Painting a motor, tips?

I used the POR 15 kit like detroitboy27. Comes with marine cleaner, primer and paint. Worked awesome! I think the kit cost me about $50.00. There was enough to do my engine and trans with some left over. That paint is holding like iron on that block.

 

My total with the cleaner on my old engine was about 15 bucks and I used some of the paint to paint a bumper. Nothing against por15 it is awesome stuff, but the difference could be spent on a gallon of gas.

 

Dollar store oven cleaner has become a staple here.

" I put that sh?t on everything" like franks red hot sauce.

Its right next to the brake cleaner and choke cleaner.
The oven cleaner doesn't work instantaneous but it works extremely well.

 

+1 on oven cleaner , dry it well and Rattle can it with " BUMPER CHROME" spray can. It sticks to everything really well, then cover it with your favorite color. lasts for years.

 

Many people won't believe this, but I brush paint them with catalized enamel (enamel and hardener)with great results.

 

Russco,
Does it lay out, no brush strokes? I may give that a whirl.

 

My engines are most usually dissasembled when I need to paint. I usually soak the block with Paint STRIPPER. That stuff eats carbon, paint, grease, silicone, everything - then pressure wash after a garden hose rinse, you don't want to pressure wash globs of it onto yourself. I wouldn't advise doing this to an assembled engine though, it will eat the gaskets.

 

This goes for disassembled engines only. On the cast iron parts, a phosphoric acid treatment after media blasting will be sure all the corrosion has stopped in all the pores, and will significantly extend the life of the paint. Epoxy primer and a single stage topcoat are hard to beat.

 

I use simple green and a wire brush after an initial degrease. The car quest brand of degreaser is awsome. Then I use the high heat engine paint you get at any parts store. I alway use the high heat primer before and the high heat clear after. Secret is thin coats. Dont get in a big hurry.




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EZ-Off oven cleaner, then a thorough washing. I used a POR 15 engine paint on mine, because they had the correct Ford green. I have no worries, about the durability of that stuff !! You can either spray, or brush it on.

4TTRUK

 

Works like a MOFO. I tried it several years ago to see if it would work well and have not sprayed one since. Here are two examples the trans was brushed too. BTW the Red on was done in the car.

 

No one has mentioned a good wax and grease remover followed by a good blow dry via the air hose so I also won't mention it.

 

Yeah, I'LL second that. I brush painted my engine and trans for my T-bucket with tractor supply enamel with hardener,looks like glass,you would never know it was brushed on. no overspray and very little clean-up.

 

Before paint hit it with some metal ready or ospho and rinse to give the paint some good tooth to bite into.

 

Pretty smooth I have to admit. Thanks for thr tip.

 

Yep, I buy that stuff by the dozen, great stuff.

 

I used a kit from POR 15 It came with everything I needed. I brushed it on and it seemed to flowed out nicely. Not like spraying but not bad at all.

 

Ps; Mashed,...I used the POR 15 engine paint about 5 years ago, just added a bit of their thinner, and it brushed right on,...No hassle at all.

4TTRUK

 

I have had at least a dozen Pontiacs. Alot of them run lean when I get them. I fatten them up and then before painting the exhaust port with the Silver Blue metalic(factory 1967-1969 color for my Birds) I spray some high temp silver. My exhaust ports stay looking great for years!! I also block off the heat risers to the manifold as these will burn off if you don't.

 

I can't stress enough that if there's no bite on the metal, the paint wont last and chip off eventually. Here's how I've done mine in the past. After I degreased a block with degreaser I use aircraft stripper to remove the remaining paint. If therer's heavy rust I use a drill and a wire wheel to remove the most rust possible. Then I spray the entire block with Phosphoric Acid(Ospho) which you can get at your local home improvement place for around $15. Wearing gloves, I use a towel to distribute it evenly and let it sit overnight. You will notice the rust has turned black and is now a paintable surface(however I still use a piece of 320 grit sandpaper to "scratch" up the surface). Then at this popint you can use an epoxy based primer/sealer and your choice of base coat/clear coat or single stage paint.

 

oh and remember to put plastic or newspapers on the floor because the phosphoric acid stains concrete.

 

Never had engine paint chip off or not last after getting a block back from the machine shop or just by degreasing. The blocks are not machine finished smooth. They are cast and will take paint fine without chipping. Just use thin light coats at first and enjoy your nice shiny engine for years to come.

 

Yeah!

Make sure the engine isn't running.... it makes a hell of a mess!

As for me..... I use about a can and a half of good 'ol Gunk Engine Degreaser, a high power (1500+ psi.) pressure washer with very hot tap water and a couple of cans of Dupli Color.

This is the result.............

 

Be warry of easy-off it is corrosive if left on too long. it eats aluminum and titanium.......

 

yeah, left it on my alternator too long and now its ugly and black, i'll get it cleaned up anyhow.

Cam and gasket set arrived, so ill get it in and button everything up and start slinging paint next pay day.

 

Brush painted mine with One Shot, holding up well since the early 2000's on a car that gets driven.

 

Anyone used rattle can paint other than "engine enamel" and had success? Thinking of rattle caning it with a color close to what I want to do the truck in later. Or should I wait until the funding for "real" paint is there?

 

same base clear that i did the body with . still looks good 9 years later. i even overheated it a couple of times. (forgot to turn the fan on). bill

 

Duplicolor and I assume others have tons of engine paint to pick from and if you can't find a match , our local paint supplier will mix and put any color in a spray can for you.

 

im talking non "engine" specific rattle can. topped with 2k clear. will I hate myself or will it work?