Powder Coat experts.....Help!!!!!

[real57vetteguy]

I'm reaching out to the powder coating experts and possibly looking for a good shop to do parts on my current engine build.

I have typically used a local shop, they are good fellows, but have only been coating for less than a year. They have done some black and "chrome" parts with great success, very uniform and very high gloss. I just took some parts to be done red, (a set of aluminum cast valve covers, and a Miloden oil pan both brand new) They had to start over from scratch 3 times on the valve covers which I was told by a friend that does aluminum polishing that the valve covers were a poor at best casting. Needless to say they were supposed to be a high gloss bright red. When I picked them up the covers looked pretty rough and the pan looked like a semi gloss at best. They always give me what I considered a good price and they really apologized about the valve covers, they claimed that the reason the black and chrome was so much glossier was that powder coat red didn't have as much gloss to it, even though the covers and oil pan were supposed to be clear coated. Does this sound right? I have seen pictures online of red powder coat that looked as good as high gloss base/clear paint.
I have parts I need done but I am leaning towards another powder coater that has in depth experience doing car parts.
I need a water pump, intake, different valve covers, some brackets, adapters, fan shroud, etc done but I am looking for show quality work.
On another note would an intake and water pump need to be done with a high temp powder coat?

Thanks

[real57vetteguy]

Its getting quiet in here.... LOL

[PRO TC]

No you don't need high temp on the intake (unless you have a exh crossover) or water pump. The oil pan shouldn't have been a problem for them. If you have a rough cast valve cover that can change the gloss. but i have no idea what brand and what color red they were using you can buy different gloss level powders. Check out my site for some of the stuff we have done.

[golgo13]

PRO TC is correct, but I'd like to add something.

Cast aluminum out-gasses. To me this sounds like the problem they were having with the valve covers. If the powder has blisters and bubbles in it that's the reason.

Ive been powdercoating my own parts and the ocassional tractor and motorcycle parts for a few years now, it's a fun hobby.

[nekkidhillbilly]

supposed to run it through an outgas cycle first. you can also do the red oxide primer and keep it from outgassing. been reading up on my pot metal parts how i need to do it.

[Riderz Cycle]

Pretty much everyone before me stated cast aluminum parts can do what is called "out gas" They do have an outgassing powder that you can put down first and even sometime you can coat them in zinc first to help with the out gassing. They should be as glossy as your black parts the color shouldn't change the how shinny the part is. You don't have to high temp powder the intake or the water pump as stated before but you might want to high temp "coat" the intake for a polished look as well as it keeps the intake cooler. Did not notice your location but ou can check out our site at http://www.competitiveedgecoatings.com/. or if you have any questions you can call the shop 860-88two-076two ask for Damon