Super-hydrophobic coatings... Anyone tried these?

[Big Al]

I have tried under my boat ... It worked, but I don't know how well. Didn´t check speed before :\
But something happen, I used less tilt after.

The problem with this Super-hydrophobic coatings as I see is that It doesn´t stick forever. Inside an engine sounds to me like trouble the day it fall off and goes inside the system.
The best places for these is places that the coating is in "normal temperature" and "no" wear on it. Like on a Roof or so.

[Kevin Johnson]

David Vizard carefully dyno tested lipophobic (or oleophobic) coatings as an independent variable on a crankshaft that was also aero-profiled as an independent variable. They do work.

[Mark O'Neal]

Well, I mean, they are called hydrophobic, and oil is not water.. So I dunno. One of them says it repels heavy oils, but yeah, how long does it stay on there

Okay fine, now I got curious. There's a NeverWet Rustoleum what looks like coating/paint that is specifically oleophobic. It's a top coat, base coat thing. I guess the next question is how well does it handle heat..

It's afraid of margarine?

[Mark O'Neal]

Why do your parts need to be afraid of water?

It's not water that I'm concerned (or thinking) about. It's the general repellant capability of these products. They don't just repel water, they repel, from the looks of it, everything. I've never seen another coating that is as effective as these.

If it works on ex-wives....we're all in.

[Mark O'Neal]

Steel is, by definition, oleophobic.

In all of my 64 years, I have never seen steel absorb a single drop of oil.

[Schurkey]

How about a "gasolinephobic" coating for intake runners?

If you could peel it off of the Liberal Whackjobs there'd be plenty for the rest of us.

[j-c-c]

I have tried under my boat ... It worked, but I don't know how well. Didn´t check speed before :\
But something happen, I used less tilt after.

The problem with this Super-hydrophobic coatings as I see is that It doesn´t stick forever. Inside an engine sounds to me like trouble the day it fall off and goes inside the system.
The best places for these is places that the coating is in "normal temperature" and "no" wear on it. Like on a Roof or so.

Sounds like a typical "teflon" coating is one solution, its tough, it sticks, it handles heat, its got a track record in the kitchen for decades, it sheds oil and/or water.

[nickpohlaandp]

Sounds like a typical "teflon" coating is one solution, its tough, it sticks, it handles heat, its got a track record in the kitchen for decades, it sheds oil and/or water.

I was thinking this too, but then I thought about all of my wife's Teflon coated pans that eventually get thrown away because she can't figure out that you're not supposed to stir stuff in them with a dang steak knife. I doubt that there'd be any steak knives going near my crank, but I wonder if the cost/effort in Teflon coating the counterweights would be worth any benefits gained from doing so.

[Mark O'Neal]

My theory is that if there is oil there, they won't help. If there is no oil there, they won't help.

It's a moneymaker though.

[Caprimaniac]

Why do your parts need to be afraid of water?

It's not water that I'm concerned (or thinking) about. It's the general repellant capability of these products. They don't just repel water, they repel, from the looks of it, everything. I've never seen another coating that is as effective as these.

If it works on ex-wives....we're all in.

Mark; Your sense of humor.... is great.

For a substance to repel oil; wouldn't it have to be hydrophile? Or not? As you say; the teflon pans repels the hot butter too, not only water (it's hydrophobic...)

The crank has been soaked in oil for a long time. It's saturated. Throw some water on a crank throw just out of the engine; it will repel the water drops.

There will be forces between oil and the oil- saturated (Outer layer) of the crank. And some will stick. However, not very strong.. (London-forces, anyone?)

With teflon, or material as described by OP, forces would be even weaker, and oil would kling less to the crank. That's all great.

Does anyone have any details on the coating mentioned? I would like some chem details.

As With all coatings....... yes, you've said it all earlier in this thread.

[nhrastocker]

As I said earlier, one of the best is the Electroless Nickel with Teflon coating.
The coating is used in all the mechanisms and barrels of the weapons used by Special Forces because it repels water and sand and no lubrication is required.
It has been used in Formula 1 and Indy type engines too.

https://www.highpowermedia.com/blog/333 ... ess-nickel

[Mark O'Neal]

As I said earlier, one of the best is the Electroless Nickel with Teflon coating.
The coating is used in all the mechanisms and barrels of the weapons used by Special Forces because it repels water and sand and no lubrication is required.
It has been used in Formula 1 and Indy type engines too.

https://www.highpowermedia.com/blog/333 ... ess-nickel

Yes, but how does it do in those cold Russian winters?.....

[peejay]

I have tried under my boat ... It worked, but I don't know how well. Didn´t check speed before :\
But something happen, I used less tilt after.

The problem with this Super-hydrophobic coatings as I see is that It doesn´t stick forever. Inside an engine sounds to me like trouble the day it fall off and goes inside the system.

Millions of engines are on the road today with various coatings on the pistons and throttlebodies and in other places. I think piston skirt coatings started to be mainstream about twenty years ago.

At least, I am pretty sure that Ford started coating pistons in the mid 1990s, and I have a set of rare (in the US) 20mm wristpin VW 1.8t pistons that have skirt coatings. I think they were only used on the first six months of Audi A4 production in 1998, or whatever the first year the 1.8t Audi A4 was sold here. Before that all A4s had the 2.8l V6.