Kid Vette

I know this question came up before but I haven't seen a definitive answer. I have just ordered a DeWitts aluminum radiator and I noticed on their web site that they show all the aluminum radiators with a natural finish. I have always heard that flat black radiates heat better. So, do I paint my new radiator flat black? :confused:

BSeery

No. I would think bare metal would radiate heat better than a metal that has something covering it. I think the other's are painted to provide corrosion protection.

MotorHead

Leave aluminum bare flat black is for other metals I believe

bence13_33

No do not paint it. Bare aluminum will dissipate heat much better than if it were painted (help keep things cool). Personally, I wouldn't want to paint it anyway, my bare aluminum radiator looks pretty snazzy in my opinion.

Down8

And doesn't black absorb heat...?

Don't paint it.

-bZj

wayne_69_427

Don't paint, paint is a insulator it can hold in the heat

Eddie 70

My DeWitts came painted. It is an aluminum reproduction though, so that may have something to do with it.

theandies

First Aluminum has to be primed or anodized (SP?) for paint to stick to it. Second, there is a special radiator paint that sprays on thinner than Kyrlon etc. I have heard that regular spray bomb paint may decrease the efficiency of the radiator because it goes on thicker and decreases the size of the air passages between the fins. I left mine natural and like stated above I think it looks snazzy.

NHvette

:iagree: :iagree: The airflow will be sacrificed.

Black both absorbs AND radiates best - but not the way to go - since the paint
clogs up the air passages. Leave it raw.
:seeya

Aflac

what would anodizing do to the heat dissipation qualities?

Kid Vette

Seems like it would help. In How to Hotrod Small-block Chevys they state "ALCOA compares an as-cast surface with one which has been black-anodized to a depth of 1.7 thousandths. The black surface is more than ten times better in heat-radiating ability than a plain cast surface."

Anybody know how much it would cost to anodize a radiator?


[Modified by Kid Vette, 9:02 PM 7/8/2003]

stingray_76

:iagree:

Down8

I couldn't see it being more than $200-300. Maybe even down in the $100 range. I used to know of a trusted anodizer, who could do it in basically any color you wanted (think a metallic yellow radiator to match your car, etc. :reddevil ), but can't remember the URL right now. :confused: And anodizing is significantly different from painting for one to be helpful, and one being harmful, or less effective anyway.

-bZj

Kid Vette

Just to put some closure to this thread. I contacted DeWitts for their opinion and this was their reply:

"I don't think it would have an effect either way. We thought about offering this option but decided that it wouldn't work because everytime someone touches a radiator it gets some fin damage."

Point well taken. Not so sure I would want to put a $500 radiator in the hands of an anodizer either. Guess my radiator will stay that snazzy aluminum color. Thanks for everybodies input. :thumbs:

427V8

About anodizing think about this...

Anodizing basically turns the aluminum into aluminum oxide ( ceramic ) very brittle... I would be afraid of stress cracks in the radiator after a while

Crash Dummy

Does anodizing resist against sodium erosion? I'm just asking as tap water(sodium enriched) is discouraged in aluminum radiators and from my time in drag racing I never saw those interior aluminum parts that were anodized with the salt deposits that come with the sport of sweating in a hot box. Yet... my door panels were not anodized(colored or clear) and the driver's side was a disaster that I continually attempted to buff out to make it more presentable.