Topic: engine paint remover test

[Don R]

  I mixed a couple partial cans of lacquer thinner, some gas and some EZ strip. I'm washing a couple heads and cylinders to remove grease and paint. The final rinse will be brake clean. I'll let you know how it works. If I don't explode. The garage door is open for ventilation.

[nvr2old]

Simple Green with a wire brush works really well to remove grease and oil, and it's safe.  Aircraft stripper will take care of the paint, but please use protective gear.  Sturdy rubber gloves, a respirator, long sleeves and eye protection.  It's really nasty, and burns like a s.o.b.  Brake cleaner is a good final cleaner, for sure.

[BenelliSEI]

Don... the other day I saw some work done by a local shop with their “Vapour Blaster”. The owner imported the equipment several years ago and I must say the results look amazing. I’m taking a head and barrels over next week. Will post the results.

[scunny]

Wat's a Bertelsmann  ?

[BenelliSEI]

Wat's a Bertelsmann  ?

Spell check gone insane? I thought I wrote “barrels”!

[BenelliSEI]

My favourite “final rinse” is the laundry tub full of hot water and dishwashing detergent. Good scrub and then a really hot water rinse, blow it clear with an air line.

If the parts are smaller (and my wife’s NOT home) the dishwasher does a really nice job too!

[CycleRanger]

I have used Klean-Strip Epoxy Polyurethane Varnish and Paint Remover for Wood Metal and Masonry.

Worked great for removing the old clear coat on engine cases & fork legs.
It absolutely melted the thick black paint off the fork lowers on my CJ360T and stripped the thick yellowed clear off the lowers from XL250s.

[ekpent]

That sounds like a pretty lethal and dangerous combo of ingredients.

[MauiK3]

We can’t get old school stripper here any more. I ended up using Citrus Strip after much trial. It works, but slowly, overnight most of the time. Pretty safe stuff too. It comes in liquid and paste.

[Kelly E]

I use brake fluid to strip paint. Works great, safer than paint stripper and it will strip factory clear coating. It's also cheaper, saves time, sandpaper and cleans up with brake cleaner.

[dave500]

about 30 years ago i bought from a local hardware store some heavy duty paint stripper,#$%*ing hell as soon as i opened the container it was like a punch to the nose,when applied the old paint made an audible crackling noise and lifted instantly,wish we could still get that stuff!

[PeWe]

I have real working stuff as I could buy here in the 80's.
The shipping from UK was not cheap as it was shipped as dangerous goods.

Not this seller in the link.
https://paintman.co.uk/shop/paint-stripper-strip-away-pro-professional-users-only/

No problem applying it, but when rinsing it off with warm water it really stinks.

Outdoor job is the deal. Only open a door does not help.
Garden hose or high pressure washer with warm water.

Edit: Links usually stop working after a while. Here a pic of the professional stuff I got.

[Don R]

 The paint stripper did less work than the cheap lacquer thinner.  It wasn't aircraft type though. I got a lot of black paint off and all of the grease. I wanted to get them in better shape before they go to the machine shop.
 I have a soda blaster but no booth. Outdoors, the dust attracts to our new vinyl siding and then I have to wash the house. I saw an ad for a Japanese made soda/air/water blaster. Apparently, it's on ebay too.

[CB750R]

Hey Don,

I think there’s no silver bullet on the stripper, the aerosol cans of aircraft paint stripper seem to work the best for me though. I made a big ole dust cloud with my soda blaster in the alley on my engine cases, I now have a blast cabinet with glass bead….

I used 3" roloc disc in a 90degree die grinder as well as a 1" bit of aluminum flat bar as a scraper on the fins.

I have resigned myself to the fact that elbow grease and patients, seems to be the #1 most effective tool to removing all the paint…

[ekpent]

 When I owned a furniture refinishing and repair business back in the day I would drive over to Chicago to a place called Reliable Chemical Company and buy the really good stripper in 55 and 30 gallon barrels. It was called 1776.  The 'good stuff' has been outlawed thanks to the greenies. Sure wish I still had a stash of it around. Once in awhile I will find some good suff around that's been stored away at an estate sale and I buy it.

[RAFster122s]

You can buy abrasive grit cord at plumbing supply places and McMaster Carr. It can be used between fin where you can get it between to points and saw it back and forth to remove any paint or stripper.
You can make tools to hold it so you aren't hanging your fingers...wrapping the cord around the wooden tool...

[BenelliSEI]

I just spoke with a guy that has the most reputable vapour blasting shop in the area. He says it will remove dirt, paint and anything else, with absolutely no damage or scaring of the base metal. I’m taking a cb750 head and barrels there next wee. Will be interesting to see the results.

[Stev-o]

I just spoke with a guy that has the most reputable vapour blasting shop in the area.

When I rebuilt the motor on my Kaw H2, I sent the case, cylinders and heads to Nils for vapor blasting. The results were amazing and the engine still looks great 4[?] years later.  [the Kaw motors came naked from the factory so I did not want to paint it].



IMO, it is the best finish for aluminum. 

BOTM March 2018 on the Kawasaki forum:

[HondaMan]

I use "Aircraft Paint Stripper" from Ace Hardware. It works good! Rinses off with cold water at the end, doesn't hurt aluminum.

[Don R]

  Thanks guys, the gas I added kind of ruined the lacquer thinner. It still works but stinks so bad I had to take it out to the driveway. Best place for a solvent tank anyway. The fin spacers have swelled a bit, hopefully they will shrink back down.
  There are big differences in paint, some comes off in sheets, some in tiny bits, and in a few spots it won't budge. 
  I'm surprised how much paint is on a couple cylinders. I always just fogged a light coat of BBQ black on them and wiped the edges.