Engine painting thoughts...

[Dirtcrasher]

In the past I've done quite a few motors here or there and people either ask me to leave the paint as is, or powder coat them. And powder coating a motor is quite a bit of work and an added expense.

Lots of guys on here build quite a few motors and the side such as Yaeger and Mike - Our 1st gen 200X guys.

I've got 3 I'm building ATM and I'd like to freshen up the paint but powder is just too much to add to the cost of cams, cranks, bearings, valves etc etc.

What are you guys painting motors with that holds up to gas?? Or the occasional brake cleaner? (BC is a tough one, that stuff seems to eat almost anything, lol).

Please share your motor painting technique that works for you and thanks for your thoughts...

[El Camexican]

I always spray my engines with Duplicolor Engine Paint. It holds up very well to fuel once its cured. Might get some slight discoloration if it stays wet for more than a few minutes.

Brake cleaner? Did you mean brake fluid maybe? Cleaner will lift most paints in seconds, I've had it soften powder coat too, brake fluid takes a few minutes to lift cured paint.

Unless you're going to use a zinc rich high temp primer you're better off spraying over the original paint than you are starting with bare aluminum.

- Pressure wash
- Scrape out any crud in the crevasses
- Wash with thinner and a brass brush if needed
- Wash with dish soap
- Stuff the part up with 400 grit wet paper, or more aggressive if you're removing scratches
- Pressure wash again
- Dry it with a heat gun
- Tape off the parts you don't want to paint
- Wipe it down with a general thinner (do it fast so you don't lift or soften the paint)
- Warm it up with the heat gun if its under 70F where you are
- Shake n shoot, light coat first, then warm it up with the heat gun, but don't burn it.
- Wait 15 minutes and give it another coat. Depending on how many angles there are an how heavy your first coat was you may end up with 2 coats or even 4 or 5 depending, just avoid runs. Less is always better when it comes to painting metal.
- If you ever do get a run you can pull it off with a bit of masking tape, let it sit a bit and then cover the spot.
- I like to leave the parts sit a few days before putting them together.

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[shortline10]

Most of my customers care less on looks lol but when asked I usually use Duplicolor high temp paint as well and it definitely holds up to most solvents .
I just run the parts threw my parts washer removing all the grease and grime , spray away !
Just did this 350x motor !

[BOB MARLIN]

If you have a spray gun, automotive paint with hardener holds up very well. I've tried many different spray can paints . Some do better than others but none look good after a few good rides.

[ATC-Eric]

Years ago when I visited Swineharts place he had a motor all ready and buttoned up to head to the sand blaster. I had never thought about how if done properly, you can sand blast a completely assembled engine without getting sand inside. I have yet to do this, but its on my list!

Then pair that with some PJ1. I always did pretty good with PJ1.

[rpeters]

What are you guys painting motors with that holds up to gas?? Or the occasional brake cleaner? (BC is a tough one, that stuff seems to eat almost anything, lol).

If you want a paint that has extremely high scuff and chemical resistance (including high resistance to brake cleaner), that will look about the same after several years as it did when it was first applied, KG GUN-KOTE is one of the best. Also, it will not stain from mud sitting on it, and it is very easy to clean. Their 2401GB high gloss black is more of a semi gloss, and not quite as shiny as a new 350x engine would be, plus, all of their blacks have a slight gray tint to them in direct sunlight, but it's not excessive.


Here's some links and info on it.

https://hi-defcoatings.com/kg-color-chart/

https://shop.kgcoatings.com/kg/product-category/protective-coatings/2400-series/?product_orderby=date&product_count=36

http://www.crusadercoatingandarms.com/gun-kote/


Here's some comparison videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCCYbcjh5qs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qnWI6mEfFc

,

[Baba Yaga]

Nothing in a spray can is any good. Use automotive finishes.

[BOB MARLIN]

There is a spray paint in a can that has a hardener in it . There is a compartment built into the can that you push a button to pierce it and it drops into the paint. I haven't used it myself but it seems like a great alternative to true auto paint. You can get it at places like Summit Racing or even Amazon.

[BarnBoy]

I'm thinking about this very thing with my 200M rebuild. Eastwood 2K Aero-Spray is the name of the stuff with the hardener.

https://www.eastwood.com/paints/2k-aero-spray-paints.html