What is this ?

What is this coating starting to crack and peal on my engine cover? It looks like a heat shield of some sort? Is it original ?
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I think it is original. Mine has the same black, rough textured stuff on the lid. Mine isn't cracked like that though.

 

Thanks in advance

 

It is a special rust accelerator that Ferrari applied to a whole lot of cars. Over time it cracks and slightly lifts from what it was sprayed on. This allows any water that comes in contact with the cracks to be wicked between the coating and the base material to be stored for a long as possible. When the base material is steel you get rust. The rust expands slightly, lifting the coating a little more, exposing a litle more fresh metal, etc.

I'm sure it seemed like a good idea at the time.

 

So basically it's an "undercoating". I don't have any visble rust so I will remove what I can

Perhaps POR15 would be a better solution if an undercoat is needed at all.

Oh...and thanks for the info.

 

lol!

 

Pulled off a section...a tan color with spray pattern is on the metal....looks like a good epoxy primer to me

If that what it is rust shouldn't be an issue.