mopowers
Well-Known Member
Has anyone ever powder coated an aluminum intake manifold clear? I'm wondering if it would hold up.
Clear powder coat??
- Thread starter mopowers
- Start date
-
dragondan64
Banned
With powder coating you need to remember it will keep the aluminum intake from heat dissipation and that will create higher internal engine temps. Just my experience.
mopowers
Well-Known Member
Good point. I called a local powder coater yesterday and they said the clear would eventually cloud over and not look good. Just wondering if anyone here has done it and what their experience has been. I just wish there was a way to keep aluminum manifolds looking good.
jrlegacy23
68 Barracuda
Wouldn't anodizing aluminum work?
CudaChick needs to add her .02 on this.
inkjunkie
Well-Known Member
anodizing does not hold up all to well. pretty sure Leanna has a powder that looks very close to aluminum....have you spent some time looking thru her gallery? Intake in
View attachment aliensilver.jpg
Alien Silver....
SSG_Karg
Enhanced member
I powder coated my aluminum intake Argent Silver with a clear satin over top. It looked Great until my leaky Holley dribbled some gas on it and it turned yellowish-brown where the gas pooled. Other than that minor discoloration, it has held up perfectly. Been on there 5 years now.
The power coat color you want to mimic new aluminum is called "Alien Silver"
I would go the powder coat route "aluminum" we have had past experience with some people saying that the clear eventually yellows like you said.
I've used clear, ceramic, and colors. They all held up to the engine heat, but some don't do as well with fuel. These guys have done ALL my coatings.......... https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dun-Right-QC-Coatings/134953976681435?rf=320920691252371 My pump-gas engine is cleared on all the aluminum...
Thanks for all the mentions gentlemen! :-D < curtsey >
I only recommend clear coating brand new aluminum rather than anything that has been used / had gas run through it in the past. Aluminum is VERY porous and it absorbs everything over the years. Media blasting removes the crap on the outside (and occasionally leaves a splotchy look depending on how well-used it was) but only a qualified pro will be able to address the nastiness that will leach out of the metal once it gets heated up to cure the powder. I will not clear coat a used manifold without putting another powder underneath it to level out the color; otherwise all you're doing is preserving the old used splotchy look and nobody wants that.
Dan, what do you base this assertion on? Please share your research and facts and explain how powder encapsulates more engine heat than paint does. I've been in the industry for many years, and though this 'belief' is widely posted no one has ever shown me real numbers. I hope you can.
Powder coating is durable, beautiful, comes in thousands of colors and lasts much longer than paint if it's applied correctly but keep in mind that it's NOT completely indestructible. Any spills must be cleaned up promptly or it can and will affect the finish. Most of the time harsh chemicals will only dull a shiny finish somewhat rather than completely destroy it unless it's left on there forever. Thanks for sharing the pics of my work Inkie and Rob! Alien Silver is without a doubt my customers' most popular choice for replicating brand new aluminum. I've got another newer color in stock now called Heavy Silver which is a bit more flashy with ultra-fine colored metallic in it. Quite a few motorheads have been opting for it lately on their intakes and valve covers too. Here's a few pics of an old Edelbrock dual quad I did awhile back in the Heavy Silver with Clear Vision on top: View attachment 001 - Copy.jpg View attachment 006 - Copy.jpg View attachment 009 - Copy.jpg
-
