Topic: Dupli-color engine paint dry time

[strawhouse]

I need to paint the engine case on my 750F and I am using the dupli-color engine paint. I am wondering how long after I paint it does it need to be in a heated space?  I only heat my shop when Im using it but under these circumstances I will obviously keep it heated over night... but for how long?  What did you do?

[srook]

The Duplicolor dries pretty fast.  It should be dry to the touch within 1 hour.  Once you spray it you have to let it set up which should be one week.  You can respray within an hour but once you're outside that 1 hour window it gets funny.  Set a timer and once you hit 1 hour from your fist coat stop.  You can always go back and spray it again 1 week later.  I see you're in Ontario.  I wouldn't be painting anything unless it is indoors in a heated space above 60 degrees.  When I painted my engine with Duplicolor I didn't cure it in an oven or grill.  I let the engine cure as it was run.  After a few runs of an hour or more the paint will resist gasoline and generally be bullet proof.
Scott

[camelman]

I agree 100% about the drying times and temp concerns.  You definitely need it above the minimum temp.  If you can't get the paint on within an hour, then you really should wait the recommended period before spraying again.  I have bucked the directions before and later wished I hadn't.

I've cured engine side covers in the oven before with excellent results.  I know engine heat will do the same trick, but I wanted to make sure the side covers for the engine would be solid so I wouldn't nick them during assembly.  One thing about this engine paint is that it goes soft when first heated.  It hardens again once it cools down.  You might want to thermal cycle the engine before riding so that road debris doesn't nick your new paint before it has a chance to heat cure.

Camelman

[swellguy]

I've left to stuff dry overnight and it seemed dry to the touch but then put any pressure on it I left permanent fingerprints. The can says add a second coat in two hours or two weeks. I have a few pieces that are going or five days and I'm just going to have to be patient with it I think.

[Kong]

I'd read the back of the can and see what the manufacturer said about it.

Swellguy, if you can dent it with a fingernail the next day I'd have to guess that you put it on a little too thick.

Recoat windows, the minimum and maximum time the manufacturer recommends between coats, are based on a stated temperature or a minimum temperature and they are important.  Most modern paints are shot with each coat laid on top of one that has NOT set up yet.  The effect is that the layers fuse together rather than adhere to each other.  With BC-CC (base coat, clear coat) systems this continues all the way to the final coat of clear.  However occasionally painting has to be interrupted, which puts the painter out of the recoat windows, and when that is the case earlier coats generally (read the Tech Sheets) have to be allowed to dry or set up completely and then be sanded for a mechanical grip before the painting can be completed.

And that's how it works, but in every case your best bet is to read the tech sheets and follow them, unless you know a lot more about the paint and its properties than the company that made it.  I don't, so I follow the instructions.

Or you can shake the can for 20 seconds and blast it on there, which is what most guys do.

[Toxic]

-dry to the touch in one hour
-can be handled in 3 hours
-cured in 7 days.

That's what the can says so I'd heat the gargage for the 7 days.

Duplicolor makes a great product but you must follow the directions to the letter.

The also have a great forum on their website where you can post questions if you are not sure.  I have a couple of times a I have received a response within 24 hrs.

[Kong]

I just read, or more correctly my wife just read to me (her eyesight is much better than mine) the back of a can of Duplicolor 500 degree engine paint (aluminum color).  They require tight conditions.  Minimum temperature is 60 degrees (f) and max is 92 degrees.  They recommend 60% R Humidity, or less - which means the stuff can only be used in Arizona I suppose.

Suggested application is in three coats, two light and one medium.  I think its funny that they say that; what does it mean to lay on a medium coat with a rattle can?

The recoat window on the stuff is from 10 minutes to 1 hours.  That means they recommend that coats follows one another in succession by 10 minutes, but if you wait over 1 hours you have to then let the part set for 7 days, re-sand it, and then paint it again.

All of this is on the back of the can.

They talk about curing times and procedures too, but anyone who owns a can of the stuff can read that part for themselves.  And if anyone from Duplicolor is reading this - tell me something, who was the big thinker who came up with the grand plan to print the instructions in teeney little black letters on a simulated chrome background?  Its about as easy to read as aramaic hieroglyphics scratched into clay tablets; actually pictorial characters might have been easier.

