Painted Supercharger Cover Thread

[LastICE]

I am looking to powder-coat mine to match the magma-red color. The Evora GT came in Red as stock and I really like the way it looks. Can anyone recommend a shop in the northern California area that would do this?

 

[Time2Fly]

How far north? I used Limitless Powder coating near Modesto and they were great.

 

[LastICE]

How far north? I used Limitless Powder coating near Modesto and they were great.

I live in San Mateo. Thanks for the referral. How long do you think they would need the car to do it? And did they take the cover off for you?

 

[VL3X]

Anyone have a pic of what it looks like underneath?

 

[Time2Fly]

I live in San Mateo. Thanks for the referral. How long do you think they would need the car to do it? And did they take the cover off for you?

I used them for a mountain bike fork. Took a couple of days. I would just bring them the cover.

 

[Time2Fly]

Prismatic Powders Trapper Yellow. Almost perfect match for Hethel Yellow. It is not textured. PP may be able to mix you some that is, but this is pretty glossy. Doesn't detract in the mirror though.

My local place said for warranty purposes I needed to have the exterior blasted (instead of dipped) to protect the coating on the interior, and to use a new gasket. Don at Auto Europe (Lotus of Michigan) got the gasket for me. $67

I had the top taped off like stock to keep the bolt locations clean, and the V6 brushed clean to make it look like the =LOTUS=

 

[Hell4Leather]

Prismatic Powders Trapper Yellow. Almost perfect match for Hethel Yellow


View attachment 49810

I’m still loving the gold heat wrap on the intake

 

[Pitt Emira]

Powdercoated red to match the calipers

 

[netsinah]

Like others have done, I'm going to paint my supercharger cover to "match" my exterior color.

I see postings for a DIY high temp (VHT brand, which withstands temps up to 2,000 degrees F. or some of their products withstand temps up to 650 degrees F.) spray paint however my "boss" said there's no way I'm "baking it" in our home oven.

I see some have "baked" the newly spray painted cover for an hour...whereas I saw another person simply painted over the OEM black with VHT spray paint and didn't "bake" it. Is baking really necessary??

I've now called several local powder coating shops. Surprisingly, NONE of them have powder coated engine covers. They've done other automotive components, but not engine covers. The common theme is their concern about how hot the cover will get. One told me that powder starts to break down around 260 degrees F. Another said powder will only start to react, around 375 degrees F. But both want to know the expected temperature, before powder coating my cover. Both those maximum temperatures, are far lower than the rating for the VHT brand spray paint which looks to withstand at least up to 650 degrees F.

For those who have powder coated their supercharger covers, can you tell me:

-did the shop who did it, express concerns about temperature? What was the highest expected temperature?
-I'm assuming the cover is aluminum. Was it sand blasted first to get rid of the OEM black or sanded to "rough up" the black...or simply powder coated directly over the black?

Any advice appreciated and thanks in advance.

 

[VL3X]

I see postings for a DIY high temp (VHT brand, which withstands temps up to 2,000 degrees F. or some of their products withstand temps up to 650 degrees F.) spray paint however my "boss" said there's no way I'm "baking it" in our home oven.

I've used VHT spray without baking in an oven and it's fine. The can says you can bake at 200°F (93°C) for 20 minutes or just let the heat from the engine do it. Just spray a couple coats and let them dry before reinstalling.

 

[netsinah]

I've used VHT spray without baking in an oven and it's fine. The can says you can bake at 200°F (93°C) for 20 minutes or just let the heat from the engine do it. Just spray a couple coats and let them dry before reinstalling.

Thanks for that reply. I spoke again with a local "powder coating shop". He called me back to say he checked on the red color that I want for my cover and it's rated for 500 degrees F. which he thinks has to be plenty. Apparently, each color can have a different temperature rating. Of interest, I priced out the VHT spray cans and would spend at least Can$100 for 2 (red and clear coat cans) whereas I'm told powder coating should cost about $100 to $200 for red then clear powder coating, since the cover is so small. So for the extra dough, I'll be lazy and have someone else do it, then look to them in the unlikely event there's a problem.

