Powdercoating Engine Parts

I powdercoated my last C-90 engine and it turned out amazing. I'm about to start on my O-320 and want to get some opinion on powdercoating and it's effect on engine temps. Victor offers this service so I think it's probably not a problem. I intend to use the rear mount oil cooler and either the Sutton or powerflow exhaust. The other question I have is related to powdercoating the cylinders. I did not powdercoat the cylinders on the C-90 and I think leaving the cylinder heads bare and the barrels painted would be the way to go on the O-320. Has anyone here powdercoated the cylinders and if so how is the paint around the exhaust port holding up?

This is the C-90 when it was done.

Paint is paint. I wouldn’t believe any heat effects claims. I recall a magazine article about engine colors and engine heat, but in truth all they were measuring was engine surface temps with warm engines. I remember the differences being unimportant. That in the days of Victor Black and Mattituck’s Red Gold.

My new Lycoming is factory painted black on the case with gray cylinders. I’m sure they sprayed it and it looks great. I used Navy gray Imron on my old -12’s case. I haven’t seen that plane lately but I’m confident it still looks good. My Continental is unpainted and remains as ugly as it was the day it was new.

My belief would be that Powdercoating may be no better or worse than paint. We bake our powder at 400 for periods of time dependant on the material coated, and while there is a range, extended periods at baking temps will eventually cause the powdercoat to become brittle.

Pb


Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org

stewartb said:

..... My Continental is unpainted and remains as ugly as it was the day it was new.

Click to expand...

I guess tastes differ...
the local shop just took delivery of a factory-new 470 for a customer's airplane, and IMHO it is just gorgeous.

Small Continental cases are fragile. I wonder if 400 degrees could harm the stud thread areas - we had a case rejected due to softness of the aluminum.
I smooth my cases up pretty good and spray with glossy black engine enamel. Seems to last a very long time, and makes wiping oil off really easy.

I powder coated my pushrod tubes, intake tubes and rocker box covers. If I were to do it again I would have probably had the cylinders stripped and the barrels painted. Painted the case acc case and sump.

stewartb said:

Paint is paint. I wouldn’t believe any heat effects claims. I recall a magazine article about engine colors and engine heat, but in truth all they were measuring was engine surface temps with warm engines. I remember the differences being unimportant. That in the days of Victor Black and Mattituck’s Red Gold.

My new Lycoming is factory painted black on the case with gray cylinders. I’m sure they sprayed it and it looks great. I used Navy gray Imron on my old -12’s case. I haven’t seen that plane lately but I’m confident it still looks good. My Continental is unpainted and remains as ugly as it was the day it was new.

Click to expand...

53M case still looks great Stewart!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk