What is the best color not to reflect heat?

[jawathemutt]

i understand the theory on colour reflecting light from the sun but does the same thing work when the heat comes from another source? say a exhaust manifolds radiant heat on a air box,ie if its painted white not standard black (plastic )will it remain cooler ?is this a daft question ?

[OVY871]

I believe its only for when heat is given through light, so I can't see how the colour of a manifold would make a difference, I think it is more the type of paint or coating that make a difference on manifolds, but I'd love to be proven wrong and that colour will make a difference.

[jrevillug]

If it's radiant heat then yes, it will stay a little cooler if white (or better: mirror-polished silver/ali) rather than black. That said, most heat in an engine bay is conductive and convective, so not affected by colour in the slightest.

[Deleted]

This is the thing most exhaust and engine heat shields are bright silver and more often aluminium, but yes l hear you say aluminium is a good conductor of heat so it will absorb the heat and get hotter.....um
But this means it's better a disipating the heat along the whole aluminium panel.
Even platic parts in an egine bay which are black now get silver aluminium panels bonded to them to reflect the heat.

[jawathemutt]

hmmm .....ill do a bit a of research and see what i can come up with

[alolympic]

It's not a daft question. As others have alluded to, but there are probably more important factors than colour when under bonnet components and heat reflection are concerned.
However, one route might be to speak to Zircotec.
They specialise in heat management coatings, for manifolds etc.
They offer these coatings in various colours and I wouldn't mind betting they have tested every colour for variances -
www.zircotec.com/page/-_performance_colours/47

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