painting an intercooler

[Max Baker]

Jim,

I anno'd my FMIC black on my GTI.  It's a VR6 Turbo and I didn't want to
be "that guy" with the way the CHP treats you for making modifications to
your car :)

I did not do a before and after dyno of the FMIC w/ and w/out anno, but I
have not had any negative effects by annodizing it.  I too seriously doubt
that annodizing will do anything noticable to the heat transfer.  If you
were worried about it, then upsize the intercooler by 5% and that would
probably make things equal. 

Before: http://warped.org/pix/displayimage.php?album=37&pos=29
After/Installed : http://www.abmotorsports.com/bobs07/bobs07035.jpg

Almost nobody notices it, it's very sleeper.   Just get black couplers to
match.

-m

On Mon, Jul 21, 2008 at 05:34:18PM -0700, thejimrose wrote:
> does anyone have any enlightening information about painting, coating and/or
> anodizing a bar + plate intercooler? i've bought one to mount to the front
> of my a4, and despite irrefutable performance advantages I just don't want
> to be 'that guy' with the big IC up front. it will fit behind the stock
> bumper, and i'd like to black it out for stealth reasons.
> 
> i've been told that anodizing won't help or hurt the heat transfer, but is a
> nice durable finish. being a cheapskate i'd like to use the spec-radiator
> paint that eastwood sells - any btdt?
> 
> thoughts? thanks!
> jim