Powder coat or paint engine?

[Anonymous]

I was considering powder coating some of the engine pieces that would be easy to remove. i searched the forums and wasn't able to find an answer that suited my needs but presented me with more questions.

is it alright to get some of the engine powder coated? will heat be an issue?
(i can get this done for a reasonable price) will it be durable? i was considering black.

or should i get it painted with high temp paint? will this hold up?

which one would be the better option?

Thanks
Ken

[FTGRET]

By easy to remove I guess you are talking about covers. Powder coating will hold up better than paint for these and won't affect engine temps.

[Anonymous]

i have heard that the powder coat will affect engine temp. will black be a problem?

yes, by easy to remove, i am talking about covers.

Thanks
ken

[Cajun Cycler]

Black actually dissipates heat better than a shiny surface. Should not be a problem. Make sure the powdercoating is for high temp use.

[retrex]

Powder Coating engine pieces

Do a little more research on the web but from what I've read anything that needs to dissapate heat should not be powdercoated. Powdercoating is an insulator and as such it retains heat. If you have a watercooled engine you are probably ok. There was a guy with 20yrs of powdercoating experience who laid out the pros and cons of powdercoating. Go to his website

http://my.execpc.com/~davewrit/Powder.html

[LW_Icarus]

about the only coating that I know of that has a increased cooling capacity is 'crinkle" finish paints, due to marginally larger surface area. I would haveta believe that any coating is going to act as an insulator to some degree.

I wouldn't be afraid to powder coat engine covers,might even consider the valve cover as well, the stuff is definitely tough-as-nails. have you got an estimate from anyone on what it may cost?

[Pete's GS]

My experience with powder coating is that it's not so great. Definitely not scratch-proof. And if it needs retouching it's very hard to match. I would paint the parts of your engine you want to with high temp paint. Don't expect to get an exact match for the Suzy-Q silver tint though. Black can look nice though I think the GS motors, which are so well-designed and nice-looking, look best in silver.

[johnnyh750ex]

Like Mick Jagger sang - " Paint it Black"!

[johnnyh750ex]

Like Mick Jagger sang - " Paint it Black"!
I holds up on my GS just fine, and when it gets
a scratch, easy to touch up.