Brake Caliper Discoloration

[DMR]

I have a 997 with roughly 9000 miles on it and I've noticed that all four of my stock brake calipers are no longer the same black color as when the car was new. Rather they have an uneven discoloration to them, making them appear more grayish. Is this typical? I don't "ride" the brakes, but I'm worried that I may be overheating them.... The discs seem fine...

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Dave

[teeerex]

I have a 997 with roughly 9000 miles on it and I've noticed that all four of my stock brake calipers are no longer the same black color as when the car was new. Rather they have an uneven discoloration to them, making them appear more grayish. Is this typical? I don't "ride" the brakes, but I'm worried that I may be overheating them.... The discs seem fine...

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Dave

has the car been tracked ? This is normal for calipars that get v.hot (re tracked car) - not normal for even fast road use. Are the rears the same as the fronts ?

[dcooper]

Wheel cleaner is likely the culprit.

Wheel cleaner = evil.

Damon

I have a 997 with roughly 9000 miles on it and I've noticed that all four of my stock brake calipers are no longer the same black color as when the car was new. Rather they have an uneven discoloration to them, making them appear more grayish. Is this typical? I don't "ride" the brakes, but I'm worried that I may be overheating them.... The discs seem fine...

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Dave

has the car been tracked ? This is normal for calipars that get v.hot (re tracked car) - not normal for even fast road use. Are the rears the same as the fronts ?

[Nick_USA]

+1 Agree with the below.... if the car has been near any of those car washes that use a caustic spray to remove the brake dust then this is where damage can be done.

Wheel cleaner is likely the culprit.

Wheel cleaner = evil.

Damon

I have a 997 with roughly 9000 miles on it and I've noticed that all four of my stock brake calipers are no longer the same black color as when the car was new. Rather they have an uneven discoloration to them, making them appear more grayish. Is this typical? I don't "ride" the brakes, but I'm worried that I may be overheating them.... The discs seem fine...

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Dave

has the car been tracked ? This is normal for calipars that get v.hot (re tracked car) - not normal for even fast road use. Are the rears the same as the fronts ?

[Orient Express]

Using a pressure washer with the yellow tip too close to the caliper can blast off the clear coat and cause this type of damage too. This can happen even if you are just using plain water.

Wet sanding with some 1600 grit to smooth the edges of the damage, and then spraying some new high temp clear coat will make it look like new.

[Cyotee01]

Using a pressure washer with the yellow tip too close to the caliper can blast off the clear coat and cause this type of damage too. This can happen even if you are just using plain water.

Wet sanding with some 1600 grit to smooth the edges of the damage, and then spraying some new high temp clear coat will make it look like new.

Is 'simple green' diluted 50:50 with water likely to cause a problem on wheels/calipers?

[1schoir]

I have a 997 with roughly 9000 miles on it and I've noticed that all four of my stock brake calipers are no longer the same black color as when the car was new. Rather they have an uneven discoloration to them, making them appear more grayish. Is this typical? I don't "ride" the brakes, but I'm worried that I may be overheating them.... The discs seem fine...

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Dave

Dave:

This may be an excellent opportunity to paint your calipers red (or some other color of your choice) with a caliper paint kit. The hardest part of the job is getting the car up on four jackstands.

You can get professional looking results even if you leave the calipers on and apply the two part epoxy paint with a paintbrush. One of the posters on PPBB (dlNYC) got excellent results recently and the company that makes the kit (G2) posted pics on their website.

Regards, Maurice.

[dcooper]

I got the calipers painted guards red via the Porsche dealer at their trusted paint shop contractor and they powder coatred them, nbaked them in the oven to cure, etc. They look awesome. Next up is the Porsche white logo and high-temperature VHT clear coat application over that. I'll post pics when it's all done. Should look high-gloss and identical to the "S" brakes.

Damon

[1schoir]

I got the calipers painted guards red via the Porsche dealer at their trusted paint shop contractor and they powder coatred them, nbaked them in the oven to cure, etc. They look awesome. Next up is the Porsche white logo and high-temperature VHT clear coat application over that. I'll post pics when it's all done. Should look high-gloss and identical to the "S" brakes.

Damon

Damon:

Could you share with us the cost of the process you had done?

Regards, Maurice.

[dcooper]

That's it, really:

1) Realize that using wheel cleaner with bad chemicals / improper alcohol levels had eaten away the factory-applied Porsche clearcoat and paint on my calipers

2) Had the dealer remove them, high-pressure steam clean them in the Porsche dealer's shop (special new machine they had just got in), then send them to their trusted bodyshop for Porsche Guards Red powder coat painting and baking/curing in their ovens.

