Painted Intercooler

[prove_it]

I bought a used intercooler that was painted. I want to take off the paint. What is the best way to remove the paint without damaging or bending the fins?

 

[mpt72]

Maybe some paint thinner?

 

[BrandonEchols]

Best thing is probably this:

Little can is like 10 bucks at napa or O'reilly - and is also available in an aerosol form.
That paint will bubble up and come off easy.
Semi related: if you plan to re-paint wheels, don't take them down to bare metal, just sand what's there and paint over it.
The other way is a huge pain in the dick.
Ask me how I know... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif

 

[prove_it]

How do you know? You asked...

 

[Diego]

Ouch Brandon, sounds like a learning experience... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[BrandonEchols]

Let's just say that entire can of aircraft stripper, and then some...plus hours ( and I mean HOURS ) with a drill and various wire wheels.
In the end I hope it's worth it, but it definitely would've been far easier to sand and paint over the factory job on these Evo Enkei's...

I still came out ahead of sand blasting and PC cost (obviously that would've been the preferred option, but at ~$500 for that route when I only paid $350 for the wheels, I just couldn't justify it)...

But yeah, hopefully I save someone a lot of time and frustration with the info from my experience. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

 

[rdomeck]

I believe pint stripper would just cause a big mess on an intercooler. It would loosen the paint, but would get clogged in the fins and you would not be able to get all the paint out. I would suggest a taking it to a radiator shop and have them boil it. Chance are it wasn't prepped correctly before paint so it should be hard to get it off. Could try and pressure wash it too, but you would have to be careful not to bend any of the fins.

 

[broxma]

The Aircraft aerosol spray stuff bubbles the paint to the point where it slides off the metal like a wet decal on a plastic model. The key to doing it right is make sure it doesn't dry. Stay right with it and spray spray spray. If it starts to dry out, spray some more.

I removed a rattle can black paint job off my old Evo 9 rims with that spray stuff. I used about 8 cans of it to do all 4 wheels but what ended up happening was not only did it take off the black rattle job, but the OEM clear coat and paint job as well. And, I didn't scrap or wire wheel it one bit. Matter of fact, after the aerosol hit the wheel, I never touched em to get the paint off. I used an F-Ton of the spray remover and a pressure washer. Laid the wheel in the yard, sprayed the hell out of it, let it sit, sprayed more, sit, sprayed, then took the pressure washer to em. Paint was everywhere, in the trees, covering the grass, in my hair, but it wasn't on the wheels anymore.

So spray paint remover, the good stuff, and a pressure washer and I would think it would come right off. You'll have to spray it multiple times probably to get it out of the center fins and what not, but it'll come out. Once the water hits it, the loose paint loses its ability to really stick anymore. It kind of dries it out. It's going to get all caught up in the fins though, unless it's only really on one side, the pressure wash from the opposite side so it doesn't go into the core.

/brox

 

[prove_it]

Thanks brox,

That story gave me a great mental picture of you standing there in your yard with everything covered in paint flakes. Made me laugh a bit.

 

[SouthCaliVR4]

Look for TAL-Strip. it's an aircraft paint remover. Be very careful not to get any on you it will burn the hell out of you!