Intercooler surface temperature?

[Compulsive]

Has anyone measured the interecooler surface temperature on a hi-po 930? I plan to powder coat the end tank and sides of the core but want to make sure that it won't get hot enough to melt/burn off. Ceramic coating isn't available in the color I want to use.

[rsrfan]

No temperature data, but I believe that powdercoating will be fine. The stock intercoolers are painted for what it is worth. (I am running a C2 intercooler) There is some debate regarding paint inhibiting heat transfer. However, I have been told that if the core is properly sized this is a non issue.

JP

[Craig 930 RS]

Won't matter.
RUF ICs come painted FWTW...

[turbobrat930]

good to go... powdercoat away... just stay away from the fins!!

[fredmeister]

Inlet temps from the turbo under load are on the order of 350 degrees F which should be max surface temps you will see on the inlet tank. Unless it gets slightly higher from heat soaking after shutdown....but doubt it.
Low emmisity paint might help with heat transfer on the end tanks....read "black paint" but probably anything less than bare aluminum on the cores should be avoided.

[David]

I'd be worried about the paint holding in heat. Has anyone looked into black anodizing?

[WERK I]

Powder coating will handle the temps but it will affect the thermo-conductivity of the IC. You're sacrificing IC efficiency to look pretty.
My $0.02......Best to leave it as is, have it polished or have it painted with the same type of paint they use for air conditioning condensers, automotive radiators and oil coolers.

[fredmeister]

Originally Posted by WERK-I

Powder coating will handle the temps but it will affect the thermo-conductivity of the IC. You're sacrificing IC efficiency to look pretty.
My $0.02......Best to leave it as is, have it polished or have it painted with the same type of paint they use for air conditioning condensers, automotive radiators and oil coolers.

Basically what I said about low thermal emissive paint. The color black has the lowest heat emissive constant....that is why Porsche painted everything black, white or polished surfaces like chrome are the worst.

[spuggy]

Originally Posted by fredmeister

white or polished surfaces like chrome are the worst.

What Fred said. I'm told that rough cast surfaces have more surface area than smooth polished ones... Whether you can actually measure a difference in heat transfer rate is another question...

[slow&rusty]

I have the equipment to do this measurement across the intercooler and can definitely record some numbers and post it. I do have a non-stock IC that is polished and it is a huge upgrade over the flimsy poor excuse of an IC that our cars come with.

Yasin

[Compulsive]

Thanks for the replies. Off to the painter I go.

[BoxxerSix]

Or better yet, send the IC to Swain Tech and have it coated in heat emitting coating.....called BBE. Satin black in color too....

I've just started using this on some Subarus here who retain the top mount intercoolers and it seems to work well. I have yet to try it out on heads and cases on an aircooled engine as Swain says you can apply as such, but I think on my next customer build I may opt a deal with that customer to have it done(I pay for it) so that I can do some testing on the dyno with the coating and see what it does in that sort of application.

[Craig 930 RS]

As long as the paint isn't thick, I'm bettin' the actual, real, practical difference between paints etc. is almost zilch.
From what I've measured, I'd put efforts into shrouding and airflow through the intercooler -