3) Order 4 of the 4-inch white Porsche caliper decals from Suncoast Porsche and bring to my dealer and have them installed while they have the wheels off. Note they are installed with the "Porsche" written "up" on front right/rear left and "down" on front left and rear right to match the "S" and Turbo brake patterns. (I maye have these reversed, but you get the idea)

4) Have the dealer apply two coats of special Porsche (or VHT) high-temperature caliper clearcoat paint and let dry overnight

5) Recondition the wheels with the P21S Wheel Cleaners (the ONLY thing that's touching my wheels except good ol' soap and water from now on!)

Hope that helps! Pictures in the next day or so.

Damon

I got the calipers painted guards red via the Porsche dealer at their trusted paint shop contractor and they powder coatred them, nbaked them in the oven to cure, etc. They look awesome. Next up is the Porsche white logo and high-temperature VHT clear coat application over that. I'll post pics when it's all done. Should look high-gloss and identical to the "S" brakes.

Damon

Damon:

Could you share with us the cost of the process you had done?

Regards, Maurice.

[dcooper]

Ok, all done. Pics attached.

Edited June 11, 2008 by dcooper

[1schoir]

Ok, all done. Pics attached.

dcooper:

The calipers (and the rims) look really, really nice.

I'm a little confused about the orientation of the decals though. Could you label the photos (i.e., LF, LR, RF, RR) ?

I am about to paint my calipers and would like to do the decals the "correct" way.

Regards, Maurice.

Edited June 11, 2008 by 1schoir

[dcooper]

Ok, all done. Pics attached.

dcooper:

The calipers (and the rims) look really, really nice.

I'm a little confused about the orientation of the decals though. Could you label the photos (i.e., LF, LR, RF, RR) ?

I am about to paint my calipers and would like to dol the decals the "correct" way.

Regards, Maurice.

Sorry about that. We (the Porsche service manager and I) closely examined a 997 Turbo that was onsite and oriented the lables exactly the same way. Let me see if I can label them.

Damon

[Q-Ship986]

I have to say that I am not as convinced as others that the cause of degradation of the caliper finish is necessarily wheel cleaner. A couple of years ago, two or three of the calipers on my very low mileage (at the time) 2003 Boxster looked like this typical example:

I brought this to the attention of my local dealer, who agreed that it appeared to be clearcoat that was flaking off the caliper. They eventually replaced all the calipers. I am not sure how they worked it out with PCNA, but the vehicle's original warranty was still in effect at the time (the car was also CPO) and there is a term of the warranty that addresses appearance issues. At the time, I was advised, as others have been, that wheel cleaner could damage painted finishes and that it was a probable cause in my case. My position was that whatever cleaner was used did not affect the paint on the wheels themselves, was not affecting all the calipers, and was not uniformly affecting those that were degraded. So just how could any cleaner used on all four wheels over and over again be so selectively damaging? Unless the calipers weren't appropriately finished in the first place (and it didn't matter what was used)?

Not saying that it isn't possible that some nasty cleaners could do some damage, but I have trouble believing that Porsche and Brembo wouldn't account for obsessive owners armed with toothbrushes, or that P21S cleaners (and their like) are the only surfactant solutions that could possibly limit damage to caliper paint.

Like I mentioned, all my calipers were replaced. With no change in my cleaning habits, the replacement calipers look as good as new so far. For what it's worth.

--Brian

Edited June 11, 2008 by Q-Ship986

[dcooper]

Ha..I just realized we may have gotten one of the rears the wrong way (both are facing down, when the left rear should be pointing up). Oh well. You get the idea.

Sorry about that. We (the Porsche service manager and I) closely examined a 997 Turbo that was onsite and oriented the lables exactly the same way. Let me see if I can label them.

Damon

[dcooper]

I have to say that I am not as convinced as others that the cause of degradation of the caliper finish is necessarily wheel cleaner. A couple of years ago, two or three of the calipers on my very low mileage (at the time) 2003 Boxster looked like this typical example:

First is the eating away of the factory clear coat by the wheel cleaner, then the paint is the next to go oce the protection is off. It may not account for every problem, but I hold to my theory that high-alcohol or bad pH-balanced wheel celaner can cause damage.

Damon

Edited June 11, 2008 by dcooper

[Q-Ship986]

I have to say that I am not as convinced as others that the cause of degradation of the caliper finish is necessarily wheel cleaner. A couple of years ago, two or three of the calipers on my very low mileage (at the time) 2003 Boxster looked like this typical example:

First if the eating away of the factory clear coat by the wheel cleaner, then the paint is the next to go oce the protection is off. It may not account for every problem, but I'm hold to my theory that high-alcohol or bad pH-balanced wheel celaner can cuase damage.

Damon

Sorry, I hit the "add reply" button accidently well before my post was finished. --Brian