Black Intercooler?

911st · 07-09-2009, 06:34 AM

Has anyone thought of having there intercooler anodized black?

I wonder if this would increase thermal transfer and efficiency?

willtel · 07-09-2009, 08:08 AM

I would think any coating would lower thermal transfer but I don't think it would be enough to measure it, were the factory intercoolers anodized or it is another type of coating?

This place sells DIY anodizing kits. http://caswellplating.com/

kycarguy 935 · 07-09-2009, 08:25 AM

Andial's intercooler is black and if the thermal transfer was noticeable over the years they would have changed it.

David · David's Garage

I thought about it. Anodizing wouldn't add much if any insulation since it's more of a dye than a coating.

It would dissapate heat better, but it'll also absorb heat better. Still probably better off black than silver.

Something else for my 930 to-do list

spence88mph · 07-10-2009, 12:58 AM

so many black intercoolers you see are scratched and look tired IMO, does look way more oem though. I think the best looking cooler on a 930 is the 965 unit and it's black.

911st · 07-10-2009, 06:31 AM

Seems most production Porsche I/C's are black. Wonder if that is cosmetics or function.

Is the 944T IC black?

I think the factory Porsche race I/C's might remain bare but do not recall.

JFairman · 07-10-2009, 12:20 PM

If it was a better for them to be anodized black then race cars would have black intercoolers...
Of all the many race winning turbocharged porsche race cars I've seen at Gunnar Porsche, none of them were black.
They were all clear anodized aluminum.

911st · 07-10-2009, 12:57 PM

So it must be a cosmetics thing for production Porsche's?

Or do race cars have such large IC's and so much air flow through the IC's they do not need it?

I have to belive Black transfers heat better than silver a lot better. Is is signifficant at the air exchange rate we experance, I have not a clue.

JFairman · 07-10-2009, 01:10 PM

Wouldn't black also absorb more heat from the engine in the case of injection mounted intercoolers, or from the hot oil coolers that are mounted right next the intercoolers in sidepod mounted intercooler installations like some 935's, 936, 956, and the origonal 962?

If making them black gave the car a chance of turning one lap in a 24 hour race .1 second faster, it would have been done.
Anodizing an intercooler would be an very small expense compared to everything else on a race team.

911st · 07-10-2009, 01:18 PM

I can live with that.

If we belive Porsche alwas mades the best decission, whey do they do in on most of there street cars?

So it looks better when we lift the hood?

Agreed, if black transferes heat faster, it will absorbe heat faster also. Thus, when the motor is running and exchanging a lot of air for the intake and the cooling fan, there could be an advantage. Then, when the motor is turned off, it would absorb heat quicker.

Again, it is probably for a look or they needed some type of finish to keep it looking nice.