Cleaning/painting engine parts

[Yarp]

I’m in the process of stripping my engine down and want to tidy it up when it goes back together. What’s the best way to clean the parts back to a decent finish and then protect them?

Am I best to get them aqua blasted or something similar then lacquer them or is there a decent paint anyone has used to cover them? Parts will mainly be mounts, rocker cover, brackets etc. The big bits like block and box will just be painted.

 

[Jekyll]

Thought about powder coat, rather than paint?

 

[Yarp]

Thought about powder coat, rather than paint?

Could do to be fair. There’s a place down the road that does it. Would it be ok on the rocker cover though?

 

[Mr Underhill]

Could do to be fair. There’s a place down the road that does it. Would it be ok on the rocker cover though?

If you’re wanting an OEM look, take as many alloy pieces off as possible and get them aqua blasted. For colours - as mark suggested powder coating.

Rocker cover can be aqua blasted if off the engine but I just use a degreaser, wire brush, then get a fine brush and stick some VHT engine paint on.

This is mine. Gearbox degreased then painted with VHT. Sump, Upper and lower inlet, fuel rail, thermostat housing all aqua blasted.

 

[Mr Underhill]

Also on the engine block I degreased and cleaned it up, then gave it a few coats of Hydrate-80 before painting it. I’ve found if you don’t do that, the engine will rust through after a month or so.

 

[JamesBryan]

You can get enamel/epoxy based paint for doing the engine block, but it's expensive.

Eastwood Aluma Blast gives a nice aluminium looking paint finish on all the silver parts.

Eastwood Aluma Blast Paint (340g)

Eastwood Aluma Blast Aerosol from Frost.co.uk - The Specialist of High Quality Tools & Equipment for the Classic Vehicle Restorer

www.frost.co.uk

 

[JamesBryan]

This is the stuff i was thinking of, not as much as i thought

POR15 Black Engine Enamel Paint (473ml)

POR15 Black Engine Enamel Paint (473ml) from Frost.co.uk - The Specialist of High Quality Tools & Equipment for the Classic Vehicle Restorer

www.frost.co.uk

Prep the block with this as it leaves a zinc phosphate coating

POR15 Metal Prep (Prep & Ready) 946ml

POR-15 Metal Prep (Prep & Ready) 946ml from Frost.co.uk - The Specialist of High-Quality Tools & Equipment for the Classic Vehicle Restorer

www.frost.co.uk

 

[Jekyll]

I've used the Por15 stuff. Very good and hard wearing, but there is a process to go through. It's not just slap some paint on. But it's worth it over the likes of hammerite.

 

[Mr Underhill]

Eastwood Aluma Blast gives a nice aluminium looking paint finish on all the silver parts.

Eastwood Aluma Blast Paint (340g)

Eastwood Aluma Blast Aerosol from Frost.co.uk - The Specialist of High Quality Tools & Equipment for the Classic Vehicle Restorer

www.frost.co.uk

This ☝️. Works really well.

 

[Mr Underhill]

This is the stuff i was thinking of, not as much as i thought

POR15 Black Engine Enamel Paint (473ml)

POR15 Black Engine Enamel Paint (473ml) from Frost.co.uk - The Specialist of High Quality Tools & Equipment for the Classic Vehicle Restorer

www.frost.co.uk

Prep the block with this as it leaves a zinc phosphate coating

POR15 Metal Prep (Prep & Ready) 946ml

POR-15 Metal Prep (Prep & Ready) 946ml from Frost.co.uk - The Specialist of High-Quality Tools & Equipment for the Classic Vehicle Restorer

www.frost.co.uk

Used that Metal prep as well.

I prefer the Hydrate-80 on engines as you don't have to faff about washing it off. A couple of coats leaves a really rich Black protective coating. And paint sticks to it like glue. I throw it on everything now

 

[Darren S]

I'm always surprised at how tall these engines appear to be. Even without the inlet on top of @Jon Wright 's picture - they are still lanky-looking things!

 

[JamesBryan]

Used that Metal prep as well.

I prefer the Hydrate-80 on engines as you don't have to faff about washing it off. A couple of coats leaves a really rich Black protective coating. And paint sticks to it like glue. I throw it on everything now

Yeah I like the Bilt Hamber stuff as well.

 

[Bankrupt_drunk]

Yeah I like the Bilt Hamber stuff as well.

My engine leaks oil to prevent rust. No need for expensive treatments.

 

[JamesBryan]

My engine leaks oil to prevent rust. No need for expensive treatments.

If it's leaking you know it's got oil 😂

 

[Bankrupt_drunk]

If it's leaking you know it's got oil 😂

Topping it up all the time means it's fresh too.

 

[Robbie Corbett]

You can get enamel/epoxy based paint for doing the engine block, but it's expensive.

Eastwood Aluma Blast gives a nice aluminium looking paint finish on all the silver parts.

Eastwood Aluma Blast Paint (340g)

Eastwood Aluma Blast Aerosol from Frost.co.uk - The Specialist of High Quality Tools & Equipment for the Classic Vehicle Restorer

www.frost.co.uk

Thats the Eastwood Aluma on my inlet manifold after about a year. I would use it again.

 

[Robbie Corbett]

This is block brush painted with some VHT engine block enamel - still fine several years later having gotten dirty, jet washed off, covered in PAS fluid when my pump died. The engine block looks about the same still, certainly no rust. The rocker cover was painted using some eastwood cast steel (I think) paint and thats been s**t, while the aluminum eastwood paint has been durable.

Doing it all again I would take a boot full of parts to a vapor blasters and pay the money, I'd probably 2K paint the bits next time round too.