Well, hear me out first...

My car originaly came with a K&N stock replacement filter. Impressions were, eh..it's breathing more!? (nothing to compair it to)

Then, I got a 3" diameter eBay intake. It sounded great...and that was about it. Gains were mostly felt in high end, but I don't need high end gains...and to top it off, my low end felt EXTREAMLY sluggish & the aluminum conducted ALOT of heat. I tried painting it wish High-Heat flat black and that helped with the temps, but the paint didn't stick so well...So impression were that this one sucks and old one was better.

Then, I got a piece of 45* crush bent piping from an exhaust shop's scrap pile (it was 3") so when I was in high school shop I bent one end to fit in the stock piping (2.5") and put the 3" filter on the other end. Low end felt great (better than K&N!) but the only problem was it wouldn't stay in place because it didn't have much to grip onto...

Now onto today...V 2.0 of Low-End-Homemade-Intake:



THIS THING IS FREAKING AWESOME... it's 2.5" exhaust piping that I welded a bracket onto so it won't fall out (not connected in pic) and a 2.5" filter.

now for a question...I took out v 1.0 and it started to rust where it had been welded and the only thing that kept me from painting it was the experience with the eBay intake paint coming off.

Would it be ALOT more durable if I were to Primer, Paint, and clear coat it?


Modified by DIYaccord at 12:25 AM 9/14/2004

 

Would it be ALOT more durable if I were to Primer, Paint, and clear coat it?

and post comments too

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DIYaccord &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Would it be ALOT more durable if I were to Primer, Paint, and clear coat it?

and post comments too </TD></TR></TABLE>

I would paint it just too cut some heat soak...

 

but would primering, painting, then clear coating it make it more durable than just painting alone?

 

yes, it would

 

Cool, Thanks!

 

I don't know about clearcoating an intake pipe, somewhat overkill. Use some metal primer and some good paint, the main thing is to get it all the way prep'ed and absolutely clean (wipe it down with laquer thinner, for example) before you paint, and apply wet coats, meaning get enough paint on there, so you *almost* start to get runs / drips is the best way I can explain it. I've painted stuff with $1.50 a can orchard's primer and $3.00 a can enamel and put it through decent abuse for a long time with no chipping / rusting. Good luck whatever you wanna do.

 

I was told to use many light, even coats...is that just for paint and not primer because you'd sand the primer?

 

Well you're right, its just that I see more of my friends spraying too light of coats than too heavy of coats. If you spray too light, or don't get the surface 'wet', the end result will be uneven, it will look like you sprayed the paint on with a can.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by eastbay92cx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Well you're right, its just that I see more of my friends spraying too light of coats than too heavy of coats. If you spray too light, or don't get the surface 'wet', the end result will be uneven, it will look like you sprayed the paint on with a can.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I have found the opposite to be true.

Painting till it looks wet = orange peel.

Light even coats = smooth.

 

It's hard to explain in writing... practice is the only way to find out for yourself. Good luck.

 

duplicolor 500 degree engine enamel found at any autoparts store won't chip or flake off. It has ceramic additives which should help minimize heatsoak. That 2.5" tubing is probably killing your top end tho. If you want to keep your top and low end, stick w/ 3" tubing and filter and house the filter in an airtight box w/ 3" down tube w/ velocity stack. ie the Comptech icebox design. Power all across the RPM range

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 95db8GSR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">duplicolor 500 degree engine enamel found at any autoparts store won't chip or flake off. It has ceramic additives which should help minimize heatsoak. That 2.5" tubing is probably killing your top end tho. If you want to keep your top and low end, stick w/ 3" tubing and filter and house the filter in an airtight box w/ 3" down tube w/ velocity stack. ie the Comptech icebox design. Power all across the RPM range </TD></TR></TABLE>

I take it you didn't even read my entire post

(Too many people get offended easily on H-T, so for a warning, this was not meant to offend you! You'd see exactly why I didn't do ANY of that if you read it)

I did infact go over why I don't want to use duplicolor 500 degree engine enamel and why I chose 2.5" instead of 3"


Modified by DIYaccord at 7:10 PM 9/16/2004

 

Actually i read your entire post.

Sounds like maybe you're offended, but that wasn't my intention.

You need a solution and i was merely offering some advice; take it or leave it.

I have used high temp paint on numerous parts for years and it has yet to flake off, so when you say you don't want to use it b/c it flaked off after u used it doesn't make it a bad suggestion. Perhaps you didn't prep it correctly.

You say you explained why you don't want 3" tubing......"you're not concerned w/ top-end". Fine, but if it's possible to have decent low-end gains w/out choking your engine @ high RPM then why not consider it.

 

I didn't say it flaked off ?? the paint didn't adhear to the aluminum verywell at all (when I took off the filter, the paint came off with the filter) but I'm gonna try with steel next

But yeah, i've tried the whole 3" CAI before...low end gains are at -1 if 0...with such a large diameter pipe on a small engine, it's overkill

take exhaust for example...bigger/biggest is NOT always better

You're saying that if I have a 3" intake and use hose to rought up to an airtight box, that i'll have low end gain boost...well, you may be right in that I haven't tried the airtight box and hose, but i have tried teh whole 3" CAI and I wasn't very happy at ALL

It's all good man, no one was offended in any way shape or form

 

that looks gay

 

powder coat it

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Icey112 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">that looks gay</TD></TR></TABLE>

OH..um...thanks???

(BTW, you're avatar really suits you well )

Maybe next time, you can give me something constructive

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by FF lotus &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">powder coat it</TD></TR></TABLE>

Only if I can get it done cheaply, but up here were I live, not too many places do it...

 

They sell primers for aluminum.

 

96LudeSR is right. Aluminum needs a special primer.

 

You don't need primer if you sand the bitch down. Aluminum intakes from e-bay are polished so give that bitch a good rub down with some sandpaper and you should be able to spray her with anything.

 

OK I confuse . . .

So the paint didn't stick to the original Aluminum pipe and you're worried that it won't stick to the new, steel pipe? If that's the case just sand or scuff the steel pipe, primer, then paint. Use a few light coats and it should be fine.