Radiator/ Intercooler Black Paint mythbusted

5.0Moe

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I just thought I'd share this with you guys, I found it pretty interesting.

[video=youtube;f1QL9veQaNg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1QL9veQaNg[/video]

If you don't feel like watching, they basically test a black intercooler vs unpainted and determine which one has cooler temps. Black outperforms by very little while "moving" and almost double while sitting stationary! Long story short, black intercoolers and radiators will cool down much faster compared to unpainted.

Now here's the purpose of the thread. I just got my CDC Performance grille from american muscle and the radiator is extremely noticeable since there is no mesh in the grille. Im going to be painting it black, but with what paint? Some say self etching primer, some say radiator paint, others say regular engine paint.

What do you guys think?
 

SVTORANGE

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I would use Rustoleum(spelling) that is both primer and paint mixed together it sprays and coats very well
 

busdriver

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Not crazy shocking. When the car is moving, there is a large amount of air passing through the radiator/inter-cooler (really a heat exchanger) so the dominate method of getting heat out of the coolant and into the passing air is convective. When sitting still there is no air flow so the primary method of getting heat out of the coolant is through radiation. Radiation is dependent on the emissivity of the surface responsible for radiating heat. Black has the highest emissivity, the worst color for a radiator would be a polished surface. Emissivity is a two way street however, that's why black interiors get really hot in the summer. Radiation doesn't work as well as convection, that's why there are fans on radiators. Funny enough this concept is also why the SR-71 was painted black, to get rid of airframe heat at high altitude. Cool video non-the less, it's fun seeing science in action.
 

97SaleenS281

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Ive read that it doesnt dry well and doesnt cover the area unless you really pile it on, which is kind of defeating the purpose to me

Just wondering what type of paint you ended up using? I have always had good luck with high temp paint made by rustoleum. As for self etching primer, I don't think this would be good in this application due to the heat but I could be wrong.
 

SVT_Troy

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I used high temp engine paint but I didn't do the fins so I don't think it matters.

IMG_2240_zps6e906cf1.jpg
 

5.0Moe

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Just wondering what type of paint you ended up using? I have always had good luck with high temp paint made by rustoleum. As for self etching primer, I don't think this would be good in this application due to the heat but I could be wrong.

I ended up ordering Eastwood Radiator specific paint, which is a thin acrylic enamel made for radiators. Havent sprayed it yet, but I'll post a pic when I get around to it.
http://www.eastwood.com/ew-radiator...ode=ga220010&gclid=CNnW6J226r8CFa_m7AodIG0ASw
 

tbev

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From an engineering background my only reservations would be the temperature of objects around. Radiative emissions go directly to or from the objects around them based on temperature differentials. If the road in front of you has line of sight to your intercooler and is hotter or your radiator behind it is hotter or god forbid your radiator is in the sunlight you will have radiative heat transfer to the intercooler. That said the amount of heat exchanged by radiation while in motion is proportionally small compared to that of forced convection.
 

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