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[esi42]

Like the title states....

Does painting the intercooler affect how well it cools the air that flows throught it?

I love the sleeper flat black or camo look but dont want to create problems.

Thoughts?

[hamburgler]

I've read that it lowers the IC's efficiency.  I have never tried it, but would love to do it.  How much will it effect cooling?  I don't know.  I could also be totally wrong, but this is just what I have heard.

[stealthiskey]

nope, it will perform the same.

[hamburgler]

How will it be the same when the cool air now has to soak through primer and a couple layers of paint?

[marcj]

most people just put a layer of flat black on. I don't think the single layer would have any thermal effect what so ever, unless it was sitting in direct sunlight. you might see a tenth of a degree difference, but to remain stealth to thieves is worth it.

[highroller54]

garrets website says a light layer of paint is fine.

[hamburgler]

Cool, I might do this now.

[jeffsciv23]

i painted my old one flat black and didnt notice any difference in its performance. but it was just a light coat

[speedjunky01]

think about how an intercooler works, the front leading most edge of the fins/bars that get painted have minuscule surface area. most of the cooling happens IN the intercooler as air travels down all of the individual passages.

since the paint only sticks to the outer most front and not the passages in the middle, minimal cooling surface area is lost.

in theory there might be a slight loss from painting it, but nothing that could be felt or noticed even on a dyno with a big fan blowing on the IC.

this is all just me babeling, no actual data, but if you are cursing at a decent speed your IAT's will stay fairly constant when air is going through it even with the sun beating on it. if you were in traffic and the sun was blasting down on the IC it would get a decent amount hotter but at idle IAT's really arent too big of a deal. the minute you start moving, you get the efficiency back.

[esi42]

think about how an intercooler works, the front leading most edge of the fins/bars that get painted have minuscule surface area. most of the cooling happens IN the intercooler as air travels down all of the individual passages.

since the paint only sticks to the outer most front and not the passages in the middle, minimal cooling surface area is lost.

Makes sense.  Thanks guys.

[BoostForLife]

I painted my flat black and can't notice a fucking difference.
Especially can't notice difference because I went from an Ebay 57trim to HX35G Holset bitch.

Just paint it and enjoy creeping on people's ass on the freeway. It's much funner when you rape an asshole with a surprise.

[ryan89crx]

How will it be the same when the cool air now has to soak through primer and a couple layers of paint?

who puts primer and 3 layers of paint on an intercooler? its not the same idea as painting a car. a LIGHT mist of black paint on the face of the intercooler only with have extremely minimal efficiency loss

[speedjunky01]

think about how an intercooler works, the front leading most edge of the fins/bars that get painted have minuscule surface area. most of the cooling happens IN the intercooler as air travels down all of the individual passages.

since the paint only sticks to the outer most front and not the passages in the middle, minimal cooling surface area is lost.

Makes sense.  Thanks guys.

no problem man paint it up sleeper style

[stealthiskey]

Yea, one light spray from the front.  There's a high thermal conductive paint called radiator paint you can use.

Most people only think about the conduction to ambient air.  Adding paint to the leading edges will do almost nothing to diminish this.  Plus the increased thermal mass from the added paint will keep the IC cooler longer once your turbo begins compressing air (more mass takes longer to heatsoak).  ALSO black objects will evacuate more heat energy through thermal radiation than silver objects of the same material. 

[Conceptz-X]

dont go all ME on us now

[SloS13]

spray-paint stenciling 'RHMT' will increase the efficency 80%, reaching IAT's of upto 50 Fahrenheit below ambient temp.

[esi42]

^^Thats the answer I was looking for 

[imburne]

Just don't use the engine paint black. look for radiator paint. The high heat paint will insulate the heat instead of dissipating it.

[Foowee]

Just don't use the engine paint black. look for radiator paint.

Word...  http://www.eastwood.com/ew-radiator-black-12oz-satin-finish.html

Just dust coat the front.