6th Gen Radiator Painting

Discussion in 'General VFR Discussions' started by hilbily, Jan 29, 2015.

  1. hilbily

    hilbily New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2013
    Messages:
    45
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Has anyone painted their radiator with any ill effects? I painted the plastic grates and want to black out the radiator so that they stand out more. Eastwood makes a special alum. radiator paint that is supposed to not inhibit the cooling abilities whatsoever. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
     
  2. Pliskin

    Pliskin New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2008
    Messages:
    3,699
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    36
    Location:
    Morris County, New Jersey
    Map
    Hilbily needs to hear from Badbilly when it comes to all things paint. See if he drops by this thread.
     
  3. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2007
    Messages:
    15,047
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    48
    For near total blackout, some rattlecan barbeque or header paint will do. My choice would be something other than flat so the bugs don't stick when you wash your bike.

    A little hard to find but if you have an outlet nearby that sells wood and pellet stoves ect., there is a rattlecan product called "Stove Bright" that comes in several colors and is high heat well able to stand the 220F or so of your radiator.

    I am not familiar with the grates on a Gen 6. These may be a high heat plastic. If not, maybe some silicone Orings as standoffs

    The radiator should come off the bike and be cleaned and prepped. A good wash with dish detergent and a soft brush should do the trick. Do not use any hot solvents on it. ie acetone, lacquer thinner ect. it will dissolve the factory coating. If a solvent is needed, use paint thinner or for a small job like a bike radiator, a can of lighter fluid or some barbeque starter will do. These are both basically naptha..

    Go easy on trying to get the job done in a hurry. Radiators have lots of surface area and convolutions. Lots of angles to cover, so a light touch and misting on the paint in steps will do.

    RTFM... or the nannoprint on the cans. If there is a recoat time. Pay attention to what it says. Get outside those windows and some of the paints and coatings will lift and then you have a mess.

    Ten bucks says the Eastwood stuff is good. Another tenner says it's expensive, five more says its maybe not really aluminum. Dry millage in paint is measured in units of .001 in. Two or three mils is not going to make much difference in the cooling capacity IMO.. Heat is measured in physics using a black body anyway..

    One more source for high heat paint is Sherwin-Williams. They have it in bulk (quarts) and may have it in rattlecans under the Krylon label.


    Now if someone can tell me how to paint Teflon, I am off to Walmart for the solution..;)
     
  4. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2007
    Messages:
    15,047
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    48
    My turn in the barrel again?? LOL
     
  5. hilbily

    hilbily New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2013
    Messages:
    45
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Thank you for the info. Looks like my initial plan is gonna need some rethinking. The eastwood stuff is spendy at about 15 bucks a can so the other stove or high temp paint may be my ticket. What I planned to do was give them each 1 or 2 very light coats. Not looking for complete black out but enough so that the yellow that I painted the grates will stand out better. Thanks again for the info. very helpful.
     
  6. Pliskin

    Pliskin New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2008
    Messages:
    3,699
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    36
    Location:
    Morris County, New Jersey
    Map
    nah... you'll breeze through it like Oprah through jo-jos.
     
  7. Rollin_Again

    Rollin_Again Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    May 15, 2008
    Messages:
    2,317
    Likes Received:
    8
    Trophy Points:
    53
    Location:
    Duluth, GA
    I could be wrong but I would tend to think that paint on an aluminum radiator would affect heat transfer and affect cooling efficiency.
     
  8. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2007
    Messages:
    15,047
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    48
    This is technically possible but measurement for quantifiable evidence on a bike radiator might take more time than its worth. This may be why I still have an airhead BMW and a SR500 thumper.. ;)

    Some of the dudes here that commute 365 through rain, sleet, hail, fog, snow, smog, grasshoppers, and live in North Dakota or one of those places where ya need a Zamboni to get to Walmart, might chip in with some stats..
     
  9. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2007
    Messages:
    15,047
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    48
    Let's hope it's not the other way round..
     
  10. Pliskin

    Pliskin New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2008
    Messages:
    3,699
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    36
    Location:
    Morris County, New Jersey
    Map
    No pictures of that, please and thank you.
     
  11. hilbily

    hilbily New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2013
    Messages:
    45
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    I ended up not messing with painting the radiators. Once I got the grates on and everything buttoned up it looks like the yellow will stand out just fine. This is in the basement under crappy lights but you get the idea.
    20150208_182439.jpg
     
  12. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2007
    Messages:
    13,741
    Likes Received:
    1,557
    Trophy Points:
    158
    Location:
    Chilliwack, BC Canada
    Map
    I have never seen those grates. I would think that they would hamper the rad's cooling ability far more than the proper heat resistant paints that BB refers to.
     
  13. hilbily

    hilbily New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2013
    Messages:
    45
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    That is the factory plastic grate that they all have. They are normaly black so you dont see them. Just painted the yellow to stand out and add some color.
     
  14. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2007
    Messages:
    13,741
    Likes Received:
    1,557
    Trophy Points:
    158
    Location:
    Chilliwack, BC Canada
    Map
    Ahhhh! so they are. Sux getting old!
     
  15. RobVG

    RobVG Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2013
    Messages:
    1,450
    Likes Received:
    31
    Trophy Points:
    78
    Location:
    Seattle
    Map

    Jeez Randy, age is just a number. Nothing a handful of Alieve and a Viagra won't cure. A litte exercise wouldn't hurt either ;)
     
  16. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2007
    Messages:
    13,741
    Likes Received:
    1,557
    Trophy Points:
    158
    Location:
    Chilliwack, BC Canada
    Map
    I use viagra to stop me from rolling out of the bed.
     
  17. hilbily

    hilbily New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2013
    Messages:
    45
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Now that's funny.
     
  18. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2007
    Messages:
    15,047
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    48
    If somebody made those grates in steel, they could be painted using high-temp paint and serve not only as guards to keep all kinds of crap oot of the radiator but a temp storage surface for go packs of Jo-jo's. The ultimate road food.
     
Related Topics

Share This Page