Engine paint

[Dino]

I'm waiting for the weather to turn so I can paint the timing cover, water pump, intake manifold, and valley pan. That way I can install those parts and spray the whole engine.

I would like to paint the engine with a gun but I've had some issues in the past where water and/or oil would still get blown through the gun despite the filters.

Still, I want the engine to be high gloss and the highest gloss orange out of a can seems to be from Plastikote. Anyone use this stuff? Is it truly high gloss or just glossier than the Duplicolor stuff?

I'd probably use an acrylic enamel instead of urethane on the engine but I could do the small parts now with Duplicolor DE1652. Would there be a problem if I use this, then after install I scuff whatever gloss I see and reshoot everything with acrylic enamel?

[69 OUR/TEA]

Dino , try and figure out why you are getting the water/oil problem . I would not use any rattle can eng paint on it . If you don't want to drop the $100 for the pint of PPG 69 440 Hemi orange acrylic enamel from Frank Baddelson , I know you use PPG Omni , they have a close mix called Manderin Orange ( believe it was an AMC color ) , for maybe less than $50 , and that's for a quart . It will be way more durable and better looking than rattle can .

[Dino]

Yeah that's what I'm going for. Whatever PPG brand they have here at Painter's Supply I'll get the Mandarin Orange. I know they have Shopline because I used it on my car, but that was a urethane. They may have Deltron enamel and if not I'll stick to Shopline or Omni.

I'll get another filter and put it inline with the one I have. They also have screw on filters for the gun itself so I'll get one of those as well. 

[1970Moparmann]

How is your current setup so people can help?  Air compressor size, gun, filter, ect.

[Dino]

I forgot to mention that I did plan on using Badalson's paint but I don't want the stock low gloss so I'm going with Mandarin. I also believe it's a little more orangy than stock.

My compressor is an Evolve, it's a Craftsman brand. I'll have to look up the specs tomorrow. I have a HF water and oil separator on it. Now that I think of it, I only had issues with the SPI epoxy. I had no, or at least very little, contaminants when spraying the acrylic urethane. I don't know why that is. I do recall spraying a few dust coats of the urethane but that could've been because the Shopline paint was so thin it barely covered and I had to build up some thin layers before going all out. And this was white over white epoxy! In any case if Idid have contaminants in the topcoat it was very little and easily covered with a dust coat. The top coat is smooth and glossy with no fish eyes.

The hose I use for oil tools recently busted while cleaning the engine block so I had to use the hose I normally use for paint. In other words that's going to be contaminated as well so I'll need a new hose. I'll get a new filter for the compressor as well and add it to the one I have mounted on the compressor now. The compressor is large enough so I can lose some pressure. I'll still have plenty to paint.

[69 OUR/TEA]

I forgot to mention that I did plan on using Badalson's paint but I don't want the stock low gloss so I'm going with Mandarin. I also believe it's a little more orangy than stock.

My compressor is an Evolve, it's a Craftsman brand. I'll have to look up the specs tomorrow. I have a HF water and oil separator on it. Now that I think of it, I only had issues with the SPI epoxy. I had no, or at least very little, contaminants when spraying the acrylic urethane. I don't know why that is. I do recall spraying a few dust coats of the urethane but that could've been because the Shopline paint was so thin it barely covered and I had to build up some thin layers before going all out. And this was white over white epoxy! In any case if Idid have contaminants in the topcoat it was very little and easily covered with a dust coat. The top coat is smooth and glossy with no fish eyes.

The hose I use for oil tools recently busted while cleaning the engine block so I had to use the hose I normally use for paint. In other words that's going to be contaminated as well so I'll need a new hose. I'll get a new filter for the compressor as well and add it to the one I have mounted on the compressor now. The compressor is large enough so I can lose some pressure. I'll still have plenty to paint.

The reason for Badalsons mix not being shiny , is he does not ad any hardener ( catalyst ) , if you ad the hardener , it will be shiny like you want . Use PPG DXR 80 in it , don't try and save by using off brands . But if you all together want a different color , then use the Omni Mandarin .

[Charger-Bodie]

I forgot to mention that I did plan on using Badalson's paint but I don't want the stock low gloss so I'm going with Mandarin. I also believe it's a little more orangy than stock.

My compressor is an Evolve, it's a Craftsman brand. I'll have to look up the specs tomorrow. I have a HF water and oil separator on it. Now that I think of it, I only had issues with the SPI epoxy. I had no, or at least very little, contaminants when spraying the acrylic urethane. I don't know why that is. I do recall spraying a few dust coats of the urethane but that could've been because the Shopline paint was so thin it barely covered and I had to build up some thin layers before going all out. And this was white over white epoxy! In any case if Idid have contaminants in the topcoat it was very little and easily covered with a dust coat. The top coat is smooth and glossy with no fish eyes.

The hose I use for oil tools recently busted while cleaning the engine block so I had to use the hose I normally use for paint. In other words that's going to be contaminated as well so I'll need a new hose. I'll get a new filter for the compressor as well and add it to the one I have mounted on the compressor now. The compressor is large enough so I can lose some pressure. I'll still have plenty to paint.

The reason for Badalsons mix not being shiny , is he does not ad any hardener ( catalyst ) , if you ad the hardener , it will be shiny like you want . Use PPG DXR 80 in it , don't try and save by using off brands . But if you all together want a different color , then use the Omni Mandarin .

