Hey, just a dumb question but if I want to do a basic cleanup on a used engine going into a car, one that the paint's gone and it has a coat of surface rust, what do I want to use to paint it? Normally I'd use Rustoleum rusty metal primer on something like that after wire brushing it, but I can't find on the can where it will live at the operating temps of the motor. If I used that it would let me paint it whatever color I felt like, to match what the car will eventually be, instead of Chevrolet Orange. I don't want to go nuts tearing it down or anything, seeing as it runs fine, I do need to get another oil pan on it at some point though. I got some high temp stuff for the manifolds.
In the past I cleaned up and brush painted a lot of installed engines with regular old Rustoleum without any problems. Don't know about current formulations or difference in rattle cans; but I bet it would still work. Oil based enamel will take some heat.
Rustoleum doesn't resist gasoline, so I'd stay away from that product for an engine. VHT makes some good rattle can primer and paint. I'm doing this very thing today....283 is on the engine hoist. Going to spray it with Easy Off to remove all the old orange paint, then power wash it. Following up with primer and black paint. I like black SBC's.
I just painted my 289 with Rustoleum Blue Metalic. Might be a little disco for some but I had the can on the bench... and I like it It's held up for aboput a month now and looks fine. I do a LOT of driving, mostly hiway.
Then its about thickness. Your not painting a fence. Alot of paint can crack and peel based on expansion and contraction. Clean surface, light coat, good to go. I prefer spray bombs for this, but I have also used brushed on and it can be equally as nice.
They sell "engine paint" thats good to 600 degrees at Oriellys, Autozone etc.. its about 6.99 a can and 2 cans should do what you need.
As an earlier post mentioned, engines don't get that hot, except the heads near the exhaust ports, and the exhaust manifolds themselves. My particular beef is the godawful orange silicone that gets blobbed all over. Regular Clear silicone will take a constant 400 degrees, and doesn't stand out. You don't need the orange 600 degree stuff on your thermostat housing! Ralph
Still in my P/U bed when I bought it in Ohio. Low mileage 259 Stude engine from a rusty hulk. Ready to install in my 34 P/U I wire brushed the heavy rust off and just got what I thought was a cool looking gold. It was cleaned real well and except for the exhaust ports on the head it has held up real well. Nothing holds up on the center exhaust ports on Olds, Pont. and Stude engines. (if you actually drive it) This is just acrylic enamel with the hardener. no primer just paint to keep the build up low. I tried primer and all the basic bodywork procedures and had the thick build up peel many many years ago. So I may be wrong but it has worked for me. It's no show machine but it looks descent in person.
A couple months ago, I painted mine black. I used Rustoleum black bar-b-que paint. Satin finish and brushed it on. Looks great and it's different.
Good eye...it was covered many times if you do a search. It works great. it's in the old posts. You can PM me if you can't find my post on it when I did it. It might be hard to find ...I talk too much.
I have been painting my engines for years with regular automotive enamel.I agree they really don't get hot enough to cause any problems. I normally don't use any primer.Just clean her up good and paint away.
You can surely find a more complicated way to do it, but I've never had a problem with cleaning em' up and then hitting em' with a couple rattle cans of engine paint.
My main concern is there's still going to be some rust on it, so I wanted to use rusty metal primer as the base and they don't seem to make that as an engine paint. I figured on it probably would bake off from around the exhaust ports pretty quick. Then I can just paint it with the white I have on hand or something and if it has any leaks or issues I can find them pretty fast. No one seems to carry the colors in engine paint they used to in the chain stores here. I did get a can of hi-temp to use on whatever manifolds go on it though.
After wire brushing the heavier rust off, I would use phosphoric acid and course stripping pads to clean up the remaining rust on the engine before painting it. I use a product called Phosphoric Prep and Etch from the paint department of the local Home Depot. Just spritz it on using a spray bottle, scrub it with the pads and wipe it off with clean water and rags before it dries. This leaves the metal etched and ready to paint.
POR 15 engine paint. This stuff is a little pricey BUT it is killer and last forever. It comes in a few colors too. Good Luck, VR&C.
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