Black Intercoolers Mythbusted

Поделиться
HTML-код
  • Опубликовано: 14 июн 2014
  • Is it possible to increase your cars performance with nothing more than a can of black paint? Marty and Moog run a series of experiments to find out.
    FB / mightycarmods
    Grab mad stickers, tshirts and cool stuff here: www.mightycarmods.com/collecti...
    Read More about this episode and discuss in detail on the MCM Forum: forums.mightycarmods.com/showt...
    Also something to note around Mighty Car Mods: we are normal guys and are not trained mechanics. We like to make interesting car mods and show you how we've gone about it, but we can't promise that anything we show you will work for your particular car, or that you won't harm yourself, someone else, your car or your warranty doing it. Please be safe, be responsible and unless you know what you're doing, do not fool around with serious machinery just because you've seen us make it look so easy. Talk to a qualified mechanic if you are in any doubt.
  • Авто/МотоАвто/Мото

Комментарии • 2,7 тыс.

  • @EngineeringExplained
    @EngineeringExplained 10 лет назад +515

    I really do love this channel, so it's with a bit of reservation that I made a video response to this. Ultimately, I do not want to see people painting their intercoolers black for unjustified reasons (Don't do it!). You can check out the video on my channel, if you're interested.

    • @EngineeringExplained
      @EngineeringExplained 10 лет назад +54

      Here's the link: Black Intercoolers - Mythbusting Mighty Car Mods

    • @Dani2wheels
      @Dani2wheels 10 лет назад +10

      Engineering Explained I watched your vid and then came here via your link. I don't think they did anything wrong, but they're interpreting the results in an incorrect way. They hinted at it in the end but seemed to come to the conclusion to paint all of them, regardless of application. In drag racing, I think this would be perfect (as stated in this vid). However, based on your vid and the info I learned here, painting one in any car that's not drag racing would be a mistake as air is constantly flowing over it when it's being used so the -3% difference is significant.

    • @EngineeringExplained
      @EngineeringExplained 10 лет назад +34

      Dani2wheels Yep, I agree. I think the test was great, and the data good, but ultimately the wrong conclusion achieved. I still would disagree on the drag car scenario. Once the drag car is moving (at all), it's getting less cooling via radiation, which at 50 mph (a low speed) the amount of convection is incredibly significant. As the car reaches higher speeds, the temp drop becomes even more significant with more convection. The small amount of radiation the intercooler gives off (and assuming there are no heat sources radiating heat onto the intercooler - the sun, exhaust manifold, turbo, etc.) will be super insignificant in comparison to the amount of heat an intercooler can disperse via convection at 100+ mph.

    • @Dani2wheels
      @Dani2wheels 10 лет назад +3

      Engineering Explained As far as drag racing, I think you'd just have to run some tests and gather much more info. The question is: will the increased cooling while stationary offset the 3% loss at speed? And, is it even -3% at speed? It could be an exponential loss as speed increases because aerodynamic drag increases exponentially which could cause friction and heat on the paint to make it far more than -3% over unpainted. It's definitely curious test results that MCM have gotten, though, but it begs more testing if you're serious about performance. And, like you, I wouldn't recommend anyone short of an F1 team to seriously consider painting an intercooler.

    • @Vethursan1
      @Vethursan1 10 лет назад +2

      Engineering Explained I also agree with your video. Including the heat transfer coefficient will only proof, that it would in fact transfer heat through the material slower, than a cooler without paint.

  • @Breny
    @Breny 10 лет назад +122

    Loved this video. One thing i wanted to see, would be them testing it on a car to see if they feel the power change.
    Can't wait for the next ep :)

    • @Spare369
      @Spare369 10 лет назад

      Still own that sz supra? msg me ,interested buyer

    • @gustav901
      @gustav901 10 лет назад +4

      They would only be able to do it at a drag strip and only "feel" the difference which could be hard when they know they should.
      If they go to a dyno they will use a fan and then there is only a 0,008% gain. (373,15K/370,15K).
      Even at a standstill there is still only 13% (350,15K/311,15K) difference with quickly becomes 0,008%.
      It probably won't feel faster but it might save some wear and tare on the components of the engine.

    • @MrSlowestD16
      @MrSlowestD16 10 лет назад +2

      No, it wouldn't have made a difference, with air flow (ie. dyno or pull on street or drag) there's very little difference - they proved that. The thing is, when you're at the drag strip all staged up (idling) at a 95*F day and you're waiting for the other person to stage up, your intercooler is pissing that heat out of there like nobody's business, so you'll have more power out of the hole for sure.
      Though once you're moving pretty good (airflow) it won't make as much. So a dyno result won't show much, but it's obviously what you want.

    • @KiwiPhil.
      @KiwiPhil. 10 лет назад +1

      MrSlowestD16 not true as your turbo is not creating pressurised air while you are idling. your temps post turbo but pre intercooler would not be hot at all

    • @strownerz481
      @strownerz481 10 лет назад

      hey guys brenny heaaar

  • @OffensiveJestr
    @OffensiveJestr 3 года назад +6

    This video is 7 years old and is still entertaining.

  • @MomchilAtanasovHome
    @MomchilAtanasovHome 7 лет назад +25

    Engineering Explained, a very nice and educational car channel, shows why this is total BS.

    • @weebo1612
      @weebo1612 7 лет назад

      He tore the theory apart so gracefully xD

  • @Afitz200
    @Afitz200 7 лет назад +11

    But radiators are only meant to reduce heat via convection. That is why engines in moving cars with airflow are cooler than engines in sitting traffic. That is also why there are fans on radiators. The black radiator actually performed worst in the fan scenario, which is the scenario that all cars actively employ.
    Which means: If you have a radiator to just sit there, paint it black; If you have a radiator in a windy environment (like a car), keep it silver.

