Factory KTM Grey/Black Engine case

350sx
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12/27/2014 3:30am Edited Date/Time 1/2/2015 8:16pm
Anyone know the story behind KTM's Grey/Black engine case look ?

Are they just anodized or coated with something for looks or a they a special Factory thing ?



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.kyle
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12/27/2014 4:02am
Several factory teams have dark engine cases like that. I would guess they are light weight magnesium parts that get coated to prevent against oxidization (if that's the right -ization??). Or unless it's a thermal dispersant coating to get rid of heat from the engine.

Happy to be corrected though.
12/27/2014 6:39am
.kyle wrote:
Several factory teams have dark engine cases like that. I would guess they are light weight magnesium parts that get coated to prevent against oxidization (if...
Several factory teams have dark engine cases like that. I would guess they are light weight magnesium parts that get coated to prevent against oxidization (if that's the right -ization??). Or unless it's a thermal dispersant coating to get rid of heat from the engine.

Happy to be corrected though.
oxidation
.kyle
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12/27/2014 8:57am
That word, thanks. lol. For some reason I thought it was the way I wrote it. Should have asked Santa for a dictionary.
Zesiger 112
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12/28/2014 1:39pm
I read that on the ignition cover they just strip them. Can't remember if it was chemical or blasted. Not sure about the clutch side case. It's in a transworld magazine I believe, I will try and find it.

The Shop

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12/28/2014 4:08pm
I read that on the ignition cover they just strip them. Can't remember if it was chemical or blasted. Not sure about the clutch side case...
I read that on the ignition cover they just strip them. Can't remember if it was chemical or blasted. Not sure about the clutch side case. It's in a transworld magazine I believe, I will try and find it.
Thank you would be interesting to see what you find !
Zesiger 112
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12/28/2014 4:15pm
Well I found the magazine, unfortunately it didn't say. So that means it's somewhere online. Vitalmx pitbits, twmx, maybe mxa. Haha I'm not sure. If I come across it I will let you know. But I do remember the ignition cover was nothing special. Just stripped.
12/28/2014 6:54pm Edited Date/Time 12/28/2014 6:59pm
We blast the std case in a bead blaster and clean and dry the cover making sure not to touch the out side we spray or dip the cover in a Product we have here called CT12 an Aluminum cleaner which is a mild phosphoric acid solution @20-30% . the case will react and foam up. you let the case react to the acid for a minuet or two and wash off the cover thoroughly.

The finish when used on Magnesium comes out greenish grey and varies with the strength of the solution and how it is applied how long it is left on some times you have to do it couple of times, but you must always leave it dry inbetween.

goes without saying eye protection and rubber gloves are must!

The results are not 100% predictable and the color can rub off, It looks best with a lite coating of wd40 or bike shine type
spray.
The ing cover in the photo looks like this method ( a little blotchy ) the inner clutch cover and WP cover look a little too good and they mite be anodized to look like that
12/28/2014 10:25pm Edited Date/Time 12/28/2014 10:26pm
That is what is does.
The green color is darker on some more than others....some one told me it has to do with the Arsenic in the metal ( up to 0.3% of the metals weight is Arsenic that they add to prevent the mag alloy from corroding )

Some how they found that adding one third of one percent arsenic to magnesium reduced corrosion 90 percent. Such “poisons” stop the reaction by preventing single hydrogen atoms, produced by the electrolytic reaction, from giving up electrons as they join in pairs to make hydrogen molecules. The arsenic combines with the bare single hydrogen atoms, stopping the reaction. With electron flow halted, magnesium cannot “become ore.”

We just like the color LOL!

Try not to lick the covers a lot it may not be that good for you !
1
350sx
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12/29/2014 4:49am
That is what is does. The green color is darker on some more than others....some one told me it has to do with the Arsenic in...
That is what is does.
The green color is darker on some more than others....some one told me it has to do with the Arsenic in the metal ( up to 0.3% of the metals weight is Arsenic that they add to prevent the mag alloy from corroding )

Some how they found that adding one third of one percent arsenic to magnesium reduced corrosion 90 percent. Such “poisons” stop the reaction by preventing single hydrogen atoms, produced by the electrolytic reaction, from giving up electrons as they join in pairs to make hydrogen molecules. The arsenic combines with the bare single hydrogen atoms, stopping the reaction. With electron flow halted, magnesium cannot “become ore.”

We just like the color LOL!

Try not to lick the covers a lot it may not be that good for you !
Could anodizing be an alternative for a better look ?
12/29/2014 5:26pm
Anodizing on Mag is a tricky thing and you can loose a cover it they get it wrong ( we had a cover left too long in a bath once and it was toast looked like it had spent a decade under the ocean not a hour in a cleaning solution).

The coating like DOW 7 DOW 19 work good that is what the military use.
350sx
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12/30/2014 5:05am
Anodizing on Mag is a tricky thing and you can loose a cover it they get it wrong ( we had a cover left too long...
Anodizing on Mag is a tricky thing and you can loose a cover it they get it wrong ( we had a cover left too long in a bath once and it was toast looked like it had spent a decade under the ocean not a hour in a cleaning solution).

The coating like DOW 7 DOW 19 work good that is what the military use.
Ross

What would the water pump, ing cover, and inner clutch cover be made from "Material wise" on a 2014 350SXF KTM ?

Have you heard of PPG's DX Series Coatings ?

What would be the closest thing to make it look like the factory ones



sesker15
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12/31/2014 10:08pm
I read that on the ignition cover they just strip them. Can't remember if it was chemical or blasted. Not sure about the clutch side case...
I read that on the ignition cover they just strip them. Can't remember if it was chemical or blasted. Not sure about the clutch side case. It's in a transworld magazine I believe, I will try and find it.


swedishfishmx
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1/1/2015 10:25am
I read that on the ignition cover they just strip them. Can't remember if it was chemical or blasted. Not sure about the clutch side case...
I read that on the ignition cover they just strip them. Can't remember if it was chemical or blasted. Not sure about the clutch side case. It's in a transworld magazine I believe, I will try and find it.
sesker15 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2014/12/31/75579/s1200_image.jpg[/img]


Well that's convenient. Smile
350sx
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1/2/2015 1:10am
I read that on the ignition cover they just strip them. Can't remember if it was chemical or blasted. Not sure about the clutch side case...
I read that on the ignition cover they just strip them. Can't remember if it was chemical or blasted. Not sure about the clutch side case. It's in a transworld magazine I believe, I will try and find it.
sesker15 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2014/12/31/75579/s1200_image.jpg[/img]


Would be good if you find it interested to know !
JBernard_401
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1/2/2015 11:47am
the hinson clutch cover is a process called Akadize by Lovett (sp?) coatings. its harder than normal hardcoating.
the side cover is hard to tell. if its magnesium theres not really a coating that can take abuse, and ive never seen one colored like that, and i doubt they would do Mg. i'm going to guess and say its aluminum done the same way the stator cover is.
slackinoff
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1/2/2015 2:35pm
Looks like delrin to me (plastic). I would not strip a coating off magnesium just for looks, f that. Untreated magnesium is a pita.
350sx
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1/2/2015 8:16pm
Nearly every Super x bike this year has the grey/black coating on it somewhere !

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