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

[tt281gt]

oops i forgot the pics here u go... as of right now theyre all aluminum color but i may paint em (wheels and fmic) like this:

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Like my PS skills eh!?

 

[CyberEye]

That's either a very small dog, or a HUGE intercooler


oh yeah and johnnyracecar sells anodized fmic's.
yours looks great

 

[karbon]

inmeasurable (is that a word? )

immeasureable
Nice intercooler though, not a completely new idea but you're the first I've seen to carry it out. I like it because I can't see it!

 

[Module Unknown]

I ended up painting my fmic and have noticed no ill effects. I was hesitant at first about painting and spent a couple months going to every metal finisher in my area trying to find someone to anodize my fmic. With no luck, I decided to just paint the thing. The amount of paint that I applied was so small that I doubt anyone would ever notice a loss in efficiency. The paint that I used was BBQ grill paint that can be found at any hardware store (in case anyone is interested). So far it's been holding up pretty well.

 

[dhonda]

Hmmm... I appreciate the feed back, but I was hoping to see some photos so I could make the determination myself. Originally, I wanted to get an upgraded smic like Hahn,ADFX, or Dejon Tool, but after countless posts saying don't waste your money etc..I wanted to see what my other option was. This is some what of a tangent, but assume you had my setup (plus AFC 550cc and some tuning/data logging tool) and you were nevering going to go beyond this performance goal
[I know everyone says this and then goes bigger. Trust me, I am happy without AFC + 550cc, but I am getting them pratically free]

would you get a:
A) FMIC (blacked out)
B) Super SMIC like Dejon Tool
C) Supra SMIC
D) Do nothing and spend the extra money on beer as I won't really heat soak with Big T28.

TIA

 

[98eclipseRS]

^^^well you need to upgrade becuase you will heatsoak with the t28/big28 whatever you have. When I had the 550's and big28 at 18psi I would heatsoak so bad that you could psyically feel the car pull timing the knock and intake temps were so bad. I say go with a fmic. It leaves you room just incase you ever do decide to go bigger(which I honestly think you will, trust me been there done that four times now) but even if you don't a fmic will never heatsoak with a big28 whereas you could possibly reach the limits of the sidemoutn(even an upgraded one) with the big28.

My second suggestion would be to put the fmic then decide if you really want to paint it. I know you are going for the sleeper look but these cars are notorious now, you can't really make these cars too sleeper. hell my car looks stock as hell with just a drop and fmic and I still can't get people to race me and if they come up from behind you they don't know you have the fmic. another thing I have seen done several times is to get womens stockings/nylons and put them over the fmic makes the sleeper style look but not permanantely or in a way that it is a pain in the ass to remove all the paint.

I should be at the shop in the next few days and I will snap some pics of the black fmic.

 

[jessebenner]

I wouldn't paint/anodize things like radiator or intercooler. They have a purpose(exchangeing heat)If the fins are restricted you can no longer do that effectively.

There are special paints available for this specific purpose. I've seen special radiator paint in a catalog my friend had who owns a body shop. It says it has no effect on the cooling ability. When I eventually get a FMIC, I'll probably do this as well.

 

[dhonda]

Maybe I wasn't clear. I could care less about the "racers". I don't want to have a problem when I get smogged (Ca) and I don't want cops to hassle me. That is really the reason for all of this. The thermal resistance offered by adding spray paint is not relevant for me as I would be anodizing my fmic. Anodizing does not diminish the cooling capability at all. All I really want to see is how obvious it looks when colored dark.

Thanks again.

 

[KPWSerpiente]

What cops are going to hassle you about an intercooler? And how is it going to affect you being smogged? It looks like a big radiator....and that's because it is just a big radiator for compressed air.

-T

 

[98eclipseRS]

What cops are going to hassle you about an intercooler? And how is it going to affect you being smogged? It looks like a big radiator....and that's because it is just a big radiator for compressed air.

-T

we live in cali bro

 

[dhonda]

>What cops are going to hassle you about an intercooler?
Any cop that wants to...they don't like imports here. They will pull you over for no front plate if they have to. It is just a headache that I don't want to deal with.