  • @AMexicant
    @AMexicant 10 лет назад +10

    I always thought people did that to make it "stealthy"
    Because a lot of people can see a big shiny intercooler from far away.

  • @RonJohn63
    @RonJohn63 8 лет назад +10

    9:16 Plain aluminum intercoolers emit colder air than black intercoolers WHEN THE CAR IS MOVING. Since we want cars to move, and colder air is better, your conclusion is most puzzling.

  • @edwardrex6458
    @edwardrex6458 9 лет назад +25

    Love your channel. And I applaud this scientific testing. But I think you have flawed results. The painted intercooler is covered in fresh paint. And that paint is still evaporating it's solvents. So it is not just giving off heat by radiation. It is also evaporating, (just like if you had used a water spray) and of course there is some airflow due to convection. Given enough time to cure, a week, a month... the advantage of the fresh paint will disappear. And the 3% gap seen with airflow will likely widen due to the insulation effect of the paint.
    A better test would be 2 identical intercoolers from the same factory, one bright shiny chrome on the outside, one anodized black.

    • @ProDigit80
      @ProDigit80 8 лет назад +3

      +Brad Rex You worded it better than me.
      It's only logical that a painted cooler will work less well than a raw one.

  • @cwuzii
    @cwuzii 10 лет назад +52

    Why not test them properly and put them on a car and a dyno? Gotta be more trusty than a hairdryer.

  • @15ironreaver
    @15ironreaver 8 лет назад +13

    Watching this before Engineering Explained video.

  • @at90percent
    @at90percent 8 лет назад +7

    Marty's opinion aside, painting it black at least makes it look cooler even if it doesn't actually make it cooler.

  • @druffrider
    @druffrider 3 года назад +13

    Paint is an insulator. The results you see are purely down to the paint drying (drawing out heat) . Do the same test after a few weeks when paint is fully cured and you will see why this is a bad idea.

    • @vytas5584
      @vytas5584 2 года назад

      Hmm. Good point.

  • @FeoOrozco
    @FeoOrozco 10 лет назад +33

    That dude needs to get like 20 hrs of sleep asap!! His eyes were purple as fuck!! Lol

    • @BrainSeepsOut
      @BrainSeepsOut 10 лет назад +33

      Engineers don't sleep.

    • @notorioussouljur
      @notorioussouljur 10 лет назад

      Hahahahaha i was thinking the same thing

    • @88djdmepfdnkjf94
      @88djdmepfdnkjf94 10 лет назад +2

      from how different the colour is i think he should get a blood test for liver health.

    • @ScoobyBaseball
      @ScoobyBaseball 10 лет назад +9

      Maybe he's just high as fuck.

    • @bunkaaa8726
      @bunkaaa8726 10 лет назад +5

      88djdmepfdnkjf94 Werent you listening ? Darker is better, faster, more efficient !

  • @chris_5200
    @chris_5200 7 лет назад +7

    An intercooler works through convection not radiation. they seem to be ignoring the results from having air passing through the intercooler. However that's what they should really be concentrating on as the vehicle that the intercooler is fitted to is designed to be moving.

  • @JHillyer000
    @JHillyer000 8 лет назад +24

    Engineering Explained - Mythbusting Mighty Car Mods. An Engineer who understands science talking about why they are wrong.
    MCM - Two guys who have mechanic friends talk about what they think.
    Yeah I'll go with the engineer, as an engineer myself.

  • @Ward1706
    @Ward1706 8 лет назад +7

    Plus: if you have a *_BLAAAAACK_* intercooler (plus *_BLAAAAACK_* piping) means that you get a lot less attention from Australia's fine authorities.

  • @DanielsGameVault
    @DanielsGameVault 10 лет назад +6

    Marty : "I have a cable tie" ROFL :))))

  • @LBCvalenz562
    @LBCvalenz562 10 лет назад +25

    If you live in LA a black intercooler is ideal. try sitting on the 405 at 5:30pm.

    • @MrTopGunnar
      @MrTopGunnar 10 лет назад +8

      get a motorcycle and lane split it will cut your commute by like 2 hours haha legal only in CA!

    • @LBCvalenz562
      @LBCvalenz562 10 лет назад +3

      Cant beat the comfort of a car!

    • @josephtalbot125
      @josephtalbot125 10 лет назад +6

      Yea because you are totally boosting wile sitting in a traffic jam..... Black radiator would help much more.

    • @Zcypot
      @Zcypot 10 лет назад +2

      Jeez my wrx reached 190f in LA traffic. I got off and drove on the street instead.

    • @josephtalbot125
      @josephtalbot125 10 лет назад +2

      Zcypot
      Thats not really that hot. For my Chevy, 210f is right in the middle of the gauge.

  • @iHernandez620
    @iHernandez620 7 лет назад +13

    That guy needs some sleep

  • @logmegadeth72
    @logmegadeth72 10 лет назад +16

    If painting the intercooler black did anything, I would think that it would make less power since black colors absorb heat as opposed to reflecting it? So black would only really be wanted if you're going for more of a stealth look instead of a nice shiny intercooler. :)

    • @jeepmanxj
      @jeepmanxj 10 лет назад +14

      This is exactly what that just tested.

    • @logmegadeth72
      @logmegadeth72 10 лет назад

      +jeepmanxj I know that, I was just stating my hypothesis. At the end of the video they stated that black was actually better which surprised me.

