How to get a Rad or intercooler looking clean?

[merc85]

Following on from my Project thread, whats the best way to get a radiator or intercooler looking new again?

Ive de flied it but not sure how to clean it, this it below any ideas?

 

[ash59fifty-uk]

In an old car of mine, I used to use oven cleaning spray (very light spray onto the rad) soaking a rag with the fluid and giving it a good wipe. Then let it sit for a while on a dry day and completely wipe it all off

 

[MancMike]

I have in the past, as cleaning it physically would just damage it and I didn't think it would clean off with chemicals (probably wrong), I used a cheap Halfords high temp silver matt spray, just a light dusting over the front brought it up looking new again, and as it's only at the front, thin and will still radiate heat anyway, it didn't cause any overheating/insulation issues.

 

[Herishi]

Some Aussie guys dyno'd an inter cooler as standard and after spraying Matt black, turns out at low airflow it is much more efficient, but no difference at high air flow. These guys are on YouTube if anyone is interested

 

[John Jones Jr]

I wouldn't use any abrasive or chemical cleaners. A light jet wash is all I do and not often. As for painting it, it can't aid cooling as the paint would act as an insulator (the last thing one would want to do to an I.C.) even if it has very limited effect on the cooling performance of the I.C.. Still, the cooler the better.

 

[Herishi]

I wouldn't use any abrasive or chemical cleaners. A light jet wash is all I do and not often. As for painting it, it can't aid cooling as the paint would act as an insulator (the last thing one would want to do to an I.C.) even if it has very limited effect on the cooling performance of the I.C.. Still, the cooler the better.

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

Its to do with emissivity obviously if you put a thick coat of black paint it will act as an insulator.


ThermoWorks Emissivity Table

 

[MancMike]

Yeah black radiates more light=heat than white/silver, way over and above any slight insulation effect.

What Loses Heat Fastest, A White Or Black Surface? - Science Questions, from the Naked Scientists

As above, though only at low speeds, at high speeds the cooling effect of the air is then the overwhelming cooling force, so the proportion of 'help' the black is adding is diminished.

I did silver just through aesthetics though, wasn't bothered about cooling.

 

[John Jones Jr]

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

Its to do with emissivity obviously if you put a thick coat of black paint it will act as an insulator.


ThermoWorks Emissivity Table

Cheers for that but the temps those guys are using are far from reality with my Kompressor, I'd see less than half of those figures at most with naturally induced heat soak. Having said that I'll certainty consider painting my I.C. black next time I have it out. What I don't understand is my manufacturers and the aftermarket especially seem to fit/supply only non painted I.C.'s.? May be with manufacturers it partly a cost-v-gain but the aftermarket where the sky can be the limit when it comes performance parts
it doesn't make sense.

 

[John Jones Jr]

I'm finding this very interesting so I had a look at the Mishimoto site. Now, they are popular brand in the aftermarket scene and well respected. And as it happens they do offer a black painted I.C.'s but that feature is marketed for aesthetics rather than a performance. ''Coated all-black finish gives this intercooler a sleeper look when mounted''

I can only presume that black painted I.C. only aids short term heat soak and and adds little performance as per the Aussie guys vid, add airflow and there's only three degrees difference between painted and unpainted. Now, allow that intake temps they used are far above the norm the advantage of black paint becomes even less. Still, going by the vid black is a winner. Just can't understand why it not more commonly used..

 

[hotrodder]

Dunno if that vid covered modes of heat transfer as i could only stomach a few secs of it but the 'naked scientists' only talked about radiation which, despite their name, isn't how radiators work. Radiators heat exchangers mostly work via conduction and convection which is why manufacturers fit fans instead of painting rads black. In the case of intercoolers/charge cooler rads if there's no air moving over the core the car isn't moving...

Traditionally copper was used to make car rads which is a better thermal conductor than aluminium yet the later typically makes more for a more efficient radiator. There's various reasons why and one of them is that copper rads are soldered together which negates it's thermal conductivity advantage as the solder messes with conduction from the tubes to the fins. Ally rads are brazed with an aluminium silicon alloy making for better conduction between the tubes and fins. Speaking of fins, a bunch of flattened/misshapen fins from debris/ham fisted pressure washing/picking out dead flies etc reduce core efficiency but can be fixed with a little practice and a 'radiator comb'

ANY coating adds an extra layer for heat to pass through and while black may be a better colour with regards to radiating heat the thermal conductivity of metals is gonna a chunk higher than that of paint. A very thin coat of paint on the other hand is probably better than corrosion (which'll also mess with conduction from the coolant to rad tubes) and flat/satin black is gonna be better a colour choice than gloss white or silver etc albeit one that makes little difference

 

[John Jones Jr]

I'll pass on primer and black paint for my I.C. after reading this, page 3/7th post:


Black intercoolers*-* Gassing Station - PistonHeads

 

[John Jones Jr]

Forgot to add this, here's some more info:

Does Painting Your Intercooler Black Makes it More Efficient? - Video - autoevolution

 

[merc85]

Thanks for all the suggestions, Getting there slowly finding autosol with a fine brass brush is bringing up the intercooler also straightning Any bent fins as a see them being ultra carefull of course.

Decided not to go down the painting route in the end, anyway here's how she's now looking. lol

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