Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Ceramic Coated Pistons

[JimKing]

I had a rough run condition, and my local diesel guy diagnosed it as a bad injector. He had put them in about 40K ago, genuine 275's direct from Cummins. Number 5 has a real ugly pattern, so he decided to pull the head. . Lucky thing. Piston is toast. Cummins has agreed that the injector was defective and they will pay 100% parts and 50% labor to replace the bad piston and replace all the injectors. Pete, the mechanic wants to replace all the pistons with ceramic coated units. It isn't that expensive, considering the engine will be out. And he says I will never have another bad piston.



Anyone using ceramics ?? Like them ??



I pull a 5er frequently in AZ, NM and CO where I sometimes see EGT as high as 1200. What I have read, it seems like the ceramic does a great job of disipating heat. . My only question was Where the heck does the heat go ??? BTU's gotta be somewhere, if not the piston then the head or out the exhaust. . if so, does this mean my EGT will go up ??



All you engineers feel free to chime in here. .



Thanks in Advance. .

 

[Borush]

Ceramic pistons shouldn't be necessary with your power mods, but they won't hurt either. I'd go for it since you are already there. The coating helps reflect heat away from the piston so it can exit through the tailpipe.





Boyd.

 

[JimKing]

If it does indeed exit the tailpipe, That would equal higher EGT ??



But since the danger in high EGT is damage to the piston... And, the ceramic coating protects the piston



Oh Hell... Its cheap, can't hurt. . Thanks...

 

[jkern]

the pistons in our stock truck are some type of aluminum alloy that starts to melt about 1500 degrees, thus the reason that we have to watch egt's closely. by usuing ceramic pistons your next in-line piece of stuff to melt will be the alloy impeller in the turbo.