    • @briguy91931
      @briguy91931 10 лет назад +15

      Black absorbs solar heat more than any other color, but the intercooler isn't going to be mounted in direct sunlight so its solar radiation heatsoak vs. the larger cooling area benefit is going to be negligible. Lol

    • @R4MP4G3RXD
      @R4MP4G3RXD 10 лет назад

      Proved you wrong son! :D

    • @Stale_Mahoney
      @Stale_Mahoney 10 лет назад

      actually that black gets hotter is not true, only a myth that has been busted, on the other hand the paint in itself obserbe heat better then the bere metal so there is maybe a minor difference but not so big difference that the engine would notice.

  • @Ispharel
    @Ispharel 10 лет назад +19

    You should dino a car with a silver intercooler and then change it for the same black painted one. Just so we can see if there is a HP difference and a valid reason to spray it black.

    • @SpazN16
      @SpazN16 10 лет назад +22

      You could learn to spell dyno....

    • @Ispharel
      @Ispharel 10 лет назад +6

      SpazN16 Oops! Sorry :P Typo xD

    • @IanMeiksins
      @IanMeiksins 10 лет назад

      With most things related to a car, this may not actually turn out to be a tangible effect, however it should prolong the life of your turbo with better cooling and theoretically, a colder turbo should mean it spools faster, but there are some many other variables in a car that it probably won't show us much of a difference.

    • @Ispharel
      @Ispharel 10 лет назад

      Ian Meiksins I see what you mean. Would be good to have it mythbusted though :D

    • @SpazN16
      @SpazN16 10 лет назад

      That theory doesn't make sense... The IC is after the turbo, so painting the IC black will have no effect upon the turbo... It will push the same amount of air with a painted or un-painted intercooler....

  • @travelseast
    @travelseast 4 года назад +11

    he literally says "the amount of heat lost to radiation is probably insignificant compared to the amount of heat that's lost to convection with the air flowing through it." @10:54 His point being when you're sitting still, there's no airflow, so no convection just radiation, so the black paint DOES make a difference. EXCEPT that your intercooler probably has a fan on it, to make sure there IS air flow, because it IS reliant on convection, radiation is in his own words "probably insignificant."

    • @tonystanley5337
      @tonystanley5337 4 года назад

      Yes, the paint made the the intercooler a better radiator and a worse convector, great if the application involves mostly radiation, but in the real world of moving air it performed worse overall because of the insulation.

    • @TexMex421
      @TexMex421 4 года назад +2

      The amount of heat gained from radiation is a significant factor as well. In a garage the intercooler is not receiving much heat. Close to a hot. engine and blazing hot turbo charger and emissivity is working against you. Emissivity is a 2 way street. Good at sending means good at receiving. This is a great show, but here they were not correct. If you really want a black intercooler, get one anodized.

    • @g__wizz
      @g__wizz 3 года назад

      how the fuck are you going to be building boost/heat while stopped in traffic... the entire point of it is to work while moving, not stationary.

  • @FourTwenny
    @FourTwenny 10 лет назад +6

    Heat soaked... Custom software... I fucking love this channel.

    • @wtechboy18
      @wtechboy18 10 лет назад +2

      *****
      it appears he's got an arduino monitoring all this, so it actually would take some custom software to interface it with matlab.

    • @logmegadeth72
      @logmegadeth72 10 лет назад +4

      *****
      Matlab is an evil thing conjured by only the darkest of souls.

  • @richardwaugh2049
    @richardwaugh2049 2 года назад +7

    White blocks heat transfer and black increases heat transfer = Undisputable law. But a coating of paint reduces the heat transfer. However anodizing becomes a component of the aluminum and stabilizes and makes aluminum more durable. And black anodizing is available.

  • @sirbow2
    @sirbow2 10 лет назад +6

    Anodizing an IC any color will make it perform better than the stock bare aluminum. This is because the anodizing has a slightly rough surface which provides more surface area to dissipate heat. However, painting an IC black will insulate the IC because it makes it smoother which will decrease its efficiency when air is moving over it. When they had air flowing through them, the shiny had a 100deg difference where the black had 97deg. That right there is the paint insulating the IC and where anodizing would out perform.
    In terms of when there is no air flowing through, anodized and painted should have a similar efficiency based on emmisive properties when painted black, however, the anodizing will still have the extra surface area to dissipate heat along with the emissive properties (taking the lead over paint).
    Basically what im trying to say here, is spend the money to get it anodized (maybe 100$) and have the double benefit of more surface area and the black emmisive properties so you gain when in stale air and when moving. If you cant anodize it, it had better be painted black because all other lighter colors don't have the same emissive properties.
    Id like to see MCM anodize an IC black and see what results they get

  • @tokinGLX
    @tokinGLX 10 лет назад +81

    great show, cheers fellas!

    • @DiscoCubeHD
      @DiscoCubeHD 10 лет назад +3

      hey paul

    • @Nick4show
      @Nick4show 10 лет назад +1

      PAUL TOKIN

    • @dontdoweed
      @dontdoweed 10 лет назад +4

      honestly paul i would of never thought you would watch these people. thats fucking great

    • @TexasRigged
      @TexasRigged 10 лет назад +3

      fuckin paul tokin! yo!

    • @mitchell1381
      @mitchell1381 10 лет назад

      whats good paul!?

  • @gnuthad
    @gnuthad 8 лет назад +4

    I wonder what kind of difference would be made if, instead of using paint, the intercooler was anodised and dyed black during this process. In theory, by having the black _in_ the aluminium instead of as a coating _on_ the aluminium, you should be able to achieve the higher temperature differential of the black unit without any insulating effect.

