The most reliable way of monitoring the disc temperature is by the application of indicating paints. Use of pit lane thermocouple
temperatures is useful for achieving a front / rear balance. The green (430oC) and red (610oC) paints must only be used. The Orange paint in most kits should not be used as this will damage the disc.

If the disc O/D is painted with either brown or grey antioxidant paint, this and the grey CVD coating must be completely removed from the section of the disc before the paints are applied. Failure to do this could result in the indicating paint not changing colour, regardless of the operating temperature.The temperature paint colour change is not instantaneous, but is accelerated by higher temperature and the time at temperature is cumulative. It is therefore advisable that at least 5 consecutive laps at representative speed are completed before reference to the temperature paint. Turning the green paint 75% across disc width is adequate. Turning the red paint just on the disc edges (2-3mm) is acceptable. Running the material at higher temperatures will only result in increased wear rate. If the red paint has changed across the entire disc width, extra cooling must be applied. Continued running at this level of temperature may result in excessively high wear rates, and can lead to weakening of the disc structure.