hey guys, can someone tell me how to correctly paint my turbonetics intercooler black? i know powdercoating is a big no no so that meens i need to paint it right? can someone tell me what stuff to use and how please. thanks!

 

Any sort of paint or standard powdercoat will decrease the efficiency of the intercooler core. Your best bet is to find a powder coating shop that can do TDC (thermal displacement coating). This coating not only looks good, but actually improves heat transfer efficiency.

 

I did mine just for ***** and giggles and to see how it would look but Craig is right it does reduce the cooling efficency a bit.

 

ed yours is the reason i wanna do it! but i heard you never tell anyone where you got yours done at?!

 

thanks taurran....now where to find a good powdercoater who uses tdc around so cal...

 

Actually it's simply from a spray can

 

I'd call local performance shops or look up powdercoaters in the area. One is likely to be able to do it.

I know that nitrouz had his done, but he lives in the bay area...

 

You can paint your intercooler most definitly. The percentage of effeciency decrease is minimal and would most likely be un noticable if you just sprayed it with spray paint.

Bell intercoolers has something on their website regarding this. I am going to powder coat my end tanks only.

 

But if you had a choice, you would not use standard paint, which is pretty resistant to heat transfer.

You should choose a material that promotes heat transfer that "just so happens" to be black. What that material might be, I'm not sure. But as I've seen, there are some suggestions in this thread already.


Or, would it be even better to get it anodized? Similar to ray's lugs which are black coated aluminum, which are anodized, not painted. Anodized materials feel much cooler to the touch compared with painted materials. Hence, better heat transfer.

 

i used high temp brake caliper paint... my tuner said there would be no difference in cooling efficiency since it will be better against heat then powdercoating etc...good luck in ur desicion..

 

You could get it chromic acid anodized. This process basically builds on the existing oxide layer on the aluminum, but can be dyed so can get it in any color you want.

From a theoretical standpoint, any oxidation will act as an insulator, and the best material from a heat transfer perspective would be the bare aluminum. However, bare aluminum quickly forms a layer of oxidation when exposed to atmosphere, plus the anodization process adds a fairly negligible thickness of oxide, so you won't notice any adverse effects.

 

that's what I'm talking about

 

Wouldn't an anodized coating be prone to chipping?

 

Yes and no. Most conventional anodizing methods do produce "soft" oxide layers that do provide protection, but are also susceptible to chipping. These conventional methods generally use 10-15 amperes per square foot through the electrolyte solution used.

Hard Anodizing/Hard Coating typically uses a higher current density of about 25 amperes per square foot through the solution, but this is generally a proprietary process that has a few other variables and is inevitably more expensive. It does however created a thicker, much tougher, corrosion resistant layer.

Back to conventional anodizing - The oxide layer permeates the surface of the aluminum and creates a strong chemical bond with the material, whereas paint or powder coating just form mechanical surface bonds.

Since the oxide layer in anodizing is much thinner than a powder coated or even painted surface, the strength benefits are probably offset. However for the purpose of an inter cooler, traditional anodizing should be sufficient.

 

+1

Any loss would be negligible.

 

If the decrease in overall IC efficiency is only a few small percent, they are percents that I'll take to make my car run better.

Real data:
Most air:air ICs are less than 80% efficient, and down as low as 50-60% (measured numbers). Depending on the set-up, a decrease as little as 5% of IC efficiency impacts the IC outlet temp up to 10F. I'll take 10F lower any day of the week.

IC efficiency = [T(c) - T(o)]/[T(c) - T(a)], where T(c) = Temp at compressor (or IC inlet), T(o) = Temp at IC outlet, T(a) = ambient

I see that Bell suggests they can be painted/PC'd, but they suggest only the endtanks and a "small sacrifice" in performance for a reason.

 

ed that looks pretty sick on the spearco ic..good job

 

http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?i...emType=PRODUCT

 

Thanks.....I just don't want to get pinched and have my car towed away for driving a illegally modified car. If they stop me I would also have to report to a smog referee and removed the kit from my car.......California sucks

 

damn that is horrible...i just got nailed up in MA with an exhaust ticket as well...no altered exhausts allowed...these laws are getting kind of lame. good luck and hope the cops dont notice!