Painting A FMIC Flat Black intercooler paint ic [Merged 12-6]

[sven7884]

is it ok to paint your intercooler with plain spray paint? i was just wondering cuz me and my friend were arguing about it

 

[sven7884]

does anybody know if its alright to paint your intercooler with plain spray paint?

 

[Cirus_93TSI]

plenty of people have painted their intercooler, i believe there is even an install of a griffen/spearco IC on RRE's site where they paint it flat black, so you cant even see it on the black 2g they put it on.

if you think about it, the fins just let the air pass across the tubes your intake air flows through, just like a ridiator. as long as you dont cover the holes between the fins with spray paint so that air cant get through it shouldnt be a problem

but if you do paint it, do alot of very thin coats on the core so it gets as little paint on inbetween the fins and down into the core as possible. using too much paint could possibly reduce its ability to cool your intake air a little bit, but its doubtfun unless you use way too much paint

 

[ltvarney]

You could lightly coat it with some paint if you want to go stealth.

http://www.vfaq.com/mods/Starquest.html

 

[97GS-TSpyder]

thay actually make a black radiator spray paint that doesnt reduce air flow at all

 

[LandoAWD]

I wouldn't be worried about flow, rather how the paint will affect heat dissipation. Ever consider powdercoating?

 

[Hooah]

first...yes i looked on tuners, second i heard that if you plan to spray paint it (the whole thing (black) ) that you want to use anodized spray paint...or will any high temp paint suffice?

 

[IHeartTurbo]

No, you don't paint it. You get it anodized, which turns it black. Painting is a nono.

 

[TTalon]

how do u get it anodized??

 

[Defiant]

Plating service.

 

[Hooah]

grr..so anodized spray paint wont work huh

 

[chriw21_2000]

Painting, or any plating is like puting a blanket on the IC. It holds the heat in losing its effenciency. I would leave it alone.

Laterz

 

[Zero Banger]

To anodize the aluminum is negating the desired effect of the IC.
It reduces heat transfer like the post above says, resulting in higher IAT and less density of the charge air.

 

[MNGSX]

I made mine kinda hidden.. The whole trick is to use a grille. I had to trim my lower front fascia a bit to get it in.. I just remounted the factory grillework further forward on the bumper and will use black mesh to not only protect it but break up the shape as viewed from the front. Mask the shape by things that draw peoples eyes away from it but don't paint or anodize it. You might get away with painting the end tanks but I mask them with the glass lens panels I removed from my factory fog lights.

 

[herostar]

there are also special paints for doing this... one company also has an anodizing process that somehow electrically makes the metal black, so it has all the same properties of cooling, without painting to make it black.

 

[Wobble]

regular paint is insulative, if you paint your IC it wil decrease the efficancy of heat transfer...





BLING!

 

[nine5raptor]

Powdercoating might work, but I definately would not spray an acrylic paint on there.

Anodizing would be the best.

 

[90CherryTSI]

Anyone have any pics of a painted FMIC on their car? I'm sure it'd need high temp paint but I'm guessing it'd look pretty sweet/hidden. I know it's nice when ppl "see it" and ooo ahhh a FMIC but still, anyone done this? Any disadvantages? If it's painted properly it shouldn't clog up any air flow between the fins or anything enough to matter ya think?

 

[blackblitzturbo]

i saw something on this in a mag it was painted flat black and looked like a ac condensor and i think its a good idea and it said it did not affect performance but i dont know

 

[badboyr66]

have it anodized black, paint will come off and take away from it's cooling ability a little bit

 

[sophat34]

like the above poster said, have it anodized black. the diffrence is that when you anodize an aluminum part you are adding another layer of colored aluminum. your not adding a coating like paint that will insulate the metal and reduce the cooling ability of the intercooler.

 

[igopoopy]

put a black grill in front of the ic it kinda hides it

 

['96_Talon_TSi]

Go to your local grill/ patio store and see if they have grill paint. It will take just about any temperature, and wont affect the cooling capabilities.

 

[ITSME4G63]

Is this the process used for making the fmic black? I mean It is black anodize and I've seen a car or two with a black intercooler I'm just not sure what kind of coating it has. Plus, Another question is, if you coat your fmic black won't your intake charge be a little bit warmer compared to the fmic not being black during the summer? (obviously because heat is attracked to black)

 

[TURFNNSURF]

Heat is not attracted to black! Rather more light is absorbed by black making it get hot faster than other colors. Since your intercooler is behind/below the bumper cover and mostly shaded it should not incure any more heat than an aluminum one. Unless your racing off into the sunset and the setting sun heatsoaks your FMIC before you finish the race.