Topic: How many sprays do you need to paint an engine?

[mazingerzeca]

Hello. I am going to paint the crankcases, the barrels and the cylinder head of my cb 750 K 8 with VHT Hi-Temp Universal Alluminium. As this paint is not sold in Europe, I will have to buy it on USA. So, how many sprays do I need? Do you know where to buy it online?
Thank you.

[kettlesd]

If you've done a search on the subject, you'll see that its been covered extensively - and no-one can agree on what the definitive answer is!

Bottom line the the key is the metal prep before you paint. Ensuring that all the old paint has been removed and all traces of dirt and oils have been cleaned will go a very long way to minimizing the number of coats you need, as well as making a better looking and more durable finish.

I'm not familiar with that brand of paint, but with the rattle can paints I've worked with Ive found that 3 coats does a good job if the metal prep was done well before hand.

[holysmokes]

high heat caliper paint is much better

engine shampoo will strip engine paint, so will gas and oil

[LoopsAndLogic]

I've used VHT Caliper paint and it really resists those liquids

 Dupli just doesn't cut it....... I rubs off with just one drop of fuel or oil

[Spikeybike]

Dupli just doesn't cut it....... I rubs off with just one drop of fuel or oil

i used Dupli engine enamel (4 good coats) and Dupli engine high gloss clearcoat (5coats) that was 3 years ago no probs yet
are you aware that if you use VHT you have to bake it to fully cure it 

[LoopsAndLogic]

No you don't.
With the Header VHT paint you do, but I found by just doing a few hot and cold start ups with the paint on the engine or headers, it works just fine.

 If you do lay that many coats of Dupli, I bet it will work out just fine. But you do have to wait quite longer between coats and dry time.

[Spikeybike]

true . but it cheaper(not much) and if your only painting the engine 5 coats isn't even a whole can. thats why i did so many coats, because i had more then enough paint

and i thought VHT only header paint (all i've ever seen) and i tried your method and after a couple rides it "burned" off in some spots
just my experience with it

[mazingerzeca]

Dupli just doesn't cut it....... I rubs off with just one drop of fuel or oil

i used Dupli engine enamel (4 good coats) and Dupli engine high gloss clearcoat (5coats) that was 3 years ago no probs yet
are you aware that if you use VHT you have to bake it to fully cure it 

Yes, I was aware that I will have to bake the pieces to cure it. I will do it in an oven, because the engine is dismantled. What I didn't know is that I need 4 or 5 coats!

[TwoTired]

I don't think you want to put 4-5 coats on the cooling fins unless they are really really thin.
Does your paint have a high metallic soilds content?

Cheers,

[Stu400]

Is it possible to bake engine paint with a heat gun, Surely it is better to bake the paint before putting clearcoat on.

[mazingerzeca]

I don't think you want to put 4-5 coats on the cooling fins unless they are really really thin.
Does your paint have a high metallic soilds content?

Cheers,

Mmmmm... I don't know what it contents. I still don't have the paint, but searching through the forum I found that maybe VHT is the best paint for engine crankcases, oil and fuel leaks resistant and so on. My doubt about the coats is that I thought that the more coats you put on the engines, the easier they peel off.
Cheers.

[USN20]

Hello. I am going to paint the crankcases, the barrels and the cylinder head of my cb 750 K 8 with VHT Hi-Temp Universal Alluminium. As this paint is not sold in Europe, I will have to buy it on USA. So, how many sprays do I need? Do you know where to buy it online?
Thank you.

