Irony
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| posted on 6/5/10 at 10:19 AM |
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Should I paint my engine block?
I am just coming to the end of my engine pre-assembly. Making sure tolerances are okay etc. Now its getting to the stage where I am going to strip
the block back down to the short engine (crank and pistons only). Its a chemically cleaned Rover V8 and it looks shiny at the moment. I am keen for
a shiny engine bay and am considering painting the block. It is Aluminium. Worth it?
[Edited on 6/5/10 by Irony]
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cd.thomson
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| posted on 6/5/10 at 10:20 AM |
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yep.
unless you want your engine bay to be rust coloured.
Craig
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bartonp
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| posted on 6/5/10 at 10:22 AM |
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Its ally - polish it to a mirror finish!!
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tegwin
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| posted on 6/5/10 at 10:24 AM |
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I would... go for a dark colour like black so it wont show the dirt..
if you dont, you will only look at the engine in a few monhts time and wish you had...
For the £30 odd quid it will cost to do it properly I would 
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Irony
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| posted on 6/5/10 at 10:25 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by bartonp
Its ally - polish it to a mirror finish!!
Standard block is a sort of blasted finished. A casted finish. It would take a month of sunday's to polish. Its paint or nothing I'm
afraid. Although all the other parts I can are being either polished Ali or painted.
[Edited on 6/5/10 by Irony]
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coozer
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| posted on 6/5/10 at 10:27 AM |
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Lashed a couple of coats of hammerite on mine and it looks much better.
Will keep the engine looking fresh and clean much longer. Worth it now while its out imo.
Steve
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
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MikeRJ
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| posted on 6/5/10 at 10:31 AM |
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Hammerite on alloy looks terrible after a while, it all starts flaking off 
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cd.thomson
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| posted on 6/5/10 at 10:33 AM |
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ignore my stupid comment
Craig
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Irony
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| posted on 6/5/10 at 10:41 AM |
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I have some Jotun Hard Top Flexi. Although it likes to be cured in a hot place. Say 40 - 50 degrees I have found by trial and error. Once its on and
cured it doesn't come off. Seemingly ever. Get some on your hands and let it go off and its on you for a month.
I would just build a wooden box to go over the engine and cut a hole for the missus's hairdryer to poke through. Job done. I have a choice of
Red or Black? Opinions?
[Edited on 6/5/10 by Irony]
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tegwin
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| posted on 6/5/10 at 10:53 AM |
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Not sure about Hard top flexi.... It tends to shrink and pull away from the substrate...
I did some experiments with it in the past and its not ideal...
Go to Frosts website.. they have some paint specifically designed for engine blocks...
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Would the last person who leaves the country please switch off the lights and close the door!
www.verticalhorizonsmedia.tv
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scootz
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| posted on 6/5/10 at 11:03 AM |
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I've never been a fan of engine paint... tried loads and at some point it always flakes off and leaves the block looking really tatty!
Much better (IMHO) to leave it as it is and give the engine a clean once a month.
It's Evolution Baby!
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skinned knuckles
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| posted on 6/5/10 at 11:07 AM |
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I'd paint it nice shiny black
A man isn't complete until he's married, then he's finished
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Irony
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| posted on 6/5/10 at 11:12 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
Not sure about Hard top flexi.... It tends to shrink and pull away from the substrate...
I did some experiments with it in the past and its not ideal...
Go to Frosts website.. they have some paint specifically designed for engine blocks...
I had this problem myself with my brake calipers. Stuff that has been cured in a warm environment i.e a hot day or slightly warm oven seems to do the
trick. Out performed the test I did with Hammerite and por-15 anyway. I painted six metal brackets. 2 in Jotamastic 87, 2 in hammerite, 2 in
Por-15. 1st set I air dried, one set I cured in the oven (with the oven on it's lowest setting, probably around sixty degrees). The results
seemed to be as follows
My test was attacking the items with variety of objects including screw drivers and hammers
Air dried in winter in the garage
Por -15 Good
Hammerite Good but chips off
Jotamastic Crap chipped off easily.
Oven Dried (maybe 50-70 degrees)
Por -15 Same
Hammerite Same
Jotamastic Awesome - defies even a blowtorch and a flathead screwdriver
With the Jotun paints I have found the curing is what does the trick.
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55ant
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| posted on 6/5/10 at 11:16 AM |
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i got some paint from a military vehicle restoration siete, it claims to be military grade engine paint? went on a treat, hasnt come off at all and
ive used all sorts of cleaners on it to clean oil/dirt/shite of it now and still nice, all for an £8 tin of paint thats still half full (or empty if
you like!)
away from cars, now cycling and building TT bikes
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Seven_Monkey
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| posted on 6/5/10 at 11:17 AM |
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I have been told by an engine builder to use Plasticote.
Looks hard wearing and I presume flexible enough to withstand a few knocks and scrapes as you install stuff. I've bought both a silver and black
spray can ready to do my engine block and head.
Hope that helps.
Rich
Build Thread - http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=134121
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RichieHall
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| posted on 6/5/10 at 11:22 AM |
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quote:
it claims to be military grade engine paint?
Please don't believe 'military grade' is the best! It simply means that the manufactures have bumped the price up by a factor of 3!
Rust is lighter than Carbon Fibre!
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Irony
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| posted on 6/5/10 at 11:26 AM |
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I have heard of people getting good results with plasicote.
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r1_pete
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| posted on 6/5/10 at 11:27 AM |
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There aren't many paints that will stay on ally very well, its is notoriously difficult to get good adhesion. You need to use a purpose etch
primer, and ensure its scrupulously clean and 3-400 grit abraded 1st.
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tony-devon
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| posted on 6/5/10 at 11:33 AM |
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on bike engines we use PJ1 gloss black engine paint, does exactly what it says on the tin great finish, fuel resistant, and on bikes they are
exposed and it seems to hold up very well to stone chips and salt etc.
I have also done bike engines in 2 pack, mettalics and metal flake etc etc, the only places that it was a bit iffy was after a period of use it
discoloured slightly around the exhaust manifolds
heavy is good, heavy is reliable, and if it breaks, hit them with it
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55ant
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| posted on 6/5/10 at 11:49 AM |
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nothing meant by military grade, thats why i put the ?, but it has worked well! plus tank grey seems to go well on a pinto engine.
away from cars, now cycling and building TT bikes
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Irony
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| posted on 6/5/10 at 11:54 AM |
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I have a knackered block sitting at home. I shall do some tests on it.
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