  • @mickqueensland1204
    @mickqueensland1204 6 лет назад +6

    Marty and Moog, your conclusion should have been: Don't paint your intercooler, or radiator for that matter, but add a small electric fan to it for when you are in traffic or at the drags. much simpler than painting it. The paint made the intercooler 3% worse with air moving over it. cheers fellas

    • @TexMex421
      @TexMex421 4 года назад

      They have an episode where they make a system to squirt cold water onto the intercooler.

  • @Maris86234
    @Maris86234 8 лет назад +8

    Well you cant realy blame Marty and Moog for the shitty conclusion. Electrinical stig is the one who screwed the test by saying that intercooler works with thermal radiaton. The guy is suposed to be smart afterall he is a mechatronic.

  • @Skitter302
    @Skitter302 10 лет назад +6

    Black paint sales just went up 30% over night xD

  • @TexMex421
    @TexMex421 4 года назад +9

    Emissivity is a 2 way street. The ability to emit heat via radiation is always equal to the ability to absorb heat. A radiator or intercooler in an engine bay emitting heat via radiation can just as easily receive heat from the engine, turbo, or other radiators. The heat it radiates may be reflected back by metal body panels and structural components, or may simply heat those up.
    In the test in the video, the intercooler is not close to a hot engine, radiator AC radiator, or oil cooler.
    In the test in this video the black intercooler is 3% less efficient than the silver with airflow, even with all those hot components around it.
    We are all free to paint the radiators and intercoolers of our cars black. Heck, pull your refrigerator away from the wall, and spray it's radiator black, then hit the out door AC unit of your home. But you'll find efficiency drops, rather than improves.

    • @sametbayboru8965
      @sametbayboru8965 4 года назад +1

      since when radiator of a refrigerator is something other than black? they work with both natural convection and radiation. Your understanding is unrelevant. And your example. You can see efficiency gains because convection is better than radiation in MOST cases. Even a smallest wind can make you dumb.

    • @DeputyNordburg
      @DeputyNordburg 4 года назад +4

      @@sametbayboru8965 Most refrigerator radiator are unpainted silver/grey. The little college ones with an exposed radiator in the back are painted black because they will be handled and oils from fingers are bad for the finish. So are most air conditioners, car radiators, intercoolers, oil coolers, etc etc. Silver/grey. I'd post some photos, but extreme losers will then tag the photos as spam and the post disappears. Loosers....

  • @jackd1087
    @jackd1087 7 лет назад +5

    There's your first problem.... A mechatronics engineer. If you want something done correctly, ask a mechanical engineer (y)

  • @robert-bg9pf
    @robert-bg9pf 7 лет назад +12

    Aren't black aluminum intercoolers Anodized?

  • @Alex-ck4in
    @Alex-ck4in 8 лет назад +13

    Lol Your mythbust was mythbusted by EE

    • @gregoryerich9885
      @gregoryerich9885 4 года назад

      The next time I try for full boost while sitting in one spot with no airflow I will try black. In reality the car is moving forward under boost and the IC is better at heat transfer without the paint.

  • @WhoWhereTheBee
    @WhoWhereTheBee 8 лет назад +1

    Moog's hat fits amazingly on his head

  • @sonycall
    @sonycall 6 лет назад +24

    Intercoolers works by convection, not radiation. You are having a 3% efficiency loss by painting it black. Period.

    • @BespokePowerhouse
      @BespokePowerhouse 6 лет назад +3

      Correct. Painting Black is bad news. Especially if it’s exposed to the sun

    • @TexMex421
      @TexMex421 4 года назад +2

      @@BespokePowerhouse The sun is 93 Million miles away, how about the flaming hot turbo, or the engine block? You want your intercoolers and radiators shiny and reflective. Bounce that heat away.

  • @Weissman111
    @Weissman111 6 лет назад +7

    What you're seeing is three dudes who don't know the difference between radiative and convective heat loss. The intercooler is a radiator, so relies entirely on airflow through it to cool it. Painting it black just creates a slightly less conductive coating on the surface which makes it less efficient.

    • @Kris_M
      @Kris_M 6 лет назад

      +Cardinal Biggles: "What you're seeing is three dudes who don't know the difference between radiative and convective heat loss. The intercooler is a radiator ..."
      Lol, apparently you don't either, the intercooler is *not* a radiator. (Although it is also wrongly called that in common language like your water cooling radiator which is also a convector, not a radiator)

    • @Weissman111
      @Weissman111 6 лет назад +3

      Technically speaking it is a radiator - without airflow it will still radiate heat - it's just not a very effective one.

    • @Kris_M
      @Kris_M 6 лет назад

      Scientifically speaking it is also a radiator, just like every other part of a car, but calling it a radiator because of that is just meaningless. Do you call the mirrors radiators as well?
      Technically speaking - that is, in its designed mode of operation - the intercooler sheds 95% to 100% of the heat through convection, ergo, it should be called a convector.

  • @SemtexWarrior
    @SemtexWarrior 8 лет назад +13

    This mythbusting has been mythbusted!
    EngiEx has officially killed this video :)

  • @jourdanrobinson6243
    @jourdanrobinson6243 10 лет назад +1

    Loving the mythbusting episodes, really getting down the the science and shizuoka behind parts and stuff. Keep it up guys, fantastic.

  • @enderlordofficial
    @enderlordofficial 9 лет назад

    Marty dropping the fan just made my day.

  • @ilovegoatsecks
    @ilovegoatsecks 10 лет назад +42

    i declare an invalid test. should have had an opposite color test. spray one white and try it.

