If you can afford anodizing it, or don't mind screwing around with tubs of chemicals and car batterys, that's definately the way to go.

 

ive seen plent of people just use barbeque grill paint and it hadnt effected performance. it was proven by someone on the dyno, ill have to look for the thread

 

The dyno is not the best place to test the air flow on a FMIC. Think about it.. how much air is really flowing through there with that fan blowing on it? It's not a true testing ground for the efficiency of a FMIC... imo.

 

im not challengine you, im just saying what i have heard and seen a few pictures of.

 

If anyone's installing an IC for the way it looks, they're already missing the point. Some things are just better off left un-touched. If the IC is already too big to heat-soak, paint won't hurt it. If it does heat-soak, then paint will hurt it. It's difficult to measure where the point is that paint would affect its performance from the driver's seat, but all paints will add an insulating layer, therefore, all paints will affect aluminum's thermal transfer properties (Chemistry 101).

Anodizing can actually improve Aluminum's thermal transfer characteristics because it actually will increase the molecular surface area of the aluminum through oxidation and make the aluminum more porous. But, just like with paint, I also doubt that one would be easy to measure...

Wear your blingin' IC with pride. You're boosted for cryin' out loud. You won't fool anyone when you shift and your BOV goes "PSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHT"

 

an alternative to painting or annodizing would be wrapping the intercooler. get some black rubbery mesh and wrap it around. theoretically it'll decrease airflow since it will provide resistance... but im sure itll be minimal. it'll probably look stupid too, but hey its just a thought.

 

What? :eh:

Pics...

 

Well FMIC's are illegal in CA and if I get seen with it by a cop, it won't be pretty. I will be safe rather than sorry, so I painted it. There hasn't been any problems with the light coat of paint I put on it, so I rest my case.

 

What? That doesn't sound right. What about all the cars that came with factory FMIC's? Intercoolers can't be illegal. Many factory cars would grenade if they were removed. I saw several EVO's when I was in Cali last Sept... Plenty of Civics and DSMs in San Fran had FMICs...

If they're illegal in California, move.

 

I have never heard that either.

Why is it the turbokits with FMIC's are CARB legal (California Air Resources Board) then?