MS CAI and power-coating colors
 

I picked up a used MS CAI, which was spray painted black (Maybe high-heat black spray paint, not sure)

I'm planning on getting it powder-coated in the coming week or so.

Now I know dark colors attract heat, black, dark blue etc..

Would powder-coating the CAI a lighter color, make any significant difference in the temperature of the air flowing through the CAI to the engine? Since lighter colors don't attract heat as much.

Normally the MS CAI is chrome, and I had a K&N CAI Typhoon for my old Mazda P5 years ago and it was powder-coated a light blue.

If color won't make that much of a difference, I was going to go with gunmetal or some type of similar color.

I think powder is more of an insulator than normal spray paint. I would ask the guys doing your powder coating. I am not sure it will make that much of a difference either way. You might ask them about high heat powders as well, they should have a silver and greys that are used on headers etc. But, not sure if those are to keep heat in, or have thermal resistance both ways. On another note, did your used MS CAI have an air straightener in it? My 2008 came with the MS CAI from the dealer, did not have the little plastic air straightener so I just purchased one and installed it. In reading my logs from my Cobb Access Port it did make a difference. Without it the MAF sensor does not get accurate readings and AFR's can be off. The Cobb AP maps list MS CAI with straightener. I think the original batch of Mazda MS CAI's did not have the straightener. It costs about $12 to $15 and takes about 5 minutes to put in. Worth it in my opinion.

The colour itself doesn't attract more or less heat. Darker colours absorb more energy from light because they absorb more of a range of frequencies whereas lighter colours reflect more frequencies and therefore don't absorb as much energy. It has nothing to do with the temperature of the air flowing through it. That's why everything that covers the stock engine is black. It's just to look cool.

POWER
coated

Yup the one I bought came with an air straightener.

I plan on getting the high powder coating on it, not sure what color yet, probably some shade of gunmetal or something :D

Thanks guys

Careful with the powder coat. You don't need high temp powder coat here, that's getting thick enough you might not be able to get your couplers and filter back on. Use regular powder coat and it should not be an issue.

its aluminum, strip it and polish the hell out of that fucker!!

the cai doesn't see light. it's not going to make a difference....

This was said before me, but i'll be more scientific haha. It would only attract more radiant heat in darker colors. Radiant heat is caused by electromagnetic radiation, ie UV rays, Infrared. So because your intake is not next to anything glowing hot (which gives off electromagnetic emissions) you're fine with whatever color you think off.

I like the polishing idea, since your going to have to strip the paint off before you powder coat it anyway. I have been playing with polishing a little in the last month, some parts suck, but the CAI is a pretty even surface. Just takes time and elbow grease, if you have a bench grinder and get a buffing wheel, wouldn't be that hard, if you like the mirror finish look.