If you bought Por-15 Engine paint, read this!

[Rust Buster]

My new GM Performance Parts HT383 crate engine came last week and it was like Christmas in July. I had recently bought 2 pints of Por-15 Chevy Orange engine enamel from TP Tools. I followed all the directions for prep and went to town painting my brand new crate engine.

What a horrible experience. The paint was so transparent that after three coats (the can says one will be plenty), there was hardly any coverage that it was apparent it was going to take upwards of 8 coats to cover the engine. On top of that, no matter how thin I put it on, it would run. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper...

So last night I wrote to TP Tools about my experience, fully realizing that they do not make the paint and they are just the retailer. This morning I got a call from one of their techs. After getting my email, he went to their supply of that paint and noticed there were two batch numbers, so he opened a can of each and went about painting something, and one of the batches produced results just like I was describing. The other batch was great he said.

So they notified Por-15 that they had a bad batch of paint. They are sending me two free pints of the good batch, a quart of their reducer (will spray it this time), and credit me on top of that. Very impressed with their customer service, and I've bought lots of stuff from them (sandblasting cabinet, HVLP Turbine system, etc).

So long story short, if you bought any Por-15 engine paint recently, check them. The bad batch has a yellow sticker on top, and the good has white.

Now I have the horrible task of stripping all of it off a brand new engine and starting over...

[1LoC10]

damn, I cant say I would have painted the whole engine if was going that bad.. but good lucking getting it right

[bad6772]

Originally Posted by 1LoC10

damn, I cant say I would have painted the whole engine if was going that bad.. but good lucking getting it right

+ 1 . glad to see that there are companys that still G>A>S. about customer satisaction. what made ya keep spraying? lol

[Rust Buster]

I was brushing it on as the can recommended. I figured the first coat was just going to be that way and with another it would get better, but as usual, hindsight is always 20-20. And BTW, the bottom picture is stripping it, that's not how it looked after painting

[bad6772]

Originally Posted by Rust Buster

I was brushing it on as the can recommended. I figured the first coat was just going to be that way and with another it would get better, but as usual, hindsight is always 20-20. And BTW, the bottom picture is stripping it, that's not how it looked after painting

oh lol sorry i was thinking poor guy. what a mess. good luck though.

[beermunk]

excuse my n00bness - but why would you paint a brand new engine. your second pic makes my heart flutter...

[Longhorn Man]

Originally Posted by beermunk

excuse my n00bness - but why would you paint a brand new engine. your second pic makes my heart flutter...

Calssic GM engines were painted orange... late model stuff is black, and in the depressing years, they were all blue. So to acuratly do a restoration, or to hot rod an engine, the most common thing to do that 75% of the ppl agree on (even on this board) is to start off with an orange engine.
That second pic looks like it belongs in a late model camaro, not a classic.

[chevyboy55]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

Calssic GM engines were painted orange... late model stuff is black, and in the depressing years, they were all blue. So to acuratly do a restoration, or to hot rod an engine, the most common thing to do that 75% of the ppl agree on (even on this board) is to start off with an orange engine.
That second pic looks like it belongs in a late model camaro, not a classic.

Man, I had forgot about how embarrassing those blue years were.Thanks for bringing back a painful memory

[Rust Buster]

I painted it because I wanted it to look good, and who knows how good the black paint that was on it is. Of course after all of this I might not have painted it at all...

[Longhorn Man]

[cdowns]

about 4-5 years ago the exact same thing happened with a quart can of ford red i got from por15// i was on a real tight deadline so i just cleaned it off and had to go with rustoleum enamel to finish up the project

[airdale94]

Damn that *ucks! I'd send them some pictures. Befor and after, and tell them you like a little more than free paint. You could try some aircraft stipper. Brush it on and power wash it off. I know it will take it to bare metal without scraping, but I don't know if your gaskets would be safe.

[Sport/Truck]

I’m getting sick looking at those pictures. I’m glad that they are making it right. But I would ask for something for your time & effort.
s/t

[Rust Buster]

I went right to the aircraft stripper as it's really the only thing that will get it all off. I've been really carefull around the gaskets, but I will be replacing the valve covers and intake, so all that's left are the head gaskets and the oil pan. Assuming the are safe, I hope

[JAKES 68GMC]

Yuck, that looks like a pure mess. Sorry you had such crappy results. Maybe you should've gone to the autoparts store and got a couple cans of Chevy orange engine paint instead. It flows real good out of the can, took 2 coats to make my 350 lookin good.

[Rust Buster]

Yes, and it just goes to show that the expensive stuff isn't always the best...

[airdale94]

I would think your head gakets would be safe. Probably all of them as long as your carefull. Maybe do sections at a time. That a/c stipper is great stuff. That POR-15 may be a different story though. Let us know how it comes out.

[eedgell]

Always do a "test" area first. No matter how many coats are to be applied, and on something other than the final project. IMHO.

[Sport/Truck]

Originally Posted by eedgell

Always do a "test" area first. No matter how many coats are to be applied, and on something other than the final project. IMHO.

That’s good advice….but I’m guilty of putting all my faith in whatever product I’m using. And I probably would be in the same situation.
RB-I’m still getting sick thinking about this mess your in. I hope it turns out ok.
s/t

[JAKES 68GMC]

If it makes you feel better Rust Buster, I would have painted a black engine orange, too.

[svgould]

I had the same thing happen with the orange about 2 years ago. I bought mine directly from POR-15. When I contacted them, they told me I either applied it wrong, or maybe it was too hot out, or maybe it was too humid out but whatever it was it was my fault and not thiers. They offered me nothing, not even a replacement quart of paint. I'm done with POR-15 and all of their products.

[arkracing]

Wow, first I've heard of this problem.

I've used POR15's Black Engine Enamel a few times and have had great luck with it. I sprayed it though. It covered well and I hardly used a pint of paint for 3 coats on a BigBlock. The block was clean - I just sprayed it down with some Pre-Cleaner then shot the Black right to the bare block, screw thier process - I think it is a load of B.S.

It is a PITA to get off though. A/C Stripper and a small "toothbrush" wire brush and about 40 hours

Did you strip the black off the motor prior to using POR?

For the record, the Engine Enamel is the only product of thiers that I use - It doesn't burn off like the rattle cans, it covers well (for me anyway) and has great color oh and you don't have to "base" it with regular POR paint, like thier other 200 step process.

[Rust Buster]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the support! It's just an engine, but after drooling over it for many years and then having this happen is a bummer. I definitely wanted an orange engine, and I don't regret painting it. I should have done a test area, I just thought that it would get better with another coat. I did strip off the black prior to painting. It came off the block rather easily, but the oil pan was another story, it didn't want to come off at all. I do need to get a small wire brush and maybe will whip out the dremel with some attachment. Going to be along process though. I'll take some more pics tonight.

[Spanky_Pete]

Just an engine? You won't say that after you fire it up.

Very glad to see a supplier stand by it's customers. I do have to say though that this makes me a little hesitant about using any of POR-15's products for my build.