quick change gears, spider gears, etc., you reduce friction, extend part life, reduce the operating temperature, reduce drag by running lighter weight lubricants, thereby freeing up more power for the drive wheels. The engine is not making any more power, but the engine is putting more of it to the ground.

In addition, the transmission will shift much easier with coated gears.

The piston is one of the first parts that should be considered for coating. Coating the piston reduces friction and wear, reduces part operating temperature, can increase horsepower and torque, reduce or eliminate detonation, allow higher compression ratios to be utilized and allow tighter to all clearances for a better ring seal.

Pistons can be coated with different systems. They are dry film lubricants, thermal barriers, and oil shedding coatings. These systems can be beneficial to all pistons weather, four stroke, two stroke, gas, alcohol, diesel, reciprocal or rotary.

Thermal barrier coatings insulate the piston against damaging heat transfer, keeping more of the heat generated by combustion, pushing down on the piston for greater power. By retaining minimal heat on the surface of the piston, less heat is transferred to the incoming fuel mixture, leading to a reduction in pre-ignition, which leads to detonation. The coatings also allow heat at the surface to move more evenly over the surface, reducing hot spots and the coatings reflect heat into the chamber for more even distribution of heat, allowing more efficient combustion of the fuel. This allows more of the fuel molecules to be oxidized, which in turn, means less fuel is needed for optimum power. The result is an engine that makes more power can be run with a leaner air/fuel mix and less initial timing and has less thermal expansion due to reduction in the heat absorbed.

By applying a dry film lubricant to the skirt of a piston, friction, galling and wear are reduced. The lubricants are capable of carrying loads beyond the crush point of the piston. The lubricants are 'fluid retaining' materials that actually hold oil to the surface beyond the pressure where the oil would normally be squeezed off. The ability to carry greater loads up to 350,000 PSI, while increasing lubricity (reduced friction) allows tighter piston to wall clearances to be run. This leads to better sealing with no increase in friction.

By applying a thermal dispersant to the underside of the piston, oil that is splashed onto the piston to cool it will shed rapidly. Heat transfers most rapidly when there is a large difference in temperature. The longer the oil clings to a hot surface the hotter the oil becomes. By shedding oil more rapidly, cooler oil is splashed over the surface more frequently. If oil 'hangs' longer, it absorbs less heat and blocks cooler oil from contacting the hot surface. A cooler piston grows less, allowing tighter piston to wall clearances.

There are two reasons for coating an intake manifold. Performance. Appearance.

The manifold absorbs heat from the engine and from oil being splashed from the underside. This means you want to apply a thermal barrier to the bottom of the manifold, to the flange area where the manifold bolts to the head and where the carburetor bolts to the manifold. This will reduce the amount of heat that enters the manifold. keeping the manifold cooler. Typically, a normally aspirated engine will see a 1% improvement in power for every 10-degree drop in carb inlet temperature. A turbo charged engine will see a 2% increase. Keeping the manifold cooler than normal allows an engine to generate more horsepower. In addition you would coat the outside of the manifold with a thermal dispersant which allows the heat that does get into the manifold to more rapidly disperse the heat into the air moving over it. This gives you a greater chance of creating more horsepower by reducing the inlet temperature.

You can also coat the inside of the runners in an intake manifold. A thermal barrier can be applied to the inside of the runner. This will reduce the amount of heat absorbed by the incoming fuel mixture. A dry film coating can be applied over the thermal barrier coating to create the boundary layer, which will reduce fuel dropout in a carburetor engine.

On the cosmetic side, a thermal dispersant can be applied, but it is black. If someone is looking for more show and they like a bright, polished appearance, then Cermakrome can be used. Since Cermakrome is a thermal barrier, we recommend that you coat the top and bottom of the manifold. This way, while you are inhibiting the amount of heat that can be dispersed from the top of the manifold, you are reducing the amount of heat that can be absorbed from the bottom of the manifold. The coating is extremely high temperature resistant, does not blue or discolor like chrome, and does not oxidize significantly, as a polished aluminum surface will. You can maintain a very nice, high-polished surface not affected by fuel oils and solvents.

Functions of the oil pan are to allow the oil to pool at the oil pump pickup and it aids in the cooling of the oil. Many people ask that their oil pans be Teflon coated to aid in oil shedding. While a speedy return of oil to the sump is desirable, it is not the best way to go as Teflon and similar materials are thermal barriers and would inhibit the pan from cooling the oil.

