Engine Paint Questions

[guyryan100]

Hi,
I'm prepping my engine for repaint from crate engine black to Chevy orange.

From the factory my engine was painted after the heads were installed.

I had planned to paint it differently, so the head and intake bolts aren't orange. I think the best way to do this is to set the heads on the block, without bolts or gasket, so the paint will cover the small block surface areas not covered by the heads. I would mask the heads for this purpose, and paint them separately.

Has anyone tried this?

Second question - how close to final assembly prep should I be when I paint - I've dismantled everything off the engine, should I have my block surface fully prepped for gaskets, my cylinders sparkling, or should I do some of this after paint? It seems like a chicken and egg kind of problem because when the surfaces are prepped they need some light oil to prevent rust. But light oil isn't good when prepping for paint.

I'm either ready to mask it, prime & paint, and then do final cleanup, or I need to do final cleanup, mask, prime & paint. What's the optimal order?

Last question - I have an Edelbrock intake that has lost its silvery luster. I'm planning to paint it orange also, and I think I should set it on the heads, no bolts and no gaskets, so the exposed edge of the head is painted. Does this sound right? And will this paint survive or will heat damage this paint (I'm using VHT high temp). Or am I making the whole thing too complicated and I should jsut assemble first paint second, bolts gaskets and all?

Ryan

[MySons68C20]

I like to paint everything separate then assemble. I like the look of the unpainted bolts and gaskets but that's just me.
Have fun!

[Getter-Done]

If you could find caps to cover the bolts?

Example: https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Rubber...st_sto_dp&th=1

Or some like this?
If you have a 3D printer.

[twoskies]

i could be wrong, but i think the engines were painted after final assemble and right before they were installed, so everything got a coat of orange or whatever color, just an fyi, i had my motor out for rebuild and primed with duplicolor and then a couple coats of orange, motor was in and out a couple more times, i remember spraying another coat on both times, after a few months , the paint started flaking off, called duplicolor , great customer service, was told i should of not primered the motor, engine paint directly to surface
so i will probably pull the motor and repaint sometime soon, might go basecoat/clear

you might want to call or check online to see if you need primer or not for the brand youre using

Good Luck

[Steeveedee]

I've only ever used Krylon engine paint, after complete assembly, except for spark plug holes. I used old spark plugs. GM used cardboard plugs on the Target engines, iirc. I put many of them in vehicles in the '70s and '80s, but that's obviously been awhile.

[PowerdbyChevy79]

I paint my engines with no oil pan gasket because i used the one piece and i like the blue against the orange... i do paint my timing cover with gaskets and bolts,
on the intake i just place the gasket and tape it up because i like seeing the gasket thats not covered by intake. also i like leaving the freeze plugs brass

[Getter-Done]

Originally Posted by PowerdbyChevy79

I paint my engines with no oil pan gasket because i used the one piece and i like the blue against the orange... i do paint my timing cover with gaskets and bolts,
on the intake i just place the gasket and tape it up because i like seeing the gasket thats not covered by intake. also i like leaving the freeze plugs brass

I forgot about That I (always) use Brass freeze plugs.

I just carefully coat them very carefully with some grease .

Good idea about about the Oil pan gasket.

[Steeveedee]

I use brass freeze plugs and #1 Permatex. Whenever someone wants to rebuild an engine I put freeze plugs in, they're need some serious hammering to get 'em out.

[mr.mud1]

i was about to paint my 72 truck engine with hi-heat Ceramic Chevy Orange,i'm positive was from Duplicolor and for a change,i read the instructions on the can where it said to prime with Duplicolor hi-heat ceramic engine paint primer?i went back to Carquest the next day,where i bought the paint and to my shock,they had Duplicolor hi-heat Ceramic engine paint primer?i bought a can,primed the engine,then painted,all assembled.i thought it looked good and two year of driving,it still looks like a million bucks.i'm working on a new project with a blue motor and i'll follow the same procedure.

[guyryan100]

@mr.mud1 that looks fantastic - I'm hoping for results that good. Are you saying it still has this look after 2 years? And I don't hear you saying you used any clearcoat - nice and glossy!

[cst69]

Hope the blue engine is a Pontiac or Cadillac..LOL

[mr.mud1]

Originally Posted by guyryan100

@mr.mud1 that looks fantastic - I'm hoping for results that good. Are you saying it still has this look after 2 years? And I don't hear you saying you used any clearcoat - nice and glossy!

hi,i mis-spoke.i called my paint Dupli-color Ceramic.here's the can,it says Acrylic Polymer engine enamel and does say in the instructions to use their engine primer if it's bare metal.i did prime it and 2 or 3,probably 3 coats of the Chevy Orange and that's,no clear,no touch ups.here's the truck today in my shop and a picture of the engine today.i finished the truck 2 years ago this spring and drove it for the last 2 summers,alot and we live on a dirt road.hope that's a help.

[mr.mud1]

Originally Posted by cst69

Hope the blue engine is a Pontiac or Cadillac..LOL

ha-ha,no i'm embarrassed to say it's a FFFFFFORD,a little baby 302 motor for a 1932 Ford 2 door sedan i bought last fall,under construction now but motor mounts not welded in yet so i can still change to an orange motor??

[72c20customcamper]

I used Eastwood ceramic paint in the quart can I metal etched the engine and painted it . Been three years and it looks like the day I sprayed it

[72c20customcamper]

I used the same paint and procedure on the 250 in the 68

[68 C10 Driver]

Originally Posted by twoskies

...just an fyi, i had my motor out for rebuild and primed with duplicolor and then a couple coats of orange, motor was in and out a couple more times, i remember spraying another coat on both times, after a few months , the paint started flaking off, called duplicolor , great customer service, was told i should of not primered the motor, engine paint directly to surface
so i will probably pull the motor and repaint sometime soon, might go basecoat/clear

you might want to call or check online to see if you need primer or not for the brand youre using

Good Luck

I would be sure that whatever paint you select, it can handle the heat generated by the engine. You may have the same issue with the base/clear coat because of the heat. Engine paint is specifically formulated for the heat.