safulop

The PO had my intake powder-coated and looking very nice when he did an intake refresh some years ago (maybe 2007?), but now it is all flaking off and nasty-looking. Is this a normal lifespan for that type of finish process? Obviously depends on heat and usage patterns - this car has been in service as a daily driver for the past 5 years. I'm assuming the powder coating would be in better condition if I rarely drove the car.

Daniel5691

This is a very interesting question for me, because I am considering getting some engine parts powder coated for the first time. I have spent some time researching this very topic, and most of the answers I find unfortunately are pretty darned vague....

Some examples:

From a powder coating vendor ... "
Question: How durable is powder and what types are there?
Answer: One of the best things about powder coating is how incredibly durable and strong powder is. It stands up against the toughest conditions, keeping its original polished look."

From Jerkapedia.. "Powder coating can also be removed by a burning off process, in which parts are put into a large high-temperature oven with temperatures typically reaching an air temp of 300 to 450 degrees centigrade. The process takes about four hours and requires the parts to be cleaned completely and re-powder coated. Parts made with a thinner-gauge material need to be burned off at a lower temperature to prevent the material from warping."

And finally, Practical Machinist always seems to have some experience-based insights...... http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb...bility-245007/

LexVan

Contact CCP Coatings in Detroit for ceramic coatings.

SMTCapeCod

A lot depends on preparation- and that relates to cycling and longevity. If there are spilled materials in the metal-- or the alloy in the case of 928 intake/heads, then there is offgassing as they are heat cycled. Most coaters bake the parts after they are stripped and cleaned, to ensure that the solvents are volatilized. If material is left behind, it can cause problems down the road. In a perfect world, if it is a solid product correctly applied over clean material, the cycling should have much an effect at all.
I don't know how well the typical P/c products & process are fine-tuned for our alloy parts. I do know that I had mine done a couple years ago, and the deterioration is evident. They still look good, but after some additional years they will require attention. I think that they are still fairing better than paint.

Adamant1971

I have three years on my PC and still looks as it did from day 1.

Agree with preparation as mentioned, any contamination will cause it to fail down the road.

dr bob

Agree with the above -- Preparation is everything, except the part about what material you paint with. If it's flaking off, it's a problem preparation. If it's discoloring or fading, it could be materials but is still more likely poor prep.

The Texas guys have a somewhat-local PC resource who is also a 928 owner. That group will chime in with more info. For sure he has the prep steps for 928 pieces dialed in pretty well, based on the number of happy customers here.

Ed Scherer

I did mine in 2010 (see: Powder coating intake/cam covers/etc. best practices (for the zillionth time!)), and it doesn't look any different (that I can notice) than it looked on day 1.

And it's been driven many, many miles in that time.