When coating an oil pan, in most applications, it is important to allow the pan to cool the returning oil. It would be better to use a coating that not only has good oil shedding abilities, but also helps rather than hinders, the ability to transfer heat from the hot oil to the pan. Coating the outside of the pan with a thermal dispersant will allow the pan to transfer heat from the metal surface to the surrounding air faster than bare metal. Painting or chrome plating a pan inhibits the ability of the pan to disperse heat. Our thermal dispersant no only dissipates heat, but is also oil shedding film. It has excellent corrosion inhibiting characteristics and contains lubricants that reduce the ability of dirt and other debris to accumulate on the out side of the pan.

Benefits on coating the pan inside and out are, the oil returns to the sump faster and transfers heat to the pan faster, disperses heat the outside air faster, helps protect the pan from rust and makes it harder for dirt to stick to the pan. The formation of any oxidation, either rust on a steel pan or oxidation on an aluminum pan will reduce the ability of the pan to shed the heat.

The exception to this rule is with an engine used for very short periods of time. You may want to consider using a thermal barrier in this instance to hold the heat in the pan. Often a drag race engine's oil is below optimum operating temperature. A thermal barrier will help keep heat in the oil while sitting in the staging lanes, etc.

Radiators and other coolers such as oil and transmission coolers and inter coolers will benefit from the application a thermal dispersant coating. These units are designed to help cool the fluid going through them whether it is oil, water, transmission fluid, or air. By coating the radiator, we are going to enhance the ability of the unit to transfer heat. It is going to act like a bigger unit than it really is. We do this by enhancing the capability of the surface to transfer heat into the air stream to the air flowing over the fins. The benefits come from the following features:

1. Size: In some instances, there is only so much room available to mount either a radiator or cooler and, therefore size becomes an issue. The actual prep of the metal expands the surface area. The larger the surface area, the more efficient it is going to be transferring heat. The coating itself goes on extremely thin, one thousandth to less than a 1/2 a thousandth. When you consider that typical paint goes on three to five thousandth thick, you will see how our material will not fill the pores of the metal as dramatically and will not significantly reduce he total surface area. This means the maximum surface available for thermal transfer.
2. Color: The coating is black. Black is the best color to transfer heat. White, silver or aluminum is the worst colors for transferring heat.
3. Active ingredients: The coatings also contain ingredants that are thermally friendly, that have a high rate of thermal transfer, faster than the base metal whether it is steel, brass or aluminum.
4. Protective: The coating has corrosion resistance so that the metal itself does not oxidize. An oxide layer not only reduces the surface area, also a thermal barrier on the exterior of the part. Aluminum when it oxidizes, becomes aluminum oxide, which is a very dense material and is not thermal-transfer friendly. A side benefit is that we have included a lubricant in it so that particles are less likely to stick to it and it is easier to clean. Cooling is going to be more efficient. In marginal cases, where you are running on the edge and you have found no other way to drop temperature, this is going to help you. Typically, we see a 20% improvement in thermal efficiency.

In competition another benefit can be found. You can run a smaller radiator and see the same efficiency, which means you have reduced the amount of weight, not only in the unit itself, but in the volume of the coolant. You have also, in most cases, removed weight from the front of the car. If you are restricted in the size of the radiator you can use, by creating a more efficient radiator, you can reduce the air opening in the front of the car, thus helping aerodynamics.

This coating can also be used on oil pans, rearend housings and transmission cases. Any surface where it is desirable to see heat radiate away from the surface. Radiators and coolers especially benefit from this coating.

Rocker arms carry tremendous loads while being splashed with lubricated. While full roller rocker arms see minimal friction at the fulcrum, the same is not true of standard stamped or cast steel rockers. Stamped rockers benefit from application of a dry film lubricant. Even full roller rockers as well as roller tip rockers can benefit from a dry film lubricant in the push rod tip cup.

The fulcrum area sees the greatest range of movement and will suffer if friction increases. The rocker can become worn, which will affect the geometry of the rocker in relationship to the valve and push rod. It will also increase friction, which can impact the free movement of the rocker. By applying a coating to the fulcrum and the contact area of the rocker, friction can be significantly reduced. This will improve part life, aid in maintaining proper geometry and will reduce frictional losses. The coating can handle loads far in excess of the abilities of the engine oil and will become slipperier with use. The coating will work very well on both stud and shaft mounted rockers.

All rocker arms will benefit from an application of a dry film lubricant to the push rod cup area. The loads at this point are tremendous, especially when running very high valve spring pressures. In addition, the contact patch is very small. All of this combined increases friction, galling and wear. By applying a coating, the friction at the push rod tip/cup interface is significantly reduced. These aids in reducing damaging wear. Because of the high loads, it is very difficult to keep an oil film in place between the tip and the cup. The initial wear pattern that is developed is critical to long life. By coating the interface, the wear on start-up is controlled and allows the best wear pattern possible to develop. In addition, the coating retains oil and lubricates under conditions that normally is beyond the capabilities of the engine oil.

