Is the K100 crank cover made of cast aluminum?  Thanks.

Aluminum alloy.

Thanks duck

Anyone ever seen or tried to anodize these their crank or cam covers?

I've had both K75 and K100 engine covers done in "Chromex" ceramic coating.  Lots of shiny goodness!

jrocker3235 wrote:Anyone ever seen or tried to anodize these their crank or cam covers?

Aluminium alloy can't be anaodised

I was curious so I just Googled "anodize aluminum alloy" and it does look like some aluminum alloys can be anodized - at least some of them. Not sure about our engine covers though.

If you want to put a protective finish and/or add some color to the surface, then consider alodining, which is the chemical application of a protective chromate conversion coating on aluminum.

http://www.eaa1000.av.org/technicl/corrosion/alodine.htm

You can definitely anodize alloys. Like you said it depends on the alloy though. Certain alloys will anodize and dye better than others. 5000 series alloys and up are good for anodizing. I wonder what alloy the K100 covers are. A google search turned up nothing. There has to be a reason you dont see more people anodizing the cam and crank covers though.

Thanks Kennybob. We use alodine at work and I am really looking at anodizing for the aesthetic aspect over the protective.

jrocker3235 wrote:Thanks Kennybob. We use alodine at work and I am really looking at anodizing for the aesthetic aspect over the protective.

I hope this works out for you and look forward to seeing the results.

jrocker3235 wrote:..... There has to be a reason you dont see more people anodizing the cam and crank covers though.

"More"?.... I've not seen any. There is a reason. Cast aluminium alloy cannot be anodised. It's composition is very different to extruded aluminium and even uses a different numerical system to identify its composition. Anodising creates an oxidised coating over the surface of the aluminium. This has a cellular structure which is then sealed off in the final process preventing further oxidation. With the higher content of alloy metals such as magnesium and copper you find in cast aluminium, this cellular aluminium oxide coating cannot form properly.

The alodine process maybe different but I'm guessing the same may apply.