Why does the Engine Analyzer Pro show that some Thermal Barrier Coatings reduce performance?
Coatings which reduce friction should always help performance. Coatings which reduce temps on the intake port/runner should always help performance by keeping the intake charge cool and dense. However, coatings which reduce thermal transfer to the piston or cylinder head do 2 things: 1) They reduce heat transfer (loss) which should help performance. 2) They usually increase the surface temp of the piston which should hurt performance. The total effect of both things determines if there is a net gain or loss. Engine Analyzer Pro v2.1 “C” or later has an alternate coating choice which reduces heat loss but doesn’t increase the surface temp as much. Coating manufacturers. say this is more typical of “modern coatings”. Unfortunately, we don’t know which description of “modern” or “typical” is more accurate.