In independent testing, we have consistently seen a small increase in horsepower when the push rod itself was coated. The same effect should be seen if the rocker arm itself is coated. Coating two mating surfaces rather than one will extend part life even further than if only one surface is coated. The majority of friction, however, is accomplished by coating only one surface: if a second surface is coated, there will be no significant additional reduction in friction.

The purpose behind coating a valve is to extend part life and reduce friction.

The intake vale seals the combustion chamber on the intake port side of the head. Prior to that it is opening to allow air and fuel to enter the combustion chamber. In take valves usually do not suffer as severely as exhaust valves, which see combustion chamber temperatures. Therefore, the primary concern is lubricating the valve stem and seat. We do this by applying a dry film lubricant. This reduces friction partially in engines where oil flow is restricted to the head.

It is still advisable to coat the face of the valve in the combustion chamber to help retain combustion chamber heat in the chamber. This also reduces the operating temperature of the valve. It reduces the temperature of the back of the valve so the incoming air/fuel mixture does not pick up as much heat from the valve, as it would if it was uncoated. Typically the face is thermal barrier coated.

Normally it is not necessary to thermal barrier coat the back of the valve, though it can be done if you wish. The back of the valve is coated using a dry film lubricant.

On the exhaust side, we have a more severe environment because the valve is seeing combustion chamber temperature, which on a normally aspirated engine, can easily be 1350 F; on certain engines this can run even higher. So we definitely coat the face of the valve with a thermal barrier to reduce the heat that the valve absorbs.

Then coat the back of the stem with a dry film lubricant. Again, it is very critical on the exhaust valve stem because the heat can reduce the ability of you oil to lubricate. Consequently, the permanently bonded, high pressure, high temperature lubricants work extremely well at reducing friction and wear on the valve and the guide.

In some cases, it is advisable to coat the back of the exhaust valve such as on a Titanium valve, where you can have metal erosion due to hot gas and flame passing over raw Titanium, with a thermal barrier.

On other valves, it is still preferable to coat the back with a dry film to contribute to carbon shedding so you do not get a carbon build-up on the back of the valve, which can create turbulence in the exhaust flow.

Also, by coating the back on both the intake and exhaust valve after all machine work is done, you can permanently bond the lubricant to the areas that will contact the valve seat, thus reducing wear in this area and creating a better long term seal.

Valve springs are subject to two types of friction. Internal friction that occurs due to the movement of the spring as it flexes. External which is when the spring moves against another surface. Even single valve springs develop friction through rubbing against the head/shim and the retainer. The result of this friction is heat and wear. By far the greatest enemy of steel springs is heat. Steel springs will fatigue if the temperature of the spring reaches 400 F. At this point, the spring will lose a significant amount of its design tension and will be essentially useless for performance use. Stainless springs can generally handle temperatures approaching 900F. By applying properly formulated dry film lubricant, the life of the spring can be enhanced

In testing, valve spring life in performance applications has shown increases from 2 to 10 times the norm. This is accomplished primarily through a reduction in the heat generated by friction. This is accomplished through more efficient thermal transfer. In addition, the lubricity of the coating will reduce the heat that is generated by external fiction. The heat that is generated can actually cause the spring to break, not just fatigue. If repeatedly flexing a piece of steel, the steel will break at the point showing the most deflection, which many times is the thinness areas. That point will also be hot to the touch as internal friction is highest at that point. The amount of heat generated by a valve spring in motion will vary over the surface of the spring. When multiple springs are run together in a stack, the friction-created heat is increased.

By coating a spring we reduce the heat build up in two ways. First is through the reduction in externally generated friction. By coating the spring, sliding or rubbing friction is reduced with measurable reduction in valve spring temperature. A properly formulated coating will also more evenly distribute the heat over the surface of the spring reducing the likelihood of generating a hot spot, leading to breakage. In addition, a properly formulated coating will aid in more rapid transfer of the heat generated to the oil, which cools the spring. Some coating systems can actually insulate the spring from the oil, which can have a detrimental effect on spring life.

The ability of a coating to reduce friction also means it will reduce wear. Since valve springs do not uniformly contact another surface, the wear pattern in not even. As wear occurs, the spring can become weaker in these areas and ultimately break. This is particularly true in multiple spring stacks, but also seen in single spring applications. Considering that in many racing applications springs will barely survive the race, any increase in the ability of the spring to maintain proper seat pressure is desirable.