    • @kjsilvia90
      @kjsilvia90 10 лет назад +5

      Mcm paint one white and even blue or red to see if its color or just paint itself!!! Plz and ty

    • @Athfos
      @Athfos 10 лет назад +3

      Yes MCM must try other colours and even try etch primer on its own!

    • @GreenJeep1998
      @GreenJeep1998 10 лет назад

      Shooting it white would have the same effect as leaving it bare.

    • @InsanitySkullZ
      @InsanitySkullZ 10 лет назад +6

      yes and they need to look into different painting techniques as well (anodized, powder coat, professionally sprayed, straight black onto metal, brush paint, high heat paint, baked on paint, metallic paint, etc. etc.)
      I would love to see what black paint with flecks of cooper or aluminum in it would do to heat conduction

    • @doverlabs
      @doverlabs 10 лет назад +2

      Wow, that's a completely valid point. I didn't think about and I've got two engineering degrees so I owe you a pitcher of beer and MCM should really consider redoing the test!

  • @TheDingus9
    @TheDingus9 7 лет назад +3

    I'm thinking the conclusion should be to add a fan to the intercooler that comes on when the airflow drops below a threshold.

  • @Vanilasalt
    @Vanilasalt 7 лет назад +6

    I guess the paint didnt fully dry (if you wait a couple days or maybe weeks) . Because of that some of the paint would evaporate and take a little bit of heat with it. Im not sure tho...

  • @markgc65
    @markgc65 5 лет назад +5

    This mod was used on my Ford Escort RS turbo in the late 80's AND YES IT WORKS TURBO systems motorsport who were one of the UK's top ford tuners in the day and Colins performance both recomended this mod and its cheap easy to do and works.! Also adding a deflector plate helps to by diverting more cold air to it! "Forget the doubters this is real" ( If there are any april fools here its the people who didnt paint theirs! lmao.) !

  • @shailendradeopa2089
    @shailendradeopa2089 2 года назад +4

    Black painting of intercooler/ radiators etc is done purely for looks. It will in fact reduce the efficiency of intercooler/ heat exchanger. As it did by 3% in your case.
    Love your videos btw.

  • @xpontiac
    @xpontiac 8 лет назад +11

    If you're considering the *Difference* between the air temperatures in and out of the intercoolers, then doesn't that means that the higher it is, the better?
    Therefore without airflow, the black wins (due to emissivity) but with airflow the non-painted one wins, due to convection. and since the vehicle will typically be in motion, painting it black will be disadvantageous
    just sayn...

    • @TexMex421
      @TexMex421 4 года назад

      The one with paint won because of wet paint. Not because of emissivity. Evaportation is great and is why many systems sprits the intercooler with water.

  • @klenstar9899
    @klenstar9899 2 года назад +6

    Maybe time to revisit this??? More science? Maybe cheap ebay vs expensive?

  • @melchizadek5791
    @melchizadek5791 Год назад +5

    It might be 8 years later but it seems you guys were correct in your conclusions. What has been falsely banded about here and via Engineering Explained is that intercoolers and on the same principals, radiators, work via convection only. This assumption is flawed and incomplete. They lose heat via both modes. However as air flow is introduced the convection component of the total heat loss of the system increases for both the painted and unpainted coolers in relation to their radiant heat loss component and so the insulating effect of the paint marginally decreases the system efficiency (97%). At the same time the converse is also true in that with zero flow (static) air the radiant component of the total heat loss increases by which you demonstrated the black painted one had a significant improvement over the shiny bare Al one. If intercoolers and radiators worked via convection only, every working ICE powered vehicle on earth would have massive over heating issues. That radiant element of total heat loss can be felt by simply putting your hand near a rad or intercooler while the vehicle is at rest. Exalting thermodynamic principals to a religious level like holy scripture is folly even more so when rudamentary flaws in basic assumptions are made by those who Explain Engineering and claim to 'know better'. At the very least an apology is due to you guys from you know who :)

  • @lextube
    @lextube 10 лет назад +30

    Would the 3c difference from the cooling fan perhaps be due to the extra layer over the intercooler from the paint? Great ep!

    • @kevenharvey9711
      @kevenharvey9711 10 лет назад +26

      Or maybe the battery they used had drained just a little bit, 3° over 100° is fairly insignificant anyway.

    • @bober9989
      @bober9989 10 лет назад

      3 degrees is insignificant

    • @mjdmzn
      @mjdmzn 10 лет назад +1

      Keven Harvey
      Exactly what I was thinking

    • @sirbow2
      @sirbow2 10 лет назад

      yup. exactly. read my comment for more details :P

    • @Xmvw2X
      @Xmvw2X 10 лет назад +11

      You also have to consider the test environment. They have a room space that is not at a constant temp. If it's an open garage for example, you may also have a slight breeze that will influence the result.
      Typically with data analysis you are looking at large trends and significant differences. Now to know what's significant, you need to run several tests and understand the sense of scale.

  • @tzighanulroman
    @tzighanulroman 7 лет назад +7

    You must have mixed up something there with the calculation of the deltas...

  • @gewoontimm
    @gewoontimm 7 лет назад +5

    best thing to test would be take a stock intercooler.. install it on a car and put in on a dyno than spray it black and put it on the dyno again..

  • @PhatTubes
    @PhatTubes 10 лет назад

    This is one of the best videos yet!

  • @AndyManCam
    @AndyManCam 9 лет назад +3

    Very entertaining! I love a garage test lab as much as the next man. But seriously? The only thing that would convince me would be a dyno run before and after paint. So once I've fitted the intercooler to my bike, I'm leaving it yellow...

