Engine heat management question.

[Bansil]

Just thinking, on the predator etc. Is it acceptable to do engine treatments like wet paint, powder coat, polish and clear?

Or will it retain excessive heat and not let it transfer to the air? Thus overheating and burning oil etc..
That sounded weird, I know coatings can retain heat and then expand and crack paint coatings.

Can I pretty up my engine or will it hurt it?

Typical driving will be steady for 1/2 or hr at a time.

My engine will be hidden moar than usual ,but will have ample air flow over jug, head.

 

[Denny]

Air cooled I believe in natural finish only. Paint is an insulator.

 

[Bansil]

I agree that it is, just how well do these engines manage Heat? Ran a 6.5 painted with several coats of stove black for years on a log splitter, everything was black except the cord inside starter housing

 

[Mammoth]

Paint will trap in heat and make an engine run hotter. Heat makes the parts distort and get out of spec, which makes drag and slows down an engine.
I like to keep these types of engines running between 300 and 400 degrease Fahrenheit.

 

[Kartorbust]

Anodizing would be better. It should help keep the engine about the same temp that it would normally run at. Painting the block is fine, but most of the heat dispersion is the find on the head and cylinder, so keep those OE. Using a BBQ paint is a bad idea because that is more of an insulator type paint.

If you're really concerned about an engine overheating, either an infrared thermometer or an air cooled engine cylinder head temp gauge will do you well. With the temp gauge, the temp probe is just a ring that fits between the spark plug and head. https://www.amazon.com/RunLeader-ta...ocphy=9024749&hvtargid=pla-582960742266&psc=1 this gauge goes up to 572⁰F or 300⁰C.

 

[OPmini]

Just thinking, on the predator etc. Is it acceptable to do engine treatments like wet paint, powder coat, polish and clear?

Or will it retain excessive heat and not let it transfer to the air? Thus overheating and burning oil etc..
That sounded weird, I know coatings can retain heat and then expand and crack paint coatings.

Can I pretty up my engine or will it hurt it?

Typical driving will be steady for 1/2 or hr at a time.

My engine will be hidden moar than usual ,but will have ample air flow over jug, head.

Paint is going to trap heat but it is so minimal it wont affect your engine. Just look at all of the air-cooled dirtbike engines that are painted from factory.

 

[Bansil]

Kinda what I thought ,engine definitely will get coated so I can clean it easily and better...gotta go pimp....not limp....

 

[65ShelbyClone]

Throughout the '80s and into the '90s it was common to see air-cooled motorcycles with painted engines from the factory and many still get painted.

I think it would probably be preferable to use paint intended for engine cases, but painting the engine itself wouldn't have me concerned about cooling.

 

[itsid]

there's paint.. and there's paint...

Yes some engines come painted, some even powdercoated..
aircooled engines that are coated from the factory usually have bigger fins to compensate..
only exception: ceramic coatings for all I know..

Anyways, there's engine paint.. and some is better than others..
most take the heat fairly well and don't crack or desintegrate over time,
but only very few don't need primer and even less are designed with thermal conductivity in mind.
Sooo yeah if you get the right stuff you can easily paint your engine without worries.
if you pick the wrong paint and prime the engine for a super glossy look
you are likely going to harm the heat dissipation by a LOT!

for a 99 dollar engine.. I wouldn't care much...
especially if unmodified..
a modded enigne especially if the case isn't exactly cheap...
nahhh.. I wouldn't

'sid

 

[Bansil]

So.....bling it is!!! I need to learn anodizing this summer anyways...just because

I just don't want the aluminum to corrode and look nappy......

 

[madprofessor]

Familiar with what some call "diamond cut" heads and jugs? Common on custom Harley's.
Can't verify it myself, but I was told the many notches "diamond cut" into the jug's fins all the way around dissipates heat faster, and the engine-rated paint they bling those jugs out with (if before the cuts it looks extra cool) supposedly has no insulating effects.
Saw a customizing show on TV where the guy spent hours on the bench hand cutting the notches with an angle grinder. Looked fantastic!