how long will factory black engine finish last?
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 412
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RE: how long will factory black engine finish last?
On my 1988 FLHS, the black on my cylinders and heads started to peel and wear off around 50,000-80,000 miles. I know that's a big time frame, but I don't remember exactly when it started, but it happened slowly. Let me assure you, that sooner or later, it will happen.
Novice
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 15
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RE: how long will factory black engine finish last?
my 89 glide has had immaculate care taken of it, and I turned 34,000 last week, and when i was washin her when i got home, I noticed the black was starting to peel/flake off a couple of the fins. It is in a salty condition, which no matter how much you wash it away it will always find a way to kill ya.
alex
alex
Stage III
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3
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RE: how long will factory black engine finish last?
I usually wash my bike with mild natural soap, but my secret to mantain the black engine like new is a car spray. I used the product for the car's internal plastic parts. I don't know exactly the name in english, but I found is high temperature resistant and give to engine a look like new. I used the product on engine, dash. (Sorry for my english).
Take a look.
[IMG]local://upfiles/17261/31BF45AE564E4DB4B8BFC9224A132B50.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/17261/332150102324452E968969158485F372.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/17261/5BDA7D93B7DE419C80D0948805EE8F7D.jpg[/IMG]
Take a look.
[IMG]local://upfiles/17261/31BF45AE564E4DB4B8BFC9224A132B50.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/17261/332150102324452E968969158485F372.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/17261/5BDA7D93B7DE419C80D0948805EE8F7D.jpg[/IMG]
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,327
Likes: 0
From: S.E.PA
RE: how long will factory black engine finish last?
<”WgSkee”>
<”cj_slowdown... Your info is correct as I know it to be...”>
My answer is just the way I know about, most likely there are 10’s of more ways, he has done this appox. 20 years and I can’t argue against it, I see that it works.
<” In other posts I mentioned that I painted a few of my engines BBQ Black or High Heat Black after I burned the paint in I'd hit it with WD-40 never blistered or flaked...”>
I am sure it that it works since you have done it, I like WD-40 on some things, the one thing I don’t like about it is, I believe it leaves a film ?
<”I don't want to start a debate.. “>
Why not : - ) it’s one way to get a lot more ideas on a subject from different people, I think it’s better to speak up and either add too or challenge a subject, we can only learn more from all kinds of riders w/more ideas.
<” But, it's been said a black engine will dissipate the heat more efficiently... as long as it's not more than 5 mils thick.”>
I’ve heard that also, then in later years they added in “powered coating”, that to me must add heat, I mean it’s plastic !
As far as black engines go, I think HD makes the best painted ones out there, my first FXS had it, it doesn’t look that good now, maybe if I did what Bill did to his engine, it would look a lot better ?
But painted engines from HD that doesn’t make it ok w/engine heat retention as I mention in that post, S&S doesn’t paint there engines at all, only the jugs, (and they are powered coated ?) in fact on their web site or their catalog (I can’t remember which) they even said about painting their engines black “No, don’t ask, we don’t” , Whats that, about ?
WgSkee, lets hope others add to this topic, I think we would like to know more ways of keeping them clean and looking good over the long haul.
Take care,
cj
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,739
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From:
RE: how long will factory black engine finish last?
back before the powdercoating of em in the early 80s they looked like sh..t after a few yrs.i had my engine block stripped of the factory paint looked way better then paint gone in places
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 672
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RE: how long will factory black engine finish last?
cj_slowdown; Your right,
I guess this would be a good starting point.. the cooling benefit at speed is by convection, but, while seating in traffic, the heat would be dissipated by radiation better..an Oil cooler, I'm sure is better... But, the black paint looks.. (err..pun intended)...COOL...
A black object radiates heat at all frequencies of the electromagnetic
spectrum if it is hotter than its surroundings (black body radiation).
Other colors radiate in a more limited spectrum. Thus black objects
radiate more heat.
However, in our engines, heat is mostly dissipated by convection (air
moving over it) rather than by radiation. I don't have any figures, but
I would suspect that heat dissipation by radiation is a very small
fraction of total heat dissipation, especially if there is significant
air movement over the engine.
Also, this site has info on the old flatties and the black paint they used back then and restorers still do... The Old ones still do it for me...LOL http://www.flatheadpower.com/US/Flat...erFrameSet.htm
I guess this would be a good starting point.. the cooling benefit at speed is by convection, but, while seating in traffic, the heat would be dissipated by radiation better..an Oil cooler, I'm sure is better... But, the black paint looks.. (err..pun intended)...COOL...
A black object radiates heat at all frequencies of the electromagnetic
spectrum if it is hotter than its surroundings (black body radiation).
Other colors radiate in a more limited spectrum. Thus black objects
radiate more heat.
However, in our engines, heat is mostly dissipated by convection (air
moving over it) rather than by radiation. I don't have any figures, but
I would suspect that heat dissipation by radiation is a very small
fraction of total heat dissipation, especially if there is significant
air movement over the engine.
Also, this site has info on the old flatties and the black paint they used back then and restorers still do... The Old ones still do it for me...LOL http://www.flatheadpower.com/US/Flat...erFrameSet.htm
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,327
Likes: 0
From: S.E.PA
RE: how long will factory black engine finish last?
<”WgSkee”>
<”A black object radiates heat at all frequencies of the electromagnetic
spectrum if it is hotter than its surroundings (black body radiation).
Other colors radiate in a more limited spectrum. Thus black objects
radiate more heat.”>
As in letting heat go ? you must be right, after all black macadam driveways melt snow/ice faster than concrete, and silver coated roofs don’t absorb sun heat as the black ones seen to do.
<”However, in our, engines heat is mostly dissipated by convection (air
moving over it) rather than by radiation. I don't have any figures, but
I would suspect that heat dissipation by radiation is a very small
fraction of total heat dissipation, especially if there is significant
air movement over the engine. “>
<”Also, this site has info on the old flatties and the black paint they used back then and restorers still do... The Old ones still do it for me...LOL “>
Yeah, nice to look at, rather ride a little bit newer one : - )
BTW- the site shows the knuckle cyls, black are the split halfs painted ? couldn’t really tell, as I said S&S doesn’t paint the engine cases or halfs whatever engine your looking at, and that still bugs me : - )
Do you know why that is ?
cj
So much for adding a pic under my sign in name, on left : - ))))
<”A black object radiates heat at all frequencies of the electromagnetic
spectrum if it is hotter than its surroundings (black body radiation).
Other colors radiate in a more limited spectrum. Thus black objects
radiate more heat.”>
As in letting heat go ? you must be right, after all black macadam driveways melt snow/ice faster than concrete, and silver coated roofs don’t absorb sun heat as the black ones seen to do.
<”However, in our, engines heat is mostly dissipated by convection (air
moving over it) rather than by radiation. I don't have any figures, but
I would suspect that heat dissipation by radiation is a very small
fraction of total heat dissipation, especially if there is significant
air movement over the engine. “>
<”Also, this site has info on the old flatties and the black paint they used back then and restorers still do... The Old ones still do it for me...LOL “>
Yeah, nice to look at, rather ride a little bit newer one : - )
BTW- the site shows the knuckle cyls, black are the split halfs painted ? couldn’t really tell, as I said S&S doesn’t paint the engine cases or halfs whatever engine your looking at, and that still bugs me : - )
Do you know why that is ?
cj
So much for adding a pic under my sign in name, on left : - ))))
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