  • @jakehamilton6738
    @jakehamilton6738 10 лет назад +4

    Why do you always take so long to upload videos :'( one a week minimum please, I would even pay monthly for it on tv if I could! best thing ever! should be on tv. love you guys!

  • @cr76802
    @cr76802 8 лет назад +3

    the reason why you paint the radiator black is to even out the heat distribution. if they ever do this agian. i think a Infrared camra would be great addition to the test instead of just sensors.

  • @ellisisland5094
    @ellisisland5094 7 лет назад +4

    I clicked on this because I thought it was a joke

  • @assassino1002
    @assassino1002 10 лет назад +5

    Subaru Liberty lurking at 11:42 :P

    • @natemorte
      @natemorte 10 лет назад

      I've been waiting for a update on the 11sec gramps

  • @simonrook5743
    @simonrook5743 6 лет назад +6

    You guys should read up on ‘confirmation bias’. You so wanted it to work you called the test with airflow (you know the one like how a car operates) showed a negligible improvement, NO, it made it worse, sorry guys, great idea, good test, screwed up the conclusion.

  • @MrKram090
    @MrKram090 8 лет назад +1

    Those eye bags shows how hard being an engineer is like. XD

  • @Geordielol
    @Geordielol 10 лет назад

    Any video from you guys is good enough for me. Keep it up.

  • @IAmSkip94
    @IAmSkip94 10 лет назад +5

    Matlab!? Never thought I'd see someone use that outside of research.
    /Studying Electrical Engineering.

  • @thebigworldofnz
    @thebigworldofnz 2 года назад +4

    I approve of Martins cable tie

  • @M3NTAL-YT
    @M3NTAL-YT 4 года назад +12

    To this day, the tech geek still hasn’t slept.

  • @GstarCurtis
    @GstarCurtis 10 лет назад

    I did not see that one coming, very nice!

  • @divdac
    @divdac 10 лет назад +7

    MATLAB is the furthest thing from custom. Any engineer at any university has nightmares and wet dreams about it.

    • @eur04lif3
      @eur04lif3 10 лет назад

      haha yes, indeed

    • @TheDERINGO
      @TheDERINGO 10 лет назад

      I Lold at the mentioning of MATLAB

  • @carlmons
    @carlmons 7 лет назад +9

    Absolutely the wrong conclusion. They were so focused on the huge change with no airflow that they ignored the FACT that the bare aluminum one performed better by 3% with airflow. When do you need your intercooler to perform better - when you're at a stoplight and the turbo isn't providing any boost, or when you're moving and the turbo is boosting and adding heat? If you care at all about its efficiency without airflow you understand nothing about boosted engines. 3% better heat absorption can mean the difference between detonation or not.

    • @jamescartier8728
      @jamescartier8728 7 лет назад +1

      The black paint does, however, effectively reduce the temperatures gained through heat soak at a standstill, which can be a problem for many cars

  • @JHillyer000
    @JHillyer000 8 лет назад +5

    This just in, MCM can you please test the following performance difference, a car with and without wheels.
    Whilst the car isn't driving, say at traffic lights or in my garage, the one without wheels will have a lower weight, and therefore will race faster. Right?

    • @rtardbox
      @rtardbox 8 лет назад

      +James Hillyer

  • @MrCrazywowguy
    @MrCrazywowguy 7 лет назад +7

    Hows adding a insulating layer of paint help lol

  • @Shaun.Stephens
    @Shaun.Stephens 6 лет назад +7

    Wrong - because John Cadogan.

    • @dkphantomdk
      @dkphantomdk 6 лет назад

      yes.. John Cadogan, is the right answer.
      - but lets make intercoolers of solid gold, then I think the cooling would be better.. alot better !

    • @Shaun.Stephens
      @Shaun.Stephens 6 лет назад

      Cadogan covered this when he mentioned copper. The same logic applies to gold; Cost. (Along with weight and malleability of course.)

  • @jbdnmos1
    @jbdnmos1 6 лет назад +5

    Your conclusion is backwards, 100° temperature difference in inlet and outlet temperature with the bare aluminum intercooler, and 97° temperature difference in inlet and outlet temperature with the painted intercooler means that the air coming out of the painted intercooler is warmer than the air coming out of the bare aluminum intercooler. If the outlet temperature of the painted intercooler was 103° difference then it would mean that the painted intercooler was more efficient. Your test proves that a painted intercooler is less efficient than a bare aluminum intercooler, with airflow through the intercooler, which is how it is designed to work.

    • @badass1g
      @badass1g 5 лет назад +3

      James Mosley you are correct. Plus, the without airflow test is irrelevant because in All situations you will be having airflow. On a dyno, street racing, race track. So the non airflow test doesn’t matter one bit EVEN IF it wasn’t backwards lol they had some good ideas but poorly executed.

    • @anonjohnnyG
      @anonjohnnyG 4 года назад

      for this crude test a

    • @Reploidx9
      @Reploidx9 4 года назад

      @@badass1g I didn't know days where the air was still counted as airflow. No seriously, you will not have airflow ALL the time. You will have idle times, it's inevitable. Besides, the efficiency on the high end only dropped by 3C which is pretty insignificant, meanwhile you have that massive gain on the low end. Overall painting it comes out on top.

