painting a polished intercooler

[David P]

Leave it overnight in one of those oven cleaning bag chemical soaks.

 

The alkaline will turn the aluminium matt grey.

 

"Simples" !

Edited October 21, 2010 by David P (see edit history)

[Robzki]

I don't believe I'm giving supra/hammerite advice but hey.

 

Hammerite do a special metal primer for galv, alloy etc

 

I wouldn't paint any of the ic tbh. The metal is v thin on the fins for a reason. It relies on the fact that the warm air inside the ic passes through very quickly. It transfers the heat to the cold air passing over said thin metal on the outside. By painting it you are effectively adding an insulating layer.

 

If you are planning on painting an ic then buy an ebay special and paint that one, sell me the greddy and were both happy

 

You have to ask yourself if there is a reason that you don't get ic's in a range of chav colours.

 

In no way is any of this said to influence your creativity

 

 

Also a Quick thought, but surely black would be the worst colour to paint something that you want to stay cool. Solar panels, solar heating, Black tshirts all get v hot in the summer, whereby silver reflects heat in a way. I know the ic is tucked up underneath but black would be the last colour I would paint it.

Edited October 21, 2010 by Robzki (see edit history)

[dude]

Give it a light coating of Acid 8 etch primer, you can get this in halfords, I believe a black intercooler will be more efficient, don't know where I read this but black will apparently disperse heat better.

[Robzki]

Give it a light coating of Acid 8 etch primer, you can get this in halfords, I believe a black intercooler will be more efficient, don't know where I read this but black will apparently disperse heat better.

 

Not wanting to question you. But I'd love to have that explained. how can a black radiator under the bonnet with no contact to uv light dispel heat better than a white, pink or green one? This would mean that the radiator had feelings and just felt cooler in black.

 

Radiators are surely painted black for looks and cost alone.

 

In my understanding a black ic etc will absorb uv and effectively heat up, you will then be passing warm/hot air through a warm/hot intercooler.

 

This is just my strong belief and would love to be told different, I do like to be proved wrong and learn something

Edited October 21, 2010 by Robzki (see edit history)

[dude]

Not wanting to question you. But I'd love to have that explained. how can a black radiator under the bonnet with no contact to uv light dispel heat better than a white, pink or green one?

 

Radiators are surely painted black for looks and cost alone.

 

In my understanding a black radiator/ic etc will absorb uv and effectively heat up, you will then be passing warm/hot air through a warm/hot intercooler.

 

This is just my strong belief and would love to be told different, I do like to be proved wrong and learn something

 

Like I said it was either explained or I read it somewhere i don't know the tech reason, but ask yourself why radiators are painted black;)

[Robzki]

I did, it was my point, in the post, you replied to

[dude]

It would appear to make little or no difference

 

http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_1239/article.html

[Robzki]

It would appear to make little or no difference

 

http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_1239/article.html

 

hmm, yeah I kind of agree, but that only explains the heat transfer from inside to the outside air temp. It doesn't explain the fact that the ic core will heat up when exposed to the sun on a hot summers day. It also doesn't explain why all/most ic's are left without paint.

 

I would love to see someone put 2 ait gauge probes either side of an intercooler and do a few weeks test with painted/unpainted ic's.

 

Rob

[Bailey.]

I know this seems alot of talk for nothing, but I just don't like the polished look, the car is all black with matt black uk 17's and fixed active spoiler, it looks as sutttle and stealth as a supra can, and then You have got a bloody great polished ic looking at u, just looks out of place!

[Robzki]

smic? then sell me the greddy?

[gjp]

etch primer

Then primer then paint

[nevins]

As I said previously give it a coat of acid 8 and then you can either primer over it then apply paint or just paint over the acid 8, simple and quick to do fella.

[Kalel]

Just buy a damn grill, £12.99 off fleabay. Job done. No science or explenation needed.

[Kalel]

Another thing, dudes right:

Car radiators are painted black because it emits the most heat through radiation (highest emissivity). This improves the heat transfer out of the radiator when air isn't moving through the radiator.

 

"black color = high emissivity/absorptivity" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_radiation

[Robzki]

Aahhh wiki, that makes it a lot clearer

 

Radiators do have feelings after all. Its because they know what pigment is in the paint they're coated in that make them so much more efficient in a pitch black engine bay. Its also why household radiators are black.

 

Black heats up during the day in sunlight. Its used everywhere from solar heating water to natural heating in greenhouses. people in hot countries wear light clothing etc. It also comes down to the fact that you are adding an insulating layer to the metal.

 

All this said its negligible. but it will make a difference on a hot summers day when you really need the ic to be working at its most efficient for the power levels.