Is the paint or whatever it is on the oil cooler important? I was thinking about taking it off. Any suggestions on how to take it off? There is alot of it chipping and makes it look like crap. I am assuming that the paint or whatever is acting sort of like an extra layer of insulation, and taking it off would look nicer, and also help the heat to dissipate better. Ideas? Suggestions?? Thanks
Ian

 

if you dont have access to a commercial dip tank, just buy a paint stripper from home depot and several cans of brake cleaner. just be sure to put a plug on the inlet/outlet fittings.

 

There is a paint remover called JAsco. That's good stuff. MAke sure you have gloves and eye protection.

 

sweet, thanks.

 

mine stripped off when I soaked the oil cooler with some engine cleaner.

 

Jasco paint stripper. Yellow and red metal can. Home Depot.

 

I soaked my cooler in a bucket with some purple(like Castrol's stuff) degreaser and water.. Later I realized it wasn't a very good idea. I had thown the hive in the bucket with haste. Later I realized water and oil do not mix too well...

Anyways, a few days later and all the paint was off. And it was not chipping or pealing before I took it off. That purple stuff eats paint, and its fairly non-toxic(doesn't irratate my skin like solvent).

After draining all the water I could, I suspended the hive in a gallon of cheap oil.. The idea was for the water to sink to the bottom, ect. It worked.. No water contamination (as a precaution, I ran it for a few minutes then changed the oil and filter). I also flushed the cooling system three times to make sure no oil was left behind.

Ben

 

^ Yup- purple power will eat paint if left on long enough. I know from experience

 

I had my under-rad cooler bead-blasted and powdercoated. Just make sure you have the oil inlets plugged properly! Mazdatrix actually sells plastic plugs for these for a $buck or two-
Stu Aull
80 GS
Alaska

 

Power coating a oil cooler probably looks GREAT!!!

But I don't think it will remove the heat from the engine oil as effeciently as orginally designed. To me it would act more as a insulator, trapping the heat.

John

 

An oil cooler I'm installing in a project car looks like the paint has come off in one way or another. I don't have any plans to paint it.