Engine Powder Coating?

Anyone ever powder coat an engine? I have heard of having an engine painted but I am not so sure about powder coating. I have a CB550 that I am in the process of making into a cafe bike, and I was thinking that the engine would look bad ass blacked out. I am however worried about the cooling problems that may arise if I get it powder coated. Any opinions?

Powder coating is usually heat and impact resistant and hi temp powder is used for exhausts on production bikes. It’s a great way to go as far as I’m aware bellow is the link to a guy in aus but it will give u a bit more info etc about it.

http://www.procoat.com.au/powder_coating.html

Thanks for the info. Have you ever heard of any issues with the powder coating insulating the engine causing problems with overheating?

CafePunk said:

Thanks for the info. Have you ever heard of any issues with the powder coating insulating the engine causing problems with overheating?

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Yes... However, it depends on how thick, and believe it or not, what color you coat it. A light, 1 layer coat of a lighter color will run quite a bit cooler than several coats of darker colors. Sanding down the fin tips will help in air cooled engines, as will wrapping the headers and making sure your exhaust is nice and open/no restrictions. Keep the oil fresh and light (10/30, 5/30), think about an oil cooler (maybe?) or just don't powdercoat it and hit it with some 1200 degree engine enamel, throw about 3 light coats on there and let it sit for 3 days, sand the tips of the fins down and call it done. If it chips, shake the can and touch it up.

Powder coating doesn't hold in heat any more than paint does provided it is not applied too thick. It takes some skill on the part of the powdercoater to get the powder all the way down to the root of the fins. The Faraday effect causes the powder to be attracted to the sides of the fins before it gets all the way in there. The powdercoater has to adjust the voltage to minimize the effect and use gravity to drop the powder into the fins. The parts have to be mounted so that they can be rotated.

If you want the edges of the fins exposed, tell the powdercoater. They can remove the power from the fin edges before baking the powder on.

Dark colors radiate heat more effectively than light colors or silver, so an engine painted or powdercoated black will actually run cooler than an engine that is bare metal.

Thanks for the help. I'm going to ask around to try and find a powder coater that is experienced with air cooled engines.

i'd stick to "wet paint" due to cooling issues.

I stick to bead blasted raw aluminum - never chips or peels

do some research in you area about cerami-cote they do it on headers and is actually harder than alot of powder.
This is very heat dispersant which makes it great for motor parts.
my valves/combustion sufaces, piston skirts , jug and head cover parts are all done.

atx360 said:

This is very heat dispersant which makes it great for motor parts.
my valves/combustion sufaces, piston skirts , jug and head cover parts are all done.

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Just the opposite, actually.

Ceramic coating block heat. That is why combustion surfaces and piston crowns would be coated with them, to contain the combustion heat within the combustion chamber. Coating the inside of the exhast port can make a head run cooler because it blocks some of the exhaust heat from going into the head, and keeps the heat in the exhaust gasses. Same with ceramic coatings of exhaust systems. It keeps the exhaust system cooler because the heat is held in.

Holding the heat in is not a goal with the cooling surfaces of the engine. <G>

the only issue i would see coming up is baking the powder on, there are lots of things in an engine that are interference fit, and may actually shift above 3-400 degrees

AlphaDogChoppers said:

Just the opposite, actually.

Ceramic coating block heat. That is why combustion surfaces and piston crowns would be coated with them, to contain the combustion heat within the combustion chamber. Coating the inside of the exhast port can make a head run cooler because it blocks some of the exhaust heat from going into the head, and keeps the heat in the exhaust gasses. Same with ceramic coatings of exhaust systems. It keeps the exhaust system cooler because the heat is held in.

Holding the heat in is not a goal with the cooling surfaces of the engine. <G>

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Thanks for the correction......I had the logic right, and terminology wrong