    • @Lawtonfl
      @Lawtonfl 4 года назад

      @@anonjohnnyG 3% difference is not standard error, that is statistically significant

    • @anonjohnnyG
      @anonjohnnyG 4 года назад

      @@Lawtonfl re read my comment and try again

  • @spooln30
    @spooln30 8 лет назад +2

    Years ago my friends and I did a simular test with two identical IC's but we powder coated one instead of paint. The powder coat was a plain powder no ceramics and was black in color. From what we found the powder coated IC had a hotter discharge temp being almost 40 degrees hotter then the non powder coated IC. There's obviously a big difference between spray paint and powder coatings and the PC seemed to actually prevent the dissipation of heat throught the IC. Not sure if ceramic PC would have the same effect or not. Good to know that regular black spray paint actually helps. After our tests we kinda assumed paint would have the same effect as PC but just not as much.

    • @DeejayVibros
      @DeejayVibros 8 лет назад

      I actually work at s powder coating shop ... This is something I must ask my boss on whether ceramic coating or powder coating work better to cool down metals ..

    • @DeejayVibros
      @DeejayVibros 8 лет назад

      I actually work at s powder coating shop ... This is something I must ask my boss on whether ceramic coating or powder coating work better to cool down metals ..

  • @JimaNikki
    @JimaNikki 10 лет назад +1

    Wow! Looks like I have another weekend project for my Speed3!

  • @DarkDragonWing
    @DarkDragonWing 10 лет назад +8

    Nice!

  • @parkour16
    @parkour16 3 года назад +6

    how a difference of 97 degrees (black) is better than a difference of 100 degrees(no painted)??

  • @MedicCamba
    @MedicCamba 7 лет назад +1

    Awesome video! Very detailed and great science set up!

  • @rogerramjet5092
    @rogerramjet5092 10 лет назад

    I can't believe Moog got thru the whole thing and didn't mention unicorns or their farts once. In fact he actually sounded like he had a couple of brain cells that work and they talk to each other. AMAZING!!!

  • @chubzdon1
    @chubzdon1 6 лет назад +8

    5:05 he says "painting it black changes emissivity and that has nothing to do with airflow".. but an intercooler literally works by cooling flowing air :/

    • @mcopeland05
      @mcopeland05 6 лет назад +2

      He is talking about the air flowing across the intercooler not the air flowing through it. He is saying that air flowing across the intercooler or not flowing across it has nothing to do with difference of the amount of radiation that can be released because of the color change.

    • @chubzdon1
      @chubzdon1 6 лет назад +1

      Yeah and the result was that it was 3 degrees less efficient but they completely ignored that. The point is the emissivity doesn't matter because the intercooler's job is to cool the air that's flowing through it. They did the test and the black one was clearly less efficient.

    • @TexMex421
      @TexMex421 4 года назад

      @@chubzdon1 emissivity does matter. If your intercooler is near a hot engine or worse a turbo, you want it bright, shiny and reflecting away radiant heat.
      IF YOU ARE COOLING A HAIRDRYER IN A GARGE, BLACK IS GOOD!

  • @Opt1685
    @Opt1685 8 лет назад +4

    I painted my intercooler black because I don't want people to see it. Any performance gained or lost from painting it is negligible.

  • @WPTUNED
    @WPTUNED 10 лет назад +2

    am I the only one that waits until after the credits just in case there's a funny bit??

  • @DarkBioCloud
    @DarkBioCloud 9 лет назад

    I clicked this video thinking it was BS after watching it you guys changed my mind. I think I am going to paint my radiator and oil cooler black . Great vid guys.

  • @tomislavsekerija1957TN
    @tomislavsekerija1957TN 7 лет назад +6

    what a fail bros, engineering explained had me on this epic fail

  • @davejr3876
    @davejr3876 7 лет назад +7

    So when you're not moving (no air flow) you can go faster?

  • @BEAMERNOOB
    @BEAMERNOOB 5 лет назад +1

    There is a product from thermotec it’s designed to be a header wrap coating but it works well on metal, I’d be interested to see a test with the copper paint

  • @pfoxhound
    @pfoxhound 5 лет назад +1

    After cleaning dye from a flashlight where aluminum plate with soldered led touches anodized aluminum I got flashlight getting much warmer than before. I used pipe cleaner with powerful alkali. After pure aluminum was exposed added thermal paste and got a good thermal spread. Even anodized aluminum in my flashlight was bad for thermal resistance.

  • @sebasaiello
    @sebasaiello 10 лет назад +23

    Really? Looking for performance differences between two colors? Now I'm a fan of MCM, watched turbos and temples like 20 times, watched every episode, so don't take me as a hater when I say this is just low quality for the channel. Ok, I got it, you are building an awesome project car, but make us wait for so long to have a tutorial on how to apply stickers and this, is just low for the MCM I love. Hope next videos are more entertaining. ..

    • @IIIErebusIII
      @IIIErebusIII 10 лет назад +25

      They just got back from america plus they have real job's and this stuff doesn't pay for it self.

    • @brettlarson912
      @brettlarson912 10 лет назад +14

      A real MCM fan would be patient and enjoy what was released to be a 'tie over' episode. They only put it out so that they weren't inactive for too long. They have lives outside of MCM. Try to be less selfish and be happy that they are currently tackling a project bigger than they ever have for YOU and the other (perhaps truer?) MCM fans.

    • @veeerzes
      @veeerzes 10 лет назад +8

      The LoudAssasin
      Dude, MCM gets LOTS of money just from youtube revenue...!

    • @soupisgoodfood42
      @soupisgoodfood42 10 лет назад +11

      I like their Mythbusters-esque episodes.

  • @pender037
    @pender037 10 лет назад +4

    that guy looks like he has not slept in about 400 years.

