The Dynojet racing team has been using Zircotec's TheromoHold® base coating on the manifold, turbocharger and exhaust pipe work of its British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) car for most of the 2011 season.

ABINGDON, UK - The Dynojet racing team has been using Zircotec's TheromoHold® base coating on the manifold, turbocharger and exhaust pipe work of its British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) car for most of the 2011 season. The coating has allowed the team to solve under bonnet heat issues, improve the car’s performance and reliability, and help deliver a string of podium finishes. The coating has delivered close to a 37 percent drop in under bonnet temperatures, notably protecting the gearbox from the effects of heat. By solving the heat issues, the team has been able to focus on other areas of performance of the car, resulting in three podiums in the last two races.

Zircotec's coating was assessed on the engine dyno and also in the car with back-to-back comparisons showing that performance gains were also achieved. "On the dyno, the coated exhaust gave an improvement in turbocharger response, as more energy was retained within the exhaust rather than radiated as heat," said X CTech R Technical Director Mark Faulkner. "In vehicle, a significant reduction in under bonnet temperatures was achieved with the Zircotec coated exhaust. This contributes to reduced air intake temperatures, releasing more power." New for 2011, the NGTC-spec Avensis uses a road-derived Toyota 2000 cc engine. Modifications by the engine developer X CTech R push output from 140bhp to around 300bhp, requiring careful packaging and heat management to increase reliability.

"The Toyota 3ZR engine is a lightweight, compact package, which we have optimized to ensure delivery of the required performance and durability," said Faulkner. Crucial to this was the introduction midway through the season of Zircotec's thermal barrier coating. "Our lightweight and very thin coating provides excellent thermal protection even in tight packaging spaces such as a touring car engine bay," adds Zircotec Sales Director Peter Whyman.

Formally part of the Atomic Energy Authority, Zircotec, located in Abingdon, UK, produces high-temperature coating and heat-barrier processes and technologies.