I was refering more to the Chasis about the ceramic bearings being useless.
The Engine might be the only place that it might be helpful, but even in this situation, a heat stabalized bearing would be better served in this application if the temps are above 120C.
bearings are typically made of 52100 Steel hardened to the following:
Inner/outer ring = 59 ~ 65 HRC
Rolling Element = 62 ~ 67 HRC
They can operate in temps up to and a little higher than 120C.
I am guessing most or all of the engine components can not operate regularly at 120C so if there are bearing issues due to heat, it is likely that many other engine components are failing. Also, as you can see from the above, the ball is already the strongest component of a bearing. Typically the weak link in a bearing is the retainer and the inner ring. If Temp and lub are marginal, the retainer (if pressed steel)and inner ring are typically the first things to go. Retainer because its soft, and the inner ring because of its shape, has the highest contact stresses.
When you purchase a ceramic bearing it is typically only the rolling elements that are ceramic. some of the advantages of bearings with ceramic rolling elements:
1. Typically higher speeds are achievable (~30% higher than std bearing) because of the reduced rotating mass of the rolling elements. This is assuming you are also increasing the precision grade of the bearing.
2. Sometimes during a failure of a bearing, you get micro welding of the balls to the raceways, this would not happen with a bearing with a ceramic rolling elements, so the life to complete failure would be longer.
3. One of the biggest applications is in electric motors in situations where stray electric currents can transfer through the bearing. In this case, fluting (a pattern on the rolling surfaces caused by electric arcing) can occure. To avoid the fluting, ceramic rolling elements are used.