Painting an intake?

I would like to paint an aluminum cast intake. What have you used? engine high temp paint? Has anyone apinted and clear coated them? I have painted small engines for cushman scooters with base and clear and never had a problem with the heat. Just curious what everyone has had sucess with.

 

I powder mine now, but have painted many with no issues.

 

did you have to use high temp? or do you think i could clear coat it?

 

my experiance with the clear coat..is it gets stained or it yellows..than it looks like crap in a few years.

 

I always used an enamel. I agree with Fink clear turns to shit as soon as fuel finds it, even if gas doesnt touch it, eventually it yellows or peels.

 

I powder coat just about everything. Don't have a big enough oven for an engine block, or I would do them too.

 

how does that powder coating hold up?..is there such a thing as clear powder coating?..would that work..or does it yellow or discolor too after time around fuel?

 

Fink, powder is easy as hell. Plus you can bolt the part on once it cools. Gas doesnt do squat to it. Hard to scuff up and ruin. And yes, they make clears.

I'm with Hamilton here. Not only my block, but if I could powder my house I would.

 

great!..thanks for the heads up on that..I will eventually get around to doing Powder coating..as you said i hear its fairly easy to do..Ive already got a set up in my shop to cook the parts..so all i need is to buy the stuff to do it.

 

I bought one of the Eastwood guns and a Harbor Frieght gun (for $50 on sale) and I actually prefer the HF gun. Their powder sucks though. The yellow is more of a school bus yellow and the red is really "ornagey". For oven, I have 2 house ovens I got both for free on CL and they work like a charm. I even built a "shroud" that sits on the door when its open to give me a bigger oven, though its not very heat efficient,,, but it works. If you start powdering at home, you will be spoiled. I've even done 15 X 10" rims.

 

great!..i wonder ...whats the temp you have to cook at and for how long?

 

I can tell you from experience that clear coating it (powder coat) won't have the results you hope for. Totally changes the look (looks painted grey not cast) You would be better off trying to find a powder coat color close to the color of cast.


FONZI

 

Varies by powder, but typically "around" 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes from when it starts to "convert" (turn to "liquid"), so you are looking at 350 and 45 minutes or so.

 

Powder coat it mirror silver and then a clear powder coat over that. That is what was done to these covers.

 

i'll be damned... powder coating using a kitchen oven. makes so much sense. someone should do a little tech thread for this. i will definitely be giving it a try.

 

great tips! I know i am going to try it! Thanks everyone

 

Kitchen oven will work, but don't use the one in your house.

 

i painted mine with clear engine enamel is a spray can, it's OK. If I had another chance I would use "Cast Blast Aluminum" engine enamel.

 

Powder coated the side covers and intakes on several Model A engines and they look as good as new five years later.

 

oh right,... sure.... wouldnt think if it... or at least i wont now. kinda wish i had kept the old ovens i threw out.

 

I had my intake clear powder coated several years ago. It has held up well and shows no gas stains.

If you want to paint it a color, look into POR-15. They sell complete engine paint kits.

 

I have painted several, but they were on lowriders, and weren't driven too much. We used a base/clear. PREP, PREP, PREP!!!

 

Cool thread, good food for thought. Helps avoid mistakes!

 

+1 on that, didn't like the way mine turned out either.

 

First clean the manifold,then glass bead it.Buy Krylon metailic paint Dull Aluminum and spray a light miss coat. When it dries put the manifold on,run the engine after it gets hot it will cure the paint. The trick is a light coat. It will look like a new manifold,once it get hot oil and gas stains will wipe right off. I work in a restoration shop this is what we do with all our aluminum manifolds on the concors judged cars.

 

Trust me... I'm not biased in the least, but powder coat it

don't use glass bead, it impinges itself in the base metal

 

A flat clear powdercoat keeps it looking like cast, fills the pits a bit, but i like the look better than gloss clear.

 

I had mine Hydroblasted and then I Primed it with 2-Pack primer before applying a 2-Pack Clear over Base finish (Silver). It stood up to the heat just fine and was a Breeze to keep clean because of the smooth finish the Clear provided. The trick it not to put too many layers on it.

 

I painted a Dart intake with semi-gloss black Krylon for my bracket racer. The whole engine actually. After a dozen minor spills with race gas it barely stained, more like a minor wash out. When I went through the motor the last time I hot tanked the intake and to my surprise most all of the paint was still on it! Prep em good. No blasting if you can help it. I washed it with slow dry lacquer thinner and a bristle brush, blew it dry and painted it with just one even coat.

Since you might ask, I had 2 reasons for the black on everything. Initially it was built as a midnight street racer and that black makes everything "go away". I ground the Dart logo off and used an air cleaner adaptor to cover the Dominator carb. All in all it really looked good once done. Factory chrome vslve covers on risers and a single braided line to the carb, a chrome alternator (cuz I had it) and that's it. I left it that way. The second reason was it ran really cool being semi black. Science tell us that heat goes toward the black and the air takes the heat away. Works like a champ. Ok, ok, too much info...