I order mine from Summit Racing, as they carry the full line of VHT spray paint. Just enter: 'VHT' in the homepage search box for a complete product list:  http://www.summitracing.com/

They also ship overseas, but you will have to check about paint:

http://www.summitracing.com/customerservice/Support.asp?target=support.summitracing.com/scripts/rightnow.cfg/php.exe/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=618&p_created=1002141880&p_topview=1

[spitfire]

Hi there,
            VHT paint is available in the UK, bought mine from US Automotive, used about 1 can on the complete (CB750) motor, cured most parts in the oven but the crankcases will have to self cure when I run the bike but assembling the engine spilt all sorts of oil on them and no stains have appeared.
Here's a shortcut to the thread on what I did.
http://www.sohc4.us/forums/index.php?topic=14599.msg145117#msg145117
The US Automotive website is here:
http://www.usautomotive.co.uk/store/scripts/prodView.asp?idProduct=466

Cheers

Den

[Raul CB750K1]

Have a look at this:

http://www.sohc4.us/forums/index.php?topic=11044.0

You better think twice before painting the engine. I did some test with CRC Alu Zinc -available in Spain- and it looks superb, but a couple of minutes in contact with gas -even when it had dried for more than a week- and the paint peeled off. General consensus is that paint from a rattle can has dissolvents to let it last long, and therefore it doesn't hold up well. The same goes with painting a gas tank; it's not the same to paint with a rattle can as a professional job with paint, hardener etc.


I bought a spanish made Sanglas bike a year ago. Parts are in the painter right now, but there was something I didn't like: one of the previous owner decided that the dirty, sandcast look -seriously, engine parts are sand cast- didn't look well so he sprayed the whole engine with zinc. The carburettor doesn't have choke but depressor, so every single gas spill left stains in the covers. As I had the engine dismantled, I got myself a big rubber basin, put the engine inside, spray with gasket remover -much stronger than paint stripper-, and let the paint bubble. But scrubbing with a brush won't help, it would just change the paint from one place to another. I had to use gasoline to clean the softened paint, change the gasoline, and do the same two or three times. I don't have to tell you how hard is to remove the paint from between the fins.

Seriously, if you are not 100% sure of the outcome, don't paint your engine. You have plenty of time to paint it, but once done, it's not that easy to revert the situation.

Raúl

[mazingerzeca]

Have a look at this:

http://www.sohc4.us/forums/index.php?topic=11044.0

You better think twice before painting the engine. I did some test with CRC Alu Zinc -available in Spain- and it looks superb, but a couple of minutes in contact with gas -even when it had dried for more than a week- and the paint peeled off. General consensus is that paint from a rattle can has dissolvents to let it last long, and therefore it doesn't hold up well. The same goes with painting a gas tank; it's not the same to paint with a rattle can as a professional job with paint, hardener etc.

I had to use gasoline to clean the softened paint, change the gasoline, and do the same two or three times. I don't have to tell you how hard is to remove the paint from between the fins.

Seriously, if you are not 100% sure of the outcome, don't paint your engine. You have plenty of time to paint it, but once done, it's not that easy to revert the situation.

Raúl

Hello, Raul.
The problem is that my bike is a K 8 with a F2 black engine on it. Also, the black paint is scratched in some places. Yes, I know how hard is to get the paint off from the fins, but I was thingking about sandblasting it and afterwards painting it. I've read in the forum that is better not leave bare alluminium on crankcases and barrels and cylinder head, because they corrode easily. So, with a sandblasting, will the old paint come off?

Thank you for all replies.
Cheers.

[Raul CB750K1]

Sandblasting will harm the cases; you need blasting with other media -corindon in spanish-. Nevertheless, it's a double-edged knife: with plastic coatings, soft media just bounces and it doesn't do anything, while sandblasting will harm the aluminium.

How about powdercoating? There has been much discussion here about heat dissipation and the like. I guess it's the most durable finish for an engine, but it's difficult to find who to do in Spain. You need to contact chair manufacturers, like bar stools. They are powder coated so they withstand the daily beat. Most of bike painters or restorers here has never ever heard about powder coating.

If the scratches are not deep or numerous, you may be better off touching them up. The eye has a natural attraction for those small blunders. As long as there are no missing paint in the engine, nobody will notice it has been touched up once it's installed in the bike.


Raúl

[nippon]

Hello,
Europeans, many VHT engine colors are aivailable on ebay.de.
Check this shop:
http://stores.ebay.de/Malles-Chevy-Shop_VHT-Motorlack_W0QQcolZ2QQdirZ1QQfsubZ146468QQftidZ2QQtZkm

(then you are in the engine enamel section)

nippon