>And how is it going to affect you being smogged?
We have a visual inspection done of the car for smog. You can fail for just about anything. Having just one hose not connected will make you fail if they want to be a dick. (They always are dicks) My smogging isn't for a while, but I don't need the whole hassle of trying to take off my fmic and then later put it back on and check for leaks and tune again.

Now a combination of the two. Cop doesn't like import. He sees fmic and forces me to go to smog ref and I have to be screwed twice now.

 

[98eclipseRS]

your going to have to take the fmic off for smog regardless if you have it painted or not.

 

[Lunch_Box]

I wouldn't paint/anodize things like radiator or intercooler. They have a purpose(exchangeing heat)If the fins are restricted you can no longer do that effectively. IMO don't do it and save yourselff the heartache of having to replace things prematurely.

There was a thread a while back in the 4G63 performance area and it was said by many people and a few wisemen that anodizing or using a lite coat of spray paint on your FMIC wont harm your performance.

 

[Masakari]

cali....cant undestand why people stay there....stupid car regs..and no guns...sorry, i would have to go...but hes right, i doubt you will pass a cali smog test with an intercoller on period

 

[dhonda]

I hate this communist state..but the weather is so nice..and the girls are hot...(okay there are some redeeming qualities) I guess I am back to my first question. Trust me I don't want anything other than AFC & 550cc. Personally, I am happy with my current hp/tq output, but I am getting some stuff free and it seems like waste not do to it. So I wanted to be engine safe, not attract a lot of attention, and *if* possible pass the visual smog test.

B) Super SMIC like Dejon Tool
C) Supra SMIC
D) Do nothing and spend the extra money on beer and enjoy the heat soak.

Thanks

 

[98eclipseRS]

out of the three choices listed above buy the supra sidemount and then with the leftover money buy beer its the best of both worlds. Just don't drink and drive

 

[dhonda]

out of the three choices listed above buy the supra sidemount and then with the leftover money buy beer its the best of both worlds. Just don't drink and drive

Thanks 98eclipseRS, I appreciate your help. BTW...love your rims what are they (I don't see them listed on your profile.) Anyone else have feedback on my smic choices?

 

[98eclipseRS]

np bro that's what we are here for. As for the rims they are or were RS Limited Ricochets 17" in gunmetal. Unfortunately I don't have them anymore, but have been looking into getting a set again. They look super good on 2g's

 

[GOT 2RBO]

Just don't drink and drive

i agree, don't drink and drive.... you might spill your drink!!!

 

[dhonda]

i agree, don't drink and drive.... you might spill your drink!!!

I got a cup holder; should be cool

 

[Thomas91169]

anodized/powdercoated should not affect the cooling capibilities at all, because when you bake the powder mix it turns into a metal, thus has the same cooling properties as the metal underneath it.

painting would even have a very minimal effect on cooling, youd have to put alot of layers to start to get thick enough to hinder cooling.

when i get my fmic i will also be powdercoating it black. here in cali any modification to intake, exhaust, fuel, is ILLEGAL. if all i had was hard chrome IC pipes and stock airbox its still illegal.

if i take it to a off the wall smog place they prolly wouldnt notice a black or even chromed fmic, but if you get cited and have to go to a state referree station they look at EVERYTHING and more than likely youd fail. with a black fmic theres less of a chance to be pulled over for it.

being a cali tuner is cool cause we have to be smarter than the rest of the country with our mods and placement of parts and such. plus having to run with cats none of the cars around here sound like ass(well except for the hondas).

 

[stock1g4g63]

Well, since my motor's getting built in the shop right now and I have nothing to do while I'm awaiting a job transfer, I decided to take off my intercooler and paint it, and all the piping, black....

I know it's a little dirty, but I was too lazy to wash the car for two pictures.

 

[ChicksDigBoost]

Did you just rattle can it?

 

[stock1g4g63]

Did you just rattle can it?

Yeah. A few light coats. We did it on my friend's car, doesn't impede FMIC performance at all. Lasts quite a while too, there's only a few nicks off the paint after 7 months.

 

[Killa_dsm]

Looks pretty good , can you get some more pics of it in the day time?