Intercooler black paint experiment
 

Thought this was interesting and worth sharing.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f1QL9veQaNg


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1QL9veQaNg&hd=1






CLIFF NOTES.

Tested the temp in vs. temp out on an intercooler using a hair drier (simulate hot air coming from turbo) and thermal couples. Tested with no air flowing across the outside of the FMIC, then was tested with air flowing across it (using a radiator fan). Temps were measure in CELCIUS.

Bare Alum IC = 38* drop in temp with no airflow, 100* drop in temp with airflow
Black Spray Painted IC = 77* drop in temp with no airflow, 97* drop in temp with airflow.

Black performed significantly better with no airflow, both performed pretty much identical (marginal difference) w/ airflow.

Note that when they painted the outside of the FMIC, they don't appear to just shoot a light coat either. They prime and spray paint it with what appears to be a pretty healthy coat. Even blew the paint with a blower to try and get it as deep into the fins as possible

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

Interesting! Thanks for sharing.

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

Watched this last week. Pretty primitive way of testing, but it's gotta count for something!

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

LOL @ hairdrier being part of the tool kit in the miata!

Interesting results with no airflow, didn't expect that much difference but the science is def there.

Results with airflow: not surprising.

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

I'm with Scheides on this.

If there were any substantial performance or efficiency gain at all from this, all of our OE units would be black, radiators too. It isn't like this is brand-new technology that is just being implemented.

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

Interesting results for sure, especially with no airflow. Real life engine tests would be another story I think, would be interesting to see.

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

Geez not trying to start a debate or argument here, just thought I'd share the vid as I thought it was interesting, that's all. Never said it was some kinda new technology, just sharing stuff I found interesting.


FWIW, the two heat exchangers that came OEM on my car are black.

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

Screw you guys! I'm going to go paint my intercooler neon green!

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

I agree, plus the amount of money spent from the factory to coat parts black would add up. Being that stock applications are usually held back from maximum performance, I doubt manufacturers would see any value in spending that additional expense anyway.

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

Most OEM radiators, oil coolers, etc. are black or close to it.

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

I painted my IC black a few years ago along with my radiator. Purely aesthetic as I don't give a crap about a few degrees of supposed heat soak. I'll have to watch this when I'm not at work. :D

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

I actually think the testing is fairly sophisticated. Yes, it could be improved in a couple ways, but it's much better than a couple rednecks putting a meat thermometer on each end like you might otherwise expect from YouTube.

Stock Evo oil coolers are black.

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

Interesting. So in applications where the intercooler doesn't get as much airflow as a front mounted intercooler, it may be beneficial to paint an intercooler black. If I can get my brain around believing this, I may have to try it.

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

Like on a C7 supercharger kit with horizontal mount intercooler? :D

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

Or an NSX w/ it horizontally mounted in the rear...

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

Even better.

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

If only paint was like plasti-dip is supposed to be (peel-able). The core for that mofo was so expensive it'll be hard to paint it black.

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

Stock intercooler on the Exige was black (not sure if painted or anodized), my aftermarket one was black anodized. Both mounted upright on top of the motor. I have a rear mounted bare aluminum intercooler now, with sub-par airflow at less than highway speeds due to a steep angle off the rear deck, air likes to just pass over top instead of going through.

Mo, why not anodize it? Seems to me like that would be better than paint. Cost is a bit higher though.

Can't watch the video here at work, can anyone give cliff notes? Based on comments it seems like the black performed better with little airflow, but about the same with a fan across it?

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

I'd imagine trying to clean off any coating between the fins wouldn't be fun.

For now I like my shiny FMIC, but someday if it starts looking beat up it's nice to know painting it won't really hurt it.

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

Best of all worlds: black thermal dispersant coating

I had it on my Evo IX intake manifold and it looked good, plus seemed durable enough for an intercooler not in the direct fire of rocks and road debris.

If was effective enough to allow your hand to be held directly on the intake manifold plenum right after an autocross run; this was not possible before the coating. Not at all a scientific testing method, but it was enough real-world proof to be considered effective in my opinion.

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

Cliff notes added to first post for ya Andrew.

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

Until this thread, doing anything to the intercooler didn't even cross my mind. If I go down the black path, I will def consider anodizing.

That pretty much sums it up.

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

The thing I didn't like about the anodized intercoolers I've seen is they all seem to fade with age, especially the fins. Maybe they were just poor jobs (ETS, wouldn't surprise me) that didn't get good penetration, but that's just what I've observed.

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

Grimmspeed says they use Tech Line thermal dispersant coating, which sounds a lot like the nanostructure ceramic coatings. I may decide to take my intercooler up with me this week and have them do it. They said somewhere around $150, depending on core size. If I do get it done, I'll post up results after.

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

They use the same coating that I had on my intake manifold. I'll be very curious to hear your results as I think it will be noticeable at lower speeds around town.

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

Doesn't seem like it would work that way like in the video but if you talk with old school v8 guys if they were concerned about engine heat they would avoid using chrome and shiny stuff in the engine compartment. Why? To not reflect the heat back at the engine.
Also usually when a heat shield is made ever notice they are usually shiny to reflect the heat away from the item they are protecting.

A black IC could have disadvantages. Possibly on a hot day and the pavement is radiating 115+ temps the black would absorb the heat while the shiny IC would reflect it away. Both getting 100 degree air temp flowing across them which would cool better? The shiny one reflecting the high pavement temps away or the black one absorbing the higher temps?
Then what about the heat off the radiator since it's so close to the IC?

A real life road/track experiment would be great to see the results.

Re: Intercooler black paint experiment
 

^ very valid points made there. Maybe painting the radiator would be the answer to one of them.