Intercooler paint

[Mike Mags]

My stock intercooler is peeling paint.
What Should I use to prep and repaint with?
Do I need high heat paint?

 

[Chris McDade]

First cover all the wholes on the IC. Then sand it with some rough sand paper. Then sand it with some 1500 grit. You don't need any high temp paint. I just use a GOOD metal paint and you good to go.

Good luck

 

[Black Box]

Ditto what Chris said. I was worried that the IC inlet from the turbo would turn colors from the heat since I used regular Dupli-Color Radiant Silver paint, but I've beaten my car pretty hard and it's still as silver as the day I painted it (I clear coated it too).

Steve

 

[Mike Mags]

should the intercooler or other engine parts be "gloss" paint?

 

[Black Box]

Stock IC's were a matte black, or semi-gloss. I did mine in gloss just because I wanted it that way. Easier to clean a smooth glossy surface IMO. I painted my valve covers and up-pipe in the exact same way.
I had all my parts sandblasted first.
It's really up to you.

Steve

 

[Ormand]

Heat Exchanger Paint

The tube portion of the IC should be painted with special radiator paint. Regular enamel will go on too thick, and cut down on the cooling. Paint is not a very good conductor of heat. I'm not sure what the radiator paint is, but it goes on thin, and radiator shops should have it available. The temperature of the inlet/outlet boxes should be low enough for regular engine paint, in whatever color you like. The paint on mine appears to be a semi-gloss, probably baked on at the IC factory. It's pretty durable.