painting heat exchanger

[SailingJerry]

I pulled my heat exchanger, wire brushed the corrosion, ordered new end cap gaskets and zincs from Catalina Direct, and am ready to bring it to a radiator shop to have it cleaned out. Any suggestions for the type(s) of paint to use on it? If I prime it with zinc chromate will that be OK with the heat from the hot water inside?

Jerry

[Stu Jackson]

Jerry, I suggest reading the labels on the paint cans.  The temperature of the exhaust has been reported to be about 250F.  Maine Sail wrote on another forum:  "I have not measured an aux diesel exhaust at over 375F and that was with a plugging exhaust elbow."  Rustoleum makes a high temperature paint.

[mainesail]

I pulled my heat exchanger, wire brushed the corrosion, ordered new end cap gaskets and zincs from Catalina Direct, and am ready to bring it to a radiator shop to have it cleaned out. Any suggestions for the type(s) of paint to use on it? If I prime it with zinc chromate will that be OK with the heat from the hot water inside?

Jerry

The cold raw water surrounds the hot engine water, which is only about 160 - 185F to begin with.. Just about any spray paint can handle the temp of an HX... I generally use a "high temp" engine paint because I find them pretty durable not necessarily for the temp rating...

[Les Luzar]

I bought Metallic Bronze Engine Paint from Pep Boys (auto parts store) for about $8.95. FYI instead of the Universal Bronze at $31. Just a thought!

[Ron Hill]

Jerry : As Mainsail said - temperature is not the problem.

The metallic Bronze spray can from any auto parts store will work. 

[SailingJerry]

Thanks for the replies. I didn't know if I needed the zinc chromate to insure that the paint would adhere properly. Ready to cross another project off the to-do list 

Jerry

[Mike and Joanne Stimmler]

Jerry, usually when you take the heat exchanger to a radiator shop, the paint will be striped off in the cleaning process so the zinc chromate is still a good idea, then you can use the metalic bronze as a finish coat. Just make sure you don't paint the threaded insert where the zinc anode screws into, it must remain bare metal for the anode to work. I found thae it's also good to tape off all the hose barbs too, a least the ends where the hoses connect but paint the joints.

Mike

[Hawk]

When I took mine in to the radiator shop they renewed it AND painted it...............the least they could do for the price. Ask them and I'll bet they were going to anyway.

Hawk

[Mike and Joanne Stimmler]

Hawk,
Did they mask off the stuff that needed to be masked, did they prime with zinc chromate and did they use the color of finish paint that you wanted or did you maybe provide the paint?

Mike

[Hawk]

MIke,

Yes...yes...and who cares - it looks way better than it did. And they did it.

Hawk