Engine Paint

[Crank]

Okay, I know I've brought up this subject before, but the only answers I got were just to get auto part store engine paint. I was wondering if there was any other methods of painting your engines without going the spray can way with only a limited choice of colors. Okay I've got this October 2001 issue of Lowrider titled "How to build a 100 point engine." In it they say they just sprayed a base coat of House of Kolor Silver. Then when it dried, they sprayed "Burple" (Blue/purple) on it. I was just wondering if this was just made to be a show motor, where it wouldn't get hot enough to cook the paint or would it be suficient; Is there something you could put in the paint to have it accept a higher temp range??? Thanks guys.
Brandon

[71Seth]

I have seen it done before on a daily driver sb350. Not for sure if it had high temp addative or not, but it worked great!! You could always e-mail the guys @ house of kolor and get the low down. Good luck

[Truckstr]

POR-15 (Restomotive Labs) makes a neat kit that I've heard good things about. The thing with POR-15 stuff is that the surface has to be prepped perfectly (Marine Clean, etc.) {hmmm, Marine clean, as in jar-head Marine-type clean. Now, THAT's clean! LOL}

When I get ready to paint my 406, I believe (as of now) that that's what I'll go with.

I've done the spray bomb thing a few times and have never really been satisfied with it. I've heard of guys using a PPG automotive paint product and I seem to remember Hot Rod or Car Craft doing an article a couple of years ago on using some kind of auto paint to do an engine.

I'll be watching this thread. Anybody else?

[Crank]

Thanks. Hows Paducah? I've never been there but heard it's a d@mn long way from Florence.
Brandon

[Kman]

I've seen many marine engines detailed using imron don't think anything special was added so you could make any color you want stands up well in all but hot exhaust areas lol
kman

[Truckstr]

Sorry, Brandon, don't know much about Paducah. I've been there, but not in a while. Lebanon is about 150 miles or so from Paducah. We're only a few miles outside of Nashville.

[Truckstr]

Kman, I believe that it was Dupont Imron that Hot Rod used. They also used some sort of epoxy or something to smooth out the cast iron surface before the top coat went on.

Now you've gone and done it! I'll spend the next few days going through my magazine collection looking for the article. Crap! (that's the excuse that I'll use on the wife LOL).

[Stroker]

I've used the POR15 engine enamel kit that Truckstr suggested. I deburred the block and smoothed things out a bit then followed POR's instructions. The paint flowed out and looked great. I haven't run the engine exept for the 20 min cam breakin period but they claim it is permenant will not fade. If holds up I'm sold.

[SCOTI]

I've seen them painted w/regular PPG primer surfacer & urethane top coat. The key is the prep. Also, there will be areas that will suffer the consequences of extreme heat & discolor more than the rest of the motor w/time. For my stuff, I just taped everything off, Simple Green'd the crap out of it, scrubbed it w/a stiff brush, then rinsed it w/another spray bottle w/water. Let it dry overnight, then hit it w/some reducer/laquer thinner & a lint free cloth. Get every nook & cranny. Let it dry then do it again. Just prior to painting, wipe it down w/automotive paint degreaser (alcohol works well too) & paint. Do the hard to get areas 1st w/a light 'tack' coat & then spray the whole motor w/nice even strokes. Keep it as thin as possible because too much paint by the exhaust ports will chip in the blink of an eye. I just used VHT engine paint (cast iron grey). My buddy used regular Krylon on his 455/Olds & only had fading by the very tip of the exhaust ports.

[Kman]

if you use any of the urethanes you will want to prime with epoxy and the prep is very important, blasting is best or after a new build when everything comes back striped from the machine shop lol
kman

[bigjimzlll]

Do not paint the block black...I did...now i have a pesky oil leak I cant find

[NSANE68!!!]

The HIGH TEMP paint is just overkill. Any good enamel or base clear is good up in the range of 500to700 degrees, and we all know what will happen if your engine ever reaches those #'s. Hell you can even paint a engine with walmart .97 cent enamel paint. It would last just as long as the high temp.
BUT!!!!! As mentioned before it is all about PREP.

[kxmotox247]

[i]In it they say they just sprayed a base coat of House of Kolor Silver. Then when it dried, they sprayed "Burple" (Blue/purple) on it. [/B]

I swear that I've read in a House of Kolor tech sheet about painting motors with their stuff. Like the fellow said...call House of Kolor and ask them. They've got some great tech help.

House Of Kolor
210 Crosby Street
Picayune Mississippi 39466
Technical information: (601) 798-4229
houseofkolor@valspar.com