This is an attempt to home make Lizard skin, temp insulating paint. LS is a latex based paint that has glass “micro spheres” mixed in it to provide insulation.
I didn’t want to put latex paint on my floors so I decided to mix some up with Rustoleum.
3 M glass beads in rustoleum. Three coats brushed on and 24 hrs between coats.
Conclusion may be a mild reduction in temps. But I don’t know if constant heat, like a drive, would allow more heat to transfer. Since I took the temps immediately back to back and couldn’t monitor both sides simultaneously.
There may be a slight reduction in heat transferred to the passenger compartment. But had I known the minimal reduction I would not have bothered.
Does anyone know how this compares to the stick on type heat insulation ?
Here are some photos of my approach. Jet hot on bottom of transmission cover, heat baffling around shift lever, jet hot coating on entire exhaust system (including manifolds), DEI tunnel insulation, and a full width aluminum honeycomb heat deflector over exhaust system. There’s also Mylar bubble sheeting in strategic locations in the footwells.
Nice work!!
I am presently tackling same job.
On a mission to insulate it well enough to survive re-entry into earths atmosphere!!
I got ceramic coated manifolds. Made aluminum heat shields w air gaps. I have a wrap to put over exhausts. Also this insulated foil material called ‘Design Engineer’ which will go in tunnel and under floor.
I also took before heat temps with just carpet and NO underlayment. Will let anyone interested know the final temp readings in a few weeks time.
Below is photo of that insulate I ordered.
Just keep in mind, the heat does eventually have to come out of the system. Watch the paint above the resonators while not moving, they will now be the first radiant mass.
I know an MGB owner who heat-taped the pipe up the wazzoo to the muffler to push all the heat out to the rear. One night he pulled into his driveway and his neighbor ran over to tell him that his muffler was glowing red hot.
When I ran a race car, in a class that used a Mazda rotary, officials at some tracks would get very alarmed at us (most of the cars were Wankel-powered). We would have to educate them.
The exhausts were pretty visible… My car, being rear-engined, the pipes were in complete view of God, the spectators, AND the officials.
Moral of the story: you DO NOT wrap rotary engine exhausts.
Commonly, the rate of heat transfer through a material reduces as thickness increases. A thin layer such as paint will have relatively small effect compared to a blanket. Car radiators typically are painted black for aesthetics because the paint layer is thin enough to not slow the heat transfer unacceptably.
If an insulating layer is put between a heat source and a region desired to be kept cooler, there will be two interesting operation modes with differing results. At introduction of heat source, before the insulating layer comes to equilibrium, and in steady-state when the insulator has reached a steady temperature profile. Something may be seen to work momentarily and not have desired effect going down the road.
And do pay attention to where the energy goes if insulation layers change original design intentions for heat transfer locations. Sometimes beneficial to add layers, sometimes unintended consequences.
Years ago I saw this demonstrated at trade shows, but with a raw egg instead of ice cubes. I wonder if the result would be the same if the pan sat on the hot plate for half an hour or so before trying the test.
My car, being rear-engined, the pipes were in complete view of God, the spectators, AND the officials.