 

[Rudolph]

* * * * *
For my new 2021 Evora GT410 Sport IPS I did the same with aerosol spray paint cans..........

Previous factory Black wrinkle paint cover........

Red wrinkle paint sprayed cover after 3 years car use........

1) Unbolted / took off the cover ......the steel / plastic gasket can be reused conform the Lotus importer.
2) Sanded the (black) cover slightly between the LOTUS trade mark and the rest of the cover with a kind of "scotch-brite" sanding pad
3) Cleaning with brake cleaner fluid
4) Several layers with red wrinkle paint VHT SP 204......also over the Lotus trade mark
5) Baked in kitchen oven 1 hr at 110 degr. C.
6) Carefully scraped off the still soft paint off the Lotus trade mark with a kind of wide Stanley knife blade; works asthonishingly easy and clean, without scrapes.
7) Sanded / polished the blank aluminium with min. 400 grit paper on flat block sanding hand tool
8) Several layers of 2 component (2K) matt clear coat.......the Lotus alu trade mark now is covered against corrosion and the entire cover better against moisture; wrinkle effect remains.

PAINTS:
1) VHT Wrinkle Plus™ Coatings -- High Heat Coatings
2) Eastwood 2K Aerospray Clear Coat Matte & High-Gloss (MATTE FINISH !)

 

[Tomwa]

Like others have done, I'm going to paint my supercharger cover to "match" my exterior color.

I see postings for a DIY high temp (VHT brand, which withstands temps up to 2,000 degrees F. or some of their products withstand temps up to 650 degrees F.) spray paint however my "boss" said there's no way I'm "baking it" in our home oven.

I see some have "baked" the newly spray painted cover for an hour...whereas I saw another person simply painted over the OEM black with VHT spray paint and didn't "bake" it. Is baking really necessary??

I've now called several local powder coating shops. Surprisingly, NONE of them have powder coated engine covers. They've done other automotive components, but not engine covers. The common theme is their concern about how hot the cover will get. One told me that powder starts to break down around 260 degrees F. Another said powder will only start to react, around 375 degrees F. But both want to know the expected temperature, before powder coating my cover. Both those maximum temperatures, are far lower than the rating for the VHT brand spray paint which looks to withstand at least up to 650 degrees F.

For those who have powder coated their supercharger covers, can you tell me:

-did the shop who did it, express concerns about temperature? What was the highest expected temperature?
-I'm assuming the cover is aluminum. Was it sand blasted first to get rid of the OEM black or sanded to "rough up" the black...or simply powder coated directly over the black?

Any advice appreciated and thanks in advance.

While the supercharger cover is not actively cooled, it does see a continuous source of fresh air blowing over it (albeit compressed some) and won't see temperatures higher than what the internal/coolant temps will report for the engine.

With the engine really settling in and being happy around 200*F and lower. It's possible the coolant temps could creep higher than that, but again the supercharger cover is seeing relatively cool air blowing over the inside of it constantly. I would be surprised if it sees anything more than 150*F

 

[Rudolph]

I would be surprised if it sees anything more than 150*F

* * * * *
That is correct...........I have added 3x temp. meters in the Evora...........the one for the chargecooler liquid only indicates max. 30°C = 86°F .............. (with 85 °C engine oil temp; 65°C auto converter cooling circuit temp. and 23°C ambient temp.)

 

[RyanGphoto]

I know I am resurrecting an older thread, but how did you guys "brush" the V6 so that it shows silver? I hate that it's black and I want it to match the LOTUS above it..

Thanks
Ryan G

 

[Tomwa]

Likely when they got their colors changed over they may have masked off that part of the cover so that none of the paint/powder coat applied there. Otherwise just a sanding wheel after masking parts they didn't want to accidentally burn through the paint I would presume.

 

[RyanGphoto]

<Goes to look up sanding wheels>

 

[Time2Fly]

They sanded mine off afterwards.

I mentioned this before but since we're resurrecting the thread, make sure you get the top media blasted to protect the coating underneath. My dealer told me removing the coating would void my warranty.