Paint OEM Radiator or buy New Aftermarket one ?

[Jacksbugs]

My radiator paint is a mess. The radiator is off the bike right now (just cleaned it) and I'm debating if I should bother painting it (fins and body) or if I should rather buy a Chinese aftermarket one (that would be cerakoted black anyway. Don't want the aluminum silver sticking out).

So if I go the former route, what would be the best practices:

1- To prep it ?
-Remove completely the old paint ? with what product ? or just leave the old paint ?

2- What kind of paint would you use so it doesn't chip after 6 months....
- Eastwood Radiator paint ? PJ1 Fast black ? or else ?

Thanks for your help.

 

[MaxMidnight]

I've no idea how much a replacement tank would cost but it will be significantly more than re-painting.
I wouldn't be too concerned about the core of sides of the rad. as they are covered by the grill and side panels.

That leaves the top and bottom tanks. The final finish will only be as good as the preparation you put into the base layers.
Start by removing any loose paint - an old suede brush does a good job.
Try flatting with 600 grit wet & dry first to see if I can get a flat surface to work with. You only need to flat back sufficiently to get a smooth surface. Complete the job with 1200 grit.
If that doesn't work then stripping the old paint will be required.
Before re-painting make sure you have thoroughly de-greased the surfaces
If back to bare metal then an etching primer will give a good base to add the top coat. N very B: You only need a very thin coat of etch and should leave 24 hours to let it do its work.
I would use one of the VHT enamels which I have found to be very durable.

Paint tends to chip for one of two reasons...and occasionally both: i) Poor paint adhesion to the substrate or ii) applied too thickly. Aim to only have sufficient to cover the base layers and no more. In this situation less is more.

 

[PATMAX]

Soft media blast is what I have used. Sandblasting will deform the fins. Of course aircraft stripper also works.
I prefer a primer paint to keep paint thickness down.

 

[Jack Hammer]

Are there any metal plating companies in your area? Ask them if they could dip it to clean it. After that it will be spotless and you can paint it.

 

[dannymax]

The original Yamaha radiator will almost certainly be a higher quality product than the Chinese one.

 

[Jacksbugs]

Thank you all for the ideas mentioned.
Looks like keeping and painting the original rad is unanimous.

 

[Rick52]

Hydro dip them

 

[Jack Hammer]

You are the only one of us in this forum who really knows what the original radiator is good for. These opinions presented here are only that, opinions. If you think your current radiator is not worth the effort then ditch it and get a new one.

We don't know your preferences but if it was me, I would try to preserve the original if it was worth it.

 

[Jacksbugs]

You are the only one of us in this forum who really knows what the original radiator is good for. These opinions presented here are only that, opinions. If you think your current radiator is not worth the effort then ditch it and get a new one.

We don't know your preferences but if it was me, I would try to preserve the original if it was worth it.

You’re right.
My radiator doesn’t leak (so far) or have any issues except some bent fins so I think it’s worth saving it. If I could find a new OEM, I’d definitely spare me the hassle and buy a new one but they’re not available anymore.
So while this one is off the bike, as I’m changing the hoses, I wanted to get it a “like new” look but I don’t want to paint it again every 6 months…
I know the paint is gonna come off anyway at some point but I’d still like to find the most durable process for the paint to stick for some time.

 

[MaxMidnight]

If you re-read my post I have given advice how you can apply paint that will stay on the base metal.
If you take time, put the effort in to do the preparation and apply the paint as suggested there is no reason why it will not give a durable and long lasting finish.

 

[Jacksbugs]

If you re-read my post I have given advice how you can apply paint that will stay on the base metal.
If you take time, put the effort in to do the preparation and apply the paint as suggested there is no reason why it will not give a durable and long lasting finish.

Thanks MaxMidnight, I will follow your advice.
Do you have an etching primer brand you’d recommend ?

 

[MaxMidnight]

I don't and what's available in the UK may not be where you are.

There are two points to remember when applying etch primer:
i) You only need thin coat. There isn't a lot of pigment in it so don't be surprised if you can see the base metal when it dries.
It will (depending on ambient conditions) be touch dry in about 30 minutes. However you need to allow sufficient time for the phosphoric acid to do its job so wait 24 hours before the next coat.
ii) Apply a thin coat of primer, you only need sufficient to cover the base layers and no more. Note that it is better to apply several thin coats rather than one thick one. Allow a couple of minutes between coats.
Give a light flat before the top coat. Again only sufficient to cover the primer and apply several thin coats rather than one thick one.

The thinner the coats the better as this will reduce the likelihood of the paint starting to chip when it is fully hard.

 

[Steph14]

Hello, have you completed the painting of your radiator? If you have, would you mind sharing the product you used? I'm also planning to refurbish mine, but I'm unsure if there's a particular paint or product recommended for radiators. I came across a radiator-paint on Google that appears to be effective, but since I lack experience in this matter, I'd rather not take any risks, particularly to avoid wasting my money. I appreciate any insights you can provide. Thank you in advance for sharing your experience.