Topic: True confession of a corner cutter.

[Frankencake]

I am rebuilding my F3. That's the frame in my avatar.  I had it powder coated.  New paint on the swingarm and all of the parts that hang off of the frame.  Every thing is shiny and new or newly painted.  New seat cover, tank is cherry and ready for paint.  Everything!
But there is one thing I did not do.  I did not tear my engine apart.  It was running so well when I dismantled the bike I couldn't find the need to do it.
Tonight, I put the motor in the frame.  After debating with myself for days about doing it. I decided that I couldn't do a good job of painting my motor.  I can paint but I know that to do it right, I would have to take the motor down.  A swing arm is one thing but a motor is totally involved.  Just cleaning it is a world of pain unless it is apart.
So now I have this shiny frame and hanging parts with this chipped up and otherwise gnarly looking elephant sitting in the frame.  It has a lot of black left on it but I feel that I have sold my project short.  I validate it with the idea of coming back to it in 3 years when I am out of school and then redoing the motor......
I just feel like I have committed a faux pas and that all I will see is the #$%*ty looking engine wrapped up in an otherwise good build.

#$%*.  I'm discouraged.  The new chain and sprockets feel good though. 

[kghost]

Yeah painting them is a real pain in the butt....

But the only real thing it costs is time and effort.

Its not hard just tedious.

[CBGhia]

Why not tape off the intake and exhaust ports, and hit the fins with a small wire wheel.  You can get just about all of the old paint off without hurting anything (oven cleaner works well) then just put a decent coat of aluminium colored engine paint on it.  Really it won't be that hard and it would make a world of difference.  You don't have to tear the whole thing down.

[Frankencake]

MY experience with engine paint is that it does not hold up over time.  I really wanted to powder coat the motor.  I still have time to paint.  I haven't hung the carbs or exhaust yet.  I'll sit on this fence for a while.....

[kghost]

The duplicolor engine enamel...if allowed to cure before being subjected to fuel....holds up really well...

[razor02097]

correct paint for the application.  The header paints needs exhaust temps to set.  Engine paints only need 200 degrees F or so to set.  Other paints usually burn off and are ruined with brake fluid and fuel.

[Cvillechopper]

The duplicolor has to REALLY CURE before gas hits it.  Even then it's not that tough.  I painted me 550 engine with the Duplicolor and wish I had spent the extra couple of dollars for a higher-end paint.  POR-15 engine paint is the only paint I'll ever use again.  That stuff not only looks great it's hard as nails and impervious to chemicals (neither paint thinner nor naptha would take it off my hands or tools once it dried).  The 350twin looks so nice and shiny.

Took it from this...


to this...




Of course I did a complete rebuild but you could get the same results with careful application to an assembled engine.

Good luck.  Let's see some pics.

[Frankencake]

The duplicolor has to REALLY CURE before gas hits it.  Even then it's not that tough.  I painted me 550 engine with the Duplicolor and wish I had spent the extra couple of dollars for a higher-end paint.  POR-15 engine paint is the only paint I'll ever use again.  That stuff not only looks great it's hard as nails and impervious to chemicals (neither paint thinner nor naptha would take it off my hands or tools once it dried).  The 350twin looks so nice and shiny.

Took it from this...


to this...




Of course I did a complete rebuild but you could get the same results with careful application to an assembled engine.

Good luck.  Let's see some pics.

  Hmmm. Tell me more.  Spray or brush.  At this point, a good self leveling brush on paint would suit me better than a spray.  Is The POR stuff friendly to this application?

[Hope]

+1 on putting things off until the end of school.

I've always wanted a 750 to tear down & build up.  I know where one is less than 10 miles from my house.  With 6 classes left, I cannot let that 750 get in the way of my degree.

Sometimes it is best to wait.  If the motor is sound, put your project together and re-visit painting the motor at a later date.

My goal is to keep my 550 clean until I can break it down appropriately.

[Cvillechopper]

I sprayed it on to get a really smooth finish.  You could brush it on but you probably won't be as happy with the results.  They make a great self-leveling frame paint but the engine paint isn't as thick.  You could make it work if you're good but I tried one small part and didn't like the look.

[carlsboss550kay1]

MY experience with engine paint is that it does not hold up over time.  I really wanted to powder coat the motor.  I still have time to paint.  I haven't hung the carbs or exhaust yet.  I'll sit on this fence for a while.....

seems i read somewhere that powdercoating air cooled engines isn't the best idea.  something about how the powdercoat bonds to the metal...bad for overheating.  pretty sure i read it on this forum somewhere...anybody else remember this?

[Frankencake]

MY experience with engine paint is that it does not hold up over time.  I really wanted to powder coat the motor.  I still have time to paint.  I haven't hung the carbs or exhaust yet.  I'll sit on this fence for a while.....

seems i read somewhere that powdercoating air cooled engines isn't the best idea.  something about how the powdercoat bonds to the metal...bad for overheating.  pretty sure i read it on this forum somewhere...anybody else remember this?

I though about that.  Plastic does not have the heat transfer of metal to air but I'm not so sure that I would worry about it.  I'll just have to ride it really fast.

[Roach Carver]

MY experience with engine paint is that it does not hold up over time.  I really wanted to powder coat the motor.  I still have time to paint.  I haven't hung the carbs or exhaust yet.  I'll sit on this fence for a while.....

seems i read somewhere that powdercoating air cooled engines isn't the best idea.  something about how the powdercoat bonds to the metal...bad for overheating.  pretty sure i read it on this forum somewhere...anybody else remember this?

it was /is on here somewhere. dont remember why.?

[Frankencake]

This is the bike as it goes back together.  Let me know what you think besides the engine looking like a gutter troll.  I used the stock eat for proper cushion and lost the trunk and tail end.  The headlight were given to me and they almost became auxiliary lights on my truck until I was in the shop late at night......  I always liked the twin bug eyes.   My girlfriend thinks that I should get a big set of plastic lips for underneath the lights.  That and a clown wig helmet and I think that I'll have a masterpiece.

[mcuozzo]

That (those?) headlight looks great.  I want to use something like that on my chopper build, but they are about $100 for the cheapest I could find.  Seriously thinking about selling some junk to buy it though.

Looking good.

As for the engine, I would just clean it, mask it and use a duplicolor engine enamel.  Flat black would be my choice, but that's my suggestion for everything!!!