Powdercoating Intake

its a wrinlkle finish.....

yeah, it will look cool. actually, you can buy the stuff in cans.

Ceramic coatings have excellent resistance to heat transfer -- and they're entirely different from powder coating. Powder coating won't significantly affect the intake's ability to pick up heat from the engine bay. Ceramic coating will.

For some reason the system won't let me make a new post replying to your question. So I'm gonna try editting this one....

If you were more specific in what you're trying to accomplish, it would be easier to interpret what this "will be good or bad for it?" means.

If achieving a cosmetic look similar to the Viper is your main goal, mimicking that with powder coating should work fine. I'd just ask to see a sample from the powder coater so you're absolutely sure of what you're gonna end up with. If your primary goal is trying to insulate the manifold from underhood heat to keep the intake charge cooler - ceramic coating is what you want, not powder coating.

With either coating, the piece has to be media blasted to bare metal. Powder coating is basically coating the piece in a colored plastic. The manifold is blasted, cleaned and then negatively charged. The plastic powder particles are positively charged. So when they're sprayed out of the gun, the electrostatic charge holds attracts the powder to all parts of the piece coating it evenly. The piece is then baked to around 300-350F to 'melt' the plastic - both smoothing it and letting it completely bond with the metal. It's a very tough finish that stands up well under the hood. But it's only good for about 300F (can't use it on exhaust headers for example), and it doesn't provide thermal insulation.

The process of preparation/application is similar for ceramic coatings. Piece is blasted/cleaned (usually heated to 400F to thermally clean and remove oils), then the coating is sprayed on just like paint (no electrostatics involved). Headers are often coated inside and out. The piece is then baked at temps up to 700F degrees to cure the coating. Different chemical composition coatings are available for different temperature ranges - 800F for engine parts, suspension pieces, brake calipers; 12--1400F for most exhaust components; 2000F for extreme temps (piston tops, combustion chambers, boosted exhaust components, etc. There's not NEARLY the color choice for ceramic coatings that there is for powder coating. These coatings are EXTREMELY durable resisting physical abrasion, chemicals, and temperature. They will help keep your intake from absorbing or radiating as much heat as it would with a plastic coating.

Having said all that - I have no idea what type of finish the wrinkle finish on the Viper's intake is - paint, ceramic coating or powder coating. Without knowing that, it's impossible to know if that type finish will accomplish what you're trying to accomplish.

Did that help clear up your confusion?

Something's wrong with this thread - it won't let me post a new response - it gives me the 30 second too-soon-post warning each time. See this pic - this type of silver finish is the most common; but they do come in different colors.

http://www.corral.net/photopost/data/500/30684headersnewandold-med.JPG

Thats a great explanation Michael. Can someone put up some pictures of this finish?
How much does powder coating an intake usually go for?

On a GT -40 I think it will look like crap... Kind of weird wrinkly looking think. I'd consider just powdercoating it and you valve colors at the same time the same color to keep it even. Not sure about price, expect to pay tops around $100 per peice

Jamie

I wanna see this wrinkle finish on the viper intake...i need to do something with my Holley intake. hmmmmm.......

87GT - I'm with ya; all that matters is how you think it looks. Go for it. I'm much more into paint and flat that chrome and glossy myself. Underhood on mine is black, gray, silver with a touch of red (dist. cap, wires, looms).

here is ceramic coating

http://www.MyOnlineImages.com/Members/jaidedeye/images/100_0543.JPG

I had to log out and log back in to post in the thread. First link is ceramic coating on my headers; second is engine compartment. Edit - well, that won't work anymore. I'll try and get them posted here.

any one from around south eastern mass if you want stuff powedercoated i can do it at my work only colors i have are gloss black flat black silver gray and an aluminum silver also i can do all of those colors in a wrinkle finish as well lemme know people oh and for stangers

free of charge just by me a coffee at dunkin donuts and we are square

payupsucka said:

any one from around south eastern mass if you want stuff powedercoated i can do it at my work only colors i have are gloss black flat black silver gray and an aluminum silver also i can do all of those colors in a wrinkle finish as well lemme know people oh and for stangers

free of charge just by me a coffee at dunkin donuts and we are square

Click to expand...

Really? Looks like you are going to get alot of business from me. Where do you work? I go to School In Boston.

fall river

Darn glad I work at a shop that powdercoats. I got my intake and valve covers done for about 10 bucks. All my front suspension was only about 15 bucks to do. If anyone around me wants stuff done for a resonable fee let me know.