Plasma Coating for Exhausts and Turbos
Hot arc wire aluminium plasma coating protects exhaust and turbo components at temperatures up to 800°C, guarding against rust, corrosion, oxidation and thermal fatigue. We apply it in-house at our workshop in Heybridge, Essex, either on its own or as a base coat under a ceramic finish.
What is plasma coating?
Plasma coating is a wire-arc sprayed aluminium alloy coating designed for very high temperatures, such as those found in racing, off-road and turbo applications. It leaves a semi-rough texture, seals small pinholes and helps disguise minor corrosion pitting left after blast cleaning.
Which parts is it recommended for?
- Turbine housings: highly recommended.
- Turbo headers and manifolds: highly recommended.
- Supercharged engine exhausts: highly recommended.
- Full exhaust systems.
- Industrial items.
- Metal chimney stacks and other thermal items needing long-term protection.
It’s particularly recommended for steel and cast iron manifolds, exhaust parts and turbo housings.
Benefits of plasma coating
- Protects substrates at temperatures up to 800°C.
- Guards against thermal fatigue, rust, corrosion, oxidation and metal fatigue.
- Stops rust creeping through the surface.
- Helps reduce heat loss by 5–10% above 200°C.
- Can be over-coated with a ceramic colour finish for further heat protection.
Plasma coating is less effective as an insulator at lower temperatures, so we’ll advise whether it suits your application.
Plasma as a base coat under ceramic
When used as a base coat on cast iron or mild steel, plasma coating extends our ceramic coating guarantee to two years. It’s an optional extra, shown on your quotation and charged at a discounted rate of 50% of our standard cost. Full details are on our ceramic coating guarantee page.
Guarantee
If you choose our two-stage system, a plasma coat base with a Cerakote top coat, steel and cast iron items carry a full two-year guarantee, compared with one year for Cerakote alone. In the unlikely event of a failure within that time, we’ll rework the item free of charge, including any carriage costs.
See how plasma coating is used on exhausts, manifolds and turbos. For a quote, call 01621 841100 or email msb@msbpcl.co.uk. You can also send your parts by courier.
Extending the life of a worn manifold
Although this manifold had seen better days, we extended its life and efficiency by blast cleaning it and applying our plasma coat system. This helps to reduce heat radiation, protect against corrosion and resist metal fatigue.
Plasma Coating FAQs
What temperature can plasma coating withstand?
Our hot arc wire aluminium plasma coating protects substrates at temperatures up to 800°C.
Which parts benefit most from plasma coating?
Turbine housings, turbo headers and manifolds, and supercharged engine exhausts, particularly steel and cast iron parts.
Can plasma coating be combined with ceramic coating?
Yes. Plasma coating can be over-coated with a ceramic colour finish. On cast iron and mild steel, a plasma base coat extends our ceramic coating guarantee to two years.
Does plasma coating leave a smooth finish?
No. It leaves a semi-rough texture, which helps seal small pinholes and disguise minor pitting.