Piston anti friction coating worth it?

Got Torque

Top Fueler
Oct 29, 2003
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Stockholm, Sweden
I'm trying to figure out if getting my pistons skirts coated with anti friction materials will decrease negative torque and wear enough to be worth it in a cheap buildup.
I'm a big fan of trying to eliminate negative torque/friction in engines and even though the 350 i'm building will be a mild street engine i'm still thinking about coating the pistons. Gasoline costs are extreme here and if i can get some itty bitty less friction and some more power from it i might just go ahead and coat them.
I can have it done it locally so that's not a problem. What i would like to know is if any of you hardcore racers have tested it and seen any real gains in HP/TQ with coated piston skirts?

The engine combination will most likely be GM 300/330hp shortblock(service repl.) with stock cast dished pistons, E-tec 170 heads, 9:1 compression, rpm intake/cam, headers and a Holley 650DP.
 
although a good idea, you probably wont see any measureable gains in your somewhat stock street motor( in power or mileage) a race motor subject to hi heat whether it NOS assisted or boost pressurized would benefit from the protection that friction coatings offer, however in a street type engine, can you justify the cost? ide just run some kind of oil additive .. just my .02
 

ILLEGAL REGAL

MalibuRacing Junkie
Jan 1, 2005
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Tinley Park,IL
doesnt the hole need to be opened up a hair more for a coated skirt?

only time I could see it doing any good is under detonation where the piston becomes hot and expands and starts slowing down because of the friction.. where a teflon coating might help it slide better.

buddy just had his done because the cylinders needed a hone so he figured it'd take up some of the slop... they can put it on up to 3mil thick and they say whatever wears off wears off but it's still impregnated in the aluminum. Cost was $15/piston
 

Damon

Pro Stocker
Feb 7, 2005
1,655
1
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Philly Area
That's mostly for cold-start anti-scuffing protection. When the old is hot and the crank is throwing plenty of it around it doesn't do much.

For a daily driver or something that's going to see some miles under various stop/start condtions I can see where it would help.
 

malihoochie

Dragway Regular
May 28, 2004
875
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michigan(detroit area)
Coatings always help. A "slippery-er" motor is always going to be faster than one with drag. What you need to determine is whether the cost is worth the expected gain. I'd expect a few extra HP - but the real reason for doing it is to prevent wear to the cylinder bore and the skirt of the piston. I would not get the tops coated unless you were going to be using some sort of power adder.

Best of luck
 

Got Torque

Top Fueler
Thread starter
Oct 29, 2003
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Stockholm, Sweden
ILLEGAL REGAL™ said:
doesnt the hole need to be opened up a hair more for a coated skirt?

only time I could see it doing any good is under detonation where the piston becomes hot and expands and starts slowing down because of the friction.. where a teflon coating might help it slide better.

I have the coating on the piston in my bike and it doesn't even add a split hairs thickness to the skirt.
The coating in my case isn't teflon but a material that takes up oil particles and release them when friction heats up the material to a certain point.
It will cost me roughly 300 to coat all pistons but i think it's worth it now that i have goven it some thoughts and also read what you all have had to say about it.
 

Got Torque

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Thread starter
Oct 29, 2003
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Stockholm, Sweden
malihoochie said:
Coatings always help. A "slippery-er" motor is always going to be faster than one with drag. What you need to determine is whether the cost is worth the expected gain. I'd expect a few extra HP - but the real reason for doing it is to prevent wear to the cylinder bore and the skirt of the piston. I would not get the tops coated unless you were going to be using some sort of power adder.

Best of luck

I won't coat the crowns since this engine isn't the one intended for boost.
Hopefully the lower piston drag will get me a few HP or at least a little cooler bores and less wear on them and the pistons.
By the way, this what it looks like on the Wiseco i had coated for the bike
CIMG1716.jpg
 

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