Thread: Intercooler pipes

I like the look of the VHT flameproof, and think it be cool to have everything match. Question is, would it be bad to have the IC pipes sprayed with this? I would oven cure them to help it hold up, but would this cause the air intake temps to be higher then if they were uncoated with this?

did my ic piping with this stuff, noticed no real difference.. other than the color

Nice, thats truly only reason I want to do it. Just don't want it to be bad to do.

I'm using the VHT wrinkle black, it's not exactly flame proof, only good for about 350 degrees.
I think the flame proof stuff can just tolerate up to about 2000 degrees, to be able to paint the exhaust. I don't think it really has any benefit as to "holding in the heat," it's just a pretty paint that can handle high temps.

I might have to look for the wrinkle black for my intake.

it probly wont affect it all that much. yea it'd lose the ability to dissipate it but i think it'd be minimal

I picked up a can of the wrinkle black for the intake and cold side, still thinking I will use the frameproof for the hot side.

wrinkle should hold up on the hot side. I have it on my valve cover with no issues at all

Insulate* was the word I was looking for last night. The flameproof paint doesn't really do any insulation or anything, I really think it's just for looks.

My hotside is wrinkle blacked also, I haven't noticed anything coming off. If anything do a base coat of flame proof then wrinkle. You honestly don't see the hotside pipes though... So wrinkle isn't needed really.

Originally Posted by thesammythecurse

Insulate* was the word I was looking for last night. The flameproof paint doesn't really do any insulation or anything, I really think it's just for looks.

My hotside is wrinkle blacked also, I haven't noticed anything coming off. If anything do a base coat of flame proof then wrinkle. You honestly don't see the hotside pipes though... So wrinkle isn't needed really.

Tell me if this theory is flawed or not....a reflective color would actually refract heat as opposed to a dark color which would attract heat? Not that it will make a huge difference, it's still in the darn engine bay...lol.

Please excuse me if I misspelled or misused any words/terms.

I'm not sure... Is heat attracted to dark colors, or is light attracted to dark colors? In an engine bay, everything is dark since light is what gives the ability to see color... Everything's black with the lights offs, or the hood closed. Lol.

i dont think the attracting heat would really be the issue. aluminum itself is naturally excellent at dissipating heat. if you coat the aluminum it just wont do that as well but i still dont think its gonna be a killer decision lol. if you were painting your intercooler on the other hand... then you may have issues

Originally Posted by L8YBUG

if you were painting your intercooler on the other hand... then you may have issues

thats what radiator paint is for....I'm considering doing that too, or buying a black misu radiator with 3inch in and out.

Originally Posted by thesammythecurse

I'm not sure... Is heat attracted to dark colors, or is light attracted to dark colors? In an engine bay, everything is dark since light is what gives the ability to see color... Everything's black with the lights offs, or the hood closed. Lol.

I kinda follow your theory, I was thinking along the lines of black shirt vs white shirt on a sunny day, but the hood being closed it's pretty dark in there I assume...so...

it's really about whether the paint is breathable or not. people use bbq grill paint for intercoolers, and wonder why they see increase in temps, rater than them dropping or staying the same. i read a lot about this before painting my intercooler and piping. seemed like the piping was negligible, but the intercooler was where people were encountering problems. most people just lay the paint on, which blocks the thermal dissipation of heat. however, if you lay a few lightly misted coats (where if you're right up on the intercooler it looks like a shit paint job, but from 2 feet or behind the bumper it looks fine) you'll leave the intercooler enough room to 'breathe' as it should.

radiator paint is good, but hard to find in most parts stores. you could also have your intercooler anodized, which would not affect the performance, since anodizing doesn't actually 'paint' the part.

if you want something strictly for blocking heat, gold foil tape is what you're looking for. expensive, but worth its weight in gold (ha-ha).

I was more or less just wanting to make sure by painting the pipe with vht flameproof, the header paint, that I wouldn't have increased temperatures. Not wanting it to help lower or block heat, just wanting everything under my hood to match that look.

you'll be just fine

Originally Posted by risforroy

it's really about whether the paint is breathable or not. people use bbq grill paint for intercoolers, and wonder why they see increase in temps, rater than them dropping or staying the same. i read a lot about this before painting my intercooler and piping. seemed like the piping was negligible, but the intercooler was where people were encountering problems. most people just lay the paint on, which blocks the thermal dissipation of heat. however, if you lay a few lightly misted coats (where if you're right up on the intercooler it looks like a shit paint job, but from 2 feet or behind the bumper it looks fine) you'll leave the intercooler enough room to 'breathe' as it should.

radiator paint is good, but hard to find in most parts stores. you could also have your intercooler anodized, which would not affect the performance, since anodizing doesn't actually 'paint' the part.

if you want something strictly for blocking heat, gold foil tape is what you're looking for. expensive, but worth its weight in gold (ha-ha).

Man I wanna paint my intercooler black i really want that sleeper look. Sorry to budge in, but vht flame proof paint doesn't do anything to the temperature or flow within the pipes. people down here in Miami have all kinds of fruity colored pipes and still pushing hard, well over 400whp.

Originally Posted by thesammythecurse

I'm not sure... Is heat attracted to dark colors, or is light attracted to dark colors? In an engine bay, everything is dark since light is what gives the ability to see color... Everything's black with the lights offs, or the hood closed. Lol.

And pink in the middle!

Go Tarheels! Go Panthers!

so, is it possible to maintain good flow of the intercooler by painting it black? if so, what kind of paint? I'm sure Bryan would also like to know