Topic: Silver engine paint?

[Radski]

Hey guys...I know this is an old thread but the good old interwebs directed me here.

my 750 engine just went through two stages of paint stripper, followed by heavy degreasing followed by an old fashioned rinse. The orig paint is all gone however my jugs/head are have some good build up of something plus oxidation in the fins. The rest of the engine has a wonderful coat of oxidation as well. I have not found a method worthy of getting in the crevasses and hard to reach places of the block SO.... at what point can I start painting?? (in the future if/when I need to rebuild the engine..I'll vapor blast)

Yes I contacted him as well. He gave me some great instruction to clean them up and prep for paint. Bc this is a new bike to me and I'm building on a budget right now, I'm hoping I can get a couple riding years on my belt before I have to tear apart the engine. When I do, I will be sending it to him as well. That blasting is by far the way to go to make them look new. For now, I've got it nice and shiny and ready for self etching primer then a nice couple coats of paint. Took some time elbow grease and sore hands but its ready to be taped off now. 
Besides the oxidation and the buildup in the fins...the engine is clean. Can I paint without removing the oxidation? I just want it to look nice then I'll go through the tedious process of polishing the polishable parts.

Any suggestions would be great

As far as the fins: I use small-diameter brass brushes (Harbor Freight cheapies, it ruins them) to reach in between the fins. The lumpy stuff is aluminum oxide crumbs. I use steel wool on the case fins and a soft wire brush in a drill motor. Go gently on the smooth faces with steel wool, it can scratch.

The paint I use is Duplicolor's engine paint, with their High-Temp Ceramic engine primer first and their Cast Coat Aluminum after. One coat primer, 10 minutes to dry, first coat over, 10 more minutes, second coat. Coats are light, as the paint is thin. The engine heat final-cures it, so it is somewhat soft until then. It is a very, very close match to the OEM aluminum color, too.

Thanks HondaMan! I've even tried some 320 grit sandpaper wrapped around a file to get after the build up but I just cant seem to get into the back areas where the heads curve and whatnot.

What about the oxidation of the case overall? How clean do I need to get it in order to prime and paint?

To be fair and honest: most of the time I simply take them to the machine shop where they run them first thru their parts-washer machine(s) and then bead-blast them. Or, I send them to Restocycle where Nils turns them into something similar to precious metal! I only wish I had seen his ads when my engine was apart, I would have sprung for that in a heartbeat. I have done something like 8 engines now with his work on the various pieces, and it lights up my garage, even with the lights out.

[Stev-o]

Hey guys...I know this is an old thread but the good old interwebs directed me here.

my 750 engine just went through two stages of paint stripper, followed by heavy degreasing followed by an old fashioned rinse. The orig paint is all gone however my jugs/head are have some good build up of something plus oxidation in the fins. The rest of the engine has a wonderful coat of oxidation as well. I have not found a method worthy of getting in the crevasses and hard to reach places of the block SO.... at what point can I start painting?? (in the future if/when I need to rebuild the engine..I'll vapor blast)

Besides the oxidation and the buildup in the fins...the engine is clean. Can I paint without removing the oxidation? I just want it to look nice then I'll go through the tedious process of polishing the polishable parts.

Any suggestions would be great

As far as the fins: I use small-diameter brass brushes (Harbor Freight cheapies, it ruins them) to reach in between the fins. The lumpy stuff is aluminum oxide crumbs. I use steel wool on the case fins and a soft wire brush in a drill motor. Go gently on the smooth faces with steel wool, it can scratch.

The paint I use is Duplicolor's engine paint, with their High-Temp Ceramic engine primer first and their Cast Coat Aluminum after. One coat primer, 10 minutes to dry, first coat over, 10 more minutes, second coat. Coats are light, as the paint is thin. The engine heat final-cures it, so it is somewhat soft until then. It is a very, very close match to the OEM aluminum color, too.

Thanks HondaMan! I've even tried some 320 grit sandpaper wrapped around a file to get after the build up but I just cant seem to get into the back areas where the heads curve and whatnot.

What about the oxidation of the case overall? How clean do I need to get it in order to prime and paint?

To be fair and honest: most of the time I simply take them to the machine shop where they run them first thru their parts-washer machine(s) and then bead-blast them. Or, I send them to Restocycle where Nils turns them into something similar to precious metal! I only wish I had seen his ads when my engine was apart, I would have sprung for that in a heartbeat. I have done something like 8 engines now with his work on the various pieces, and it lights up my garage, even with the lights out.

No doubt, Nils does some fantastic vapor blasting!   My Kawasaki H2's heads....