  • @gnomechildjesus9332
    @gnomechildjesus9332 8 лет назад +2

    that dude in blue looks like he either needs some serious sleep or he needs to lay off some drugs.

  • @IB3MOR3PR0
    @IB3MOR3PR0 10 лет назад

    Already seen one or two black inter coolers on the way to Tafe and back. Good to know there's MCM fans in my area :D

  • @jort93z
    @jort93z 4 года назад +7

    I would have thought that it would be worse because the paint serves as a thermal barrier sort of, since it is a much worse conductor of heat compared to the steel.

    • @TexMex421
      @TexMex421 4 года назад +2

      The paint is a thermal barrier, but while wet, it is evaporating. And as tested here, the paint is still wet. This is a false result they have.

    • @jort93z
      @jort93z 4 года назад

      @@TexMex421 ahh, that makes sense.

    • @TexMex421
      @TexMex421 4 года назад +1

      @@jort93z I love these guys, but here they screwed up. Paint takes a long time to dry completely a month easy. They mention letting it dry, but not how long, and they even mention "getting as much paint into the fins as possible". My guess is they let it wait a few hours the outside felt dry and the inside was still quite wet.
      This is why people have those water spritzer systems for their intercoolers.

    • @AK-yc9du
      @AK-yc9du 4 года назад

      Usually matte drys faster and heat soaking it would have a further ‘baking’ effect therefore the paint would be dry prior to testing.

    • @TexMex421
      @TexMex421 4 года назад

      Emissivity is a 2 way street. The ability to emit heat via radiation is always equal to the ability to absorb heat. A radiator or intercooler in an engine bay emitting heat via radiation can just as easily receive heat from the engine, turbo, or other radiators. The heat it radiates may be reflected back by metal body panels and structural components, or may simply heat those up.
      In the test in the video, the intercooler is not close to a hot engine, radiator AC radiator, or oil cooler.
      In the test in this video the black intercooler is 3% less efficient than the silver with airflow, even with all those hot components around it.
      We are all free to paint the radiators and intercoolers of our cars black. Heck, pull your refrigerator away from the wall, and spray it's radiator black, then hit the out door AC unit of your home. But you'll find efficiency drops, rather than improves.

  • @D3nchanter
    @D3nchanter 8 лет назад +4

    DERP, with the fan (convection) it cooled worse...
    These aren't designed for emissive cooling via radiation...

  • @Jimbodrear
    @Jimbodrear 9 лет назад +1

    I'd bet that they didn't wait for the paint to properly cure and during the first heat test without airflow the paint cured and offgassed, causing it to shed heat faster. This also points to why it made a negligible difference under airflow since the paint had cured.

  • @padlockbeats151
    @padlockbeats151 6 лет назад +2

    Can't deny that due has a dead set heavy case of possum eyes lol

  • @nicholasf3452
    @nicholasf3452 8 лет назад +7

    I see a silver intercooler and i want it painted black

    • @blackhornetf
      @blackhornetf 8 лет назад

      lmfao x 10000

    • @177SCmaro
      @177SCmaro 8 лет назад

      I could not foresee it making no more power.

  • @minimanadam
    @minimanadam 4 года назад +10

    I feel the paint coating the intercooler would make it retain heat more, like a blanket

    • @TexMex421
      @TexMex421 4 года назад

      It does. The result here is because the paint is fresh, and still evaporating.

  • @serdaraytemiz
    @serdaraytemiz 8 лет назад

    Love the Channel.... you guys always manage to put a smile on our faces :)
    if the intercooler is all aluminium, what would the result be if it was Anodized instead of painted.

  • @Draylogic
    @Draylogic 8 лет назад +2

    Instead of painting it could be anodized which would reduce the insulating effect somewhat

  • @jasonalexander6417
    @jasonalexander6417 6 лет назад +5

    Can't deny the science here. Your own experiment proves that black paint on an inter cooler is less efficient that with plain aluminum during air movement. Ever notice that the transmission cooler located at the bottom of the radiator is painted black? And that the top of the radiator is painted black? Probably to prevent rust during rain/water splash. But think about this. An aftermarket transmission cooler placed in front of the radiator cools far better than in the stock radiator. Why? Airflow.

    • @MikeTrieu
      @MikeTrieu 6 лет назад

      Only slight less so. And by using much less energy by going completely fanless, just painting it black results in much better performance. I'd say that's a clear win by far for performance-to-weight ratio.

    • @TheStp77
      @TheStp77 6 лет назад

      Jason Alexander well the fact that you're cars rad is already trying to keep your engine coolant cold is a big factor also.

    • @bootyman234
      @bootyman234 6 лет назад

      Air flow is a big part, but equally significant is the fact that the fluid cooling through a dedicated cooler is not impeded by the temp of the coolant circulating through the radiator core! The fluid temp can only drop as low as the radiators overall temp.

  • @redandblackteam9617
    @redandblackteam9617 6 лет назад +11

    "stickers make my car go faster!"

    • @markbroad119
      @markbroad119 4 года назад

      Adding lights under it add 5hp per light. Science. Honda science.

  • @Anubis78250
    @Anubis78250 8 лет назад +2

    So as long as your intercooler is not exposed to sunlight, and does not have any air flow over it, black is better.
    However the test showed a decreased capacity with airflow, likely due to the extra layer from the paint.
    So if your car actually moves through the air, you're better off not painting it.

    • @soapftw96
      @soapftw96 8 лет назад

      Good thing they only drive in space with their space unicorn power.

  • @keelanwagstaff1666
    @keelanwagstaff1666 10 лет назад

    Crazy how one simple thing can make such a dramatic difference.