By combining reduced friction and wear with reduced heat generation and enhanced cooling of the spring, spring life and performance can dramatically increase.

The valve train sees many benefits from the use of dry film lubricants. All of the parts are minimally lubricated by engine oil. Consequently, excessive wear is always of concern, especially at start-up or after the engine has been sitting for an extended period of time. By using an extreme pressure bonded lubricant, we can provide protection well beyond that expected from even the best motor oils.

The primary components to be coated are the cam, lifters and push rods. (Valves and rocker arms will be discussed separately) A film of oil that is either pumped to the contact point or is splashed onto the part provides normal lubrication. In either instance, oil film breakdown is of concern. By permanently bonding a lubricating coating in place, we enhance the ability of the oil to lubricate and provide additional lubrication even after oil film fails. Typical motor oils will fail at pressures below 10,000 PSI. Properly formulated bonded lubricants can with stand pressure in excess of 350,000 PSI.

The dry film lubricant acts as an 'oil retaining material' rather than an oil shedding material such as Teflon. This means that it reduces the ability of a small amount of oil to flow rapidly over the coated surface. In doing this, it actually reduces friction, as the remaining oil slides between mating surfaces very easily and allows the parts to move much more freely. This action also reduces the likelihood of the oil film being 'pushed off' the surface. A secondary benefit to this action is that it allows the oil to absorb more heat, thus helping to cool the parts more efficiently.

The enhanced sliding action can be demonstrated by the way a 'Slip and Slide' functions. This slick piece of plastic does not allow a body to slide over it until a film of water is present. A small amount of water is retained by the plastic surface as well as by the skin and clothing of the 'slidee'. With water running over this slick surface, a body will very easily slide for an extended distance. If the surface sheds water, the effect would not be as dramatic. The layers of water moving at different speeds act like little rollers that allow free movement. The dry film lubricant creates the same effect by retaining a small amount of slower moving oil on the coated surface, thus allowing easier movement of the parts.

Another function also is when the oil film would normally break down either due to pressure or the effect of high heat on the lubricant and allow metal to metal contact. The bonded coating does not breakdown nor cold flow at higher pressure nor is it significantly affected by high temperatures, thus maintaining a lubricious film between the mating surfaces inhibiting metal to metal contact. This film provides a second layer of protection that normally will lubricate at loads in excess of the 'crush' or deformation point of the base metal. This is especially critical at start-up when a well-defined mating surface is desired and excessive wear due to lack of lubrication can do significant damage. Camshafts especially benefit from the application of a bonded lubricant at start-up, where a cam can be damaged if the lubricating film is not maintained during break-in.

When we combine these features, not only do we see better mating surfaces, we can also expect to see less wear; reduced friction and attendant powers gains as well as longer part life. In addition, this can allow the Performance Engine Builder to reduce the amount of oil flowing to these parts, thus directing more of the oil flow to the crank assembly.

The general concern about wheels is not so much the temperature the wheel itself sees, but tire temperature. Tire temperature is affected by the contact between the tire and the track which generates heat and the heat the wheel absorbs from the brake system. What we want to do is manage that heat. Heat off the track is a little more difficult, though we normally will see competitors actually try to heat up their tires when they have been as an example, driving under caution.

With the wheel being bolted directly to the brake system, it itself becomes a heat sink. It is going to absorb heat. The question is: how are we going to manage that heat? The inside bell of the wheel, which is turned towards the breaking system, would be coated with a thermal barrier coating.

A thermal barrier can also be applied to the rim. When the tire seals to the wheel, the rim area is in contact with the air inside the tire. You can reduce the amount of heat that transfers from the wheel into the air contained inside the tire. While a thermal barrier are very good at blocking heat, a certain amount level of heat will always penetrate them. The wheel is going to pick up temperature, just not as much as normal. By coating the rim, we are going to further reduce the heat that goes into the wheel itself, from entering the air in the tire.

Coating the outside bell (exterior) of the wheel with a thermal dispersant, the surface becomes a radiating surface. Again, the heat that gets into the wheel will be transferred faster to the air stream, there by allowing the wheel to run cooler. This also means the tire runs cooler. The heat transferred from the brakes will be drawn away from the brakes faster, helping to reduce the brake temperature.

This has also been shown to provide effective on over the road trucks that are subject to severe loads on their brakes as they are headed down steep grades. We have a special high heat thermal dispersant for these applications. It has improved pad life, braking efficiency, reduced cracking of rotors and has even shown an improvement in tire life through the use of these coatings.