Engine - Paint or Powder Coat

[Macs]

Do you paint or powder coat your engines. i have always painted mine and they hold up well. I am wandering if it is worth it to powder coat them? what are they stock?

[Dirtcrasher]

Barry, you don't have the same horrible terrain/snow etc that we have in the Northeast.

You must be splitting the engine?? to PC it every seal and bearing must come out and the cases and gets blasted. If your just painting it, it seems that guys scuff it up, clean it, mask it off and have at it with no huge issues.

PJ1 seems to hold up fairly well for many trikeaholics.

The powder on my 200X has held up very well. DEEPA "HAD" a great PC job until he got careless, kicker came loose and scratched the hell out of the clutch case.

Powder is NOT the end all be all coating but I love it.

[Erics350x]

I think OEM was temp cured enamel.

[Macs]

If the parts come in, i will be splitting the cases and for once i want to do things right and not cut corners. Every seal is going to get replaced and of course the whole engine media blasted. i just wasnt sure what the best was for the engine covers. But if factory was enamel ( i am pretty sure you are correct eric ) then that is what i will go with.

[Dirtcrasher]

My only thought is who's gonna bake on the enamel for you?? Most likely they'll mix it with hardner and shoot it.

Auto paint with a hardner is wonderful and it ranks up there with PC. BUT, most guys just use hardner and it hardens in time. But never as hard as stock or similar to an OEM paint job be it an auto or a motorcycle.

Our 25yo paint HAD to be baked on, look how well it has help up over time. I don't see any primer under those stock engine cases either, do any of you guys??

Again, I'm not 100% sold on PC. But, give me 30$ worth of high temp powder and an oven and I'm done in 20 minutes.

I think what EXACT process Honda had will never be disclosed and not 100% duplicated. Just look at the calipers, they clearly have an outstanding and incredibly durable finish.

[Macs]

I dont think cagiva did as good as job as honda. I barely have any black paint left on my covers.