[strawhouse]

So I came to a solution, not wanting to heat the shop constantly over the next week because of the amount of propane that I would burn I decided to build a box to heat the painted parts in.  I made a basic box out of styrofoam and put a heat lamp in it.  I attached a thermostat to see what kind of temp it would reach.  I thought I would do a test run first so I painted the valve cover, put it in the box and turned on the heat lamp.  I found that I could get a temp range from 75F-115F depending on the location of the lamp.  It seems to be working out great I will post the results in the next few days.

[Toxic]

When the wife/girlfriend goes out the engine parts go in the oven.  Much easier to control the temp.

But then I have a very understanding girlfriend.

[tango911]

nice idea

[MRieck]

I use a heat gun

[Xjbear]

+1 on the heat gun, careful tho, and use the gun to heat the metal warm before you spray, better yet wash it in the dishwasher on heated wash and heated dry, then paint it, the paint will be hard and stick like glue

[grcamna2]

When the wife/girlfriend goes out the engine parts go in the oven.  Much easier to control the temp.

But then I have a very understanding girlfriend.

What temp. should the oven be set to so that I can fully cure that Duplicolor #1615 500 degree engine paint, & how long should I leave the parts in the oven ?

  Anybody have experience on what works Best for them ? 

[CJK]

While I do not know for sure, I would suggest 200 degrees for 20 minutes. VHT Engine Paint recommends that for their product and looking at the MSDS sheets, both products are quite similar. I was unable to find any manufacturer recommendations but they say that the process of running the engine and then cooling it off will harden the paint, so as long as you stay within standard operating temperatures of the engine, that would result in the paint drying. However, maybe someone with more experience could chime in. I used the Dupli-color paint like 2 months ago on my engine and it has yet to see any heat for curing.

[70cbk0]

I used a heat gun too. It's been on for a year and seems very tough.

[grcamna2]

When the wife/girlfriend goes out the engine parts go in the oven.  Much easier to control the temp.

But then I have a very understanding girlfriend.

What temp. should the oven be set to so that I can fully cure that Duplicolor #1615 500 degree engine paint, & how long should I leave the parts in the oven ?

  Anybody have experience on what works Best for them ? 

I want to put my Cylinder Block that has been painted with the above Silver Duplicolor  #1615 Engine paint into the Oven to Cure it...I was thinking of 250 degrees for an Hour & then when the Hour is over turn off the Oven and let it cool down with the Cylinder Block still in there...for a 1/2 hr. ....too much ??

[grcamna2]

When the wife/girlfriend goes out the engine parts go in the oven.  Much easier to control the temp.

But then I have a very understanding girlfriend.

What temp. should the oven be set to so that I can fully cure that Duplicolor #1615 500 degree engine paint, & how long should I leave the parts in the oven ?

  Anybody have experience on what works Best for them ? 

I want to put my Cylinder Block that has been painted with the above Silver Duplicolor  #1615 Engine paint into the Oven to Cure it...I was thinking of 250 degrees for an Hour & then when the Hour is over turn off the Oven and let it cool down with the Cylinder Block still in there...for a 1/2 hr. ....too much ??

Anybody Know ?? I'd sure like to get these Cured Nice. 

[Pecantree]

I used a heat gun too. It's been on for a year and seems very tough.

Isn't your electric bill really high?

[grcamna2]

When the wife/girlfriend goes out the engine parts go in the oven.  Much easier to control the temp.

But then I have a very understanding girlfriend.

What temp. should the oven be set to so that I can fully cure that Duplicolor #1615 500 degree engine paint, & how long should I leave the parts in the oven ?

  Anybody have experience on what works Best for them ? 

I want to put my Cylinder Block that has been painted with the above Silver Duplicolor  #1615 Engine paint into the Oven to Cure it...I was thinking of 250 degrees for an Hour & then when the Hour is over turn off the Oven and let it cool down with the Cylinder Block still in there...for a 1/2 hr. ....too much ??

Anybody Know ?? I'd sure like to get these Cured Nice. 

??

[lone*X]

Just a guess, but you are probably right, Half hour at 250 should do it.  250 degrees will not hurt the parts and will not hurt the paint.  I would think that would be a good starting point.  Just guessing though since  I have the benefit of very hot summers and all day on the concrete drive at 100+ does a great job as well. 

[grcamna2]

Thanks  lone*X...I just did the procedure  .