What do you mean by this Paul? All together different ?

[69 OUR/TEA]

I forgot to mention that I did plan on using Badalson's paint but I don't want the stock low gloss so I'm going with Mandarin. I also believe it's a little more orangy than stock.

My compressor is an Evolve, it's a Craftsman brand. I'll have to look up the specs tomorrow. I have a HF water and oil separator on it. Now that I think of it, I only had issues with the SPI epoxy. I had no, or at least very little, contaminants when spraying the acrylic urethane. I don't know why that is. I do recall spraying a few dust coats of the urethane but that could've been because the Shopline paint was so thin it barely covered and I had to build up some thin layers before going all out. And this was white over white epoxy! In any case if Idid have contaminants in the topcoat it was very little and easily covered with a dust coat. The top coat is smooth and glossy with no fish eyes.

The hose I use for oil tools recently busted while cleaning the engine block so I had to use the hose I normally use for paint. In other words that's going to be contaminated as well so I'll need a new hose. I'll get a new filter for the compressor as well and add it to the one I have mounted on the compressor now. The compressor is large enough so I can lose some pressure. I'll still have plenty to paint.

The reason for Badalsons mix not being shiny , is he does not ad any hardener ( catalyst ) , if you ad the hardener , it will be shiny like you want . Use PPG DXR 80 in it , don't try and save by using off brands . But if you all together want a different color , then use the Omni Mandarin .

What do you mean by this Paul? All together different ?

Where Dino says he wants it alittle more orangey , the Mandarin Orange is more orange then the Badalson 1969 440 mix . So it looks different than an OEM resto .

[Charger-Bodie]

The mandarin  orange looks less orange when not mixed with hardener too. The first one I used it on was al the six pack road runner we did and the mandarin matched the original stuff reall well.

[Dino]

The guy at Painters Supply recommends not using hardener on an engine. I think it would be alright. What do you guys think? I'll be using Shop line acrylic enamel.

[Charger-Bodie]

I've been doing it with hardener for years and it holds up beautifully .

[69 OUR/TEA]

I would believe it is more durable with hardener  to resist fuel spills,carb cleaner,etc , rather than with no hardener would beleive chemicals will eat into it faster . The reason that I do it without hardener is for the finish , I want it to look like the way the factory did it . If not a factory resto , I'd go with the hardener . Here is one I did , no hardener , 69 440 , paint from Roger Gibson / Frank Badalson .

[Dino]

Thanks guys, I'm going to use hardener on this one. After buying regular hardener I just found out Shop line has a high gloss hardener. I don't know how much of a difference it wouid be though.

I'm going to put a few coats of Duplicolor engine enamel primer on the sheet metal parts. Should I put any primer on the cast iron parts or maybe an etch? It would be the rattle can stuff though, not a real acid etch. I figured a dust coat would improve the bite a bit.

[Charger-Bodie]

I prefer to only use primer on the sheet metal parts.

[Dino]

Alright, I used primer on the timing cover and a light coat on the valley pan but nothing on the cast iron parts. 9W Mandarin Orange with high gloss hardener. It's very glossy and very, very orange...I like it!    

We should be having warm weather next weekend so that gives me time to assemble the engine. I probably won't have the valve covers ready by then but I'll be able to paint the assembled block at least.

[Dino]

Got most of the suspension done and the engine parts will be reinstalled this week. Should have the engine in paint by Sunday.

Lots of little (and big) pieces done! Special thanks to Jeff (71 SE3834V) for letting me use his heated garage to paint all this stuff. 

[myk]

Lucky you had that garage;  otherwise you'd be like me waiting for summer to roll around just for paint...

[bill440rt]

Years ago I painted an engine with PPG Deltron with DP epoxy primer. The gloss has held up great, but I've found the DP did not like to stick to some spots on the cast iron. The block was bare & prepped super-clean, too.

Since then I've used the Duplicolor engine primer with great results. No peeling or problems.
Also, Eastwood's ceramic engine paint is pretty good, too. Comes with a separate hardener.

[Dino]

Lucky you had that garage;  otherwise you'd be like me waiting for summer to roll around just for paint...

You're waiting for warm weather in Southern California?

Years ago I painted an engine with PPG Deltron with DP epoxy primer. The gloss has held up great, but I've found the DP did not like to stick to some spots on the cast iron. The block was bare & prepped super-clean, too.

Since then I've used the Duplicolor engine primer with great results. No peeling or problems.
Also, Eastwood's ceramic engine paint is pretty good, too. Comes with a separate hardener.

I used the Duplicolor engine primer as well. I was surprised about the quality of it: it flows very nice and covers great. I used their Ford semi gloss black on much of the small parts. It's more of a satin really but it's just right for what I wanted.

I hear good things about Eastwood's ceramic.   

I figured I get the paint locally, it worked out well when doing the engine bay. I forgot how much enamel stinks though. It takes a while for it to cure.   

The orange looks a bit more red in the pictures but it sure looks great in person!

[71 SE3834V]

I forgot how much enamel stinks though. It takes a while for it to cure.   

Still smelled out there today but it was a nice 60* day so the doors were opened and it aired out. 

I expect that thing to be assembled this week cause the weather will be perfect for painting next weekend.
Let's see...trans almost done, suspension painted, engine should be done over the weekend. Looks like it's assembly time! I will dig out the lift so we can put that baby back in it's home!

[Charger-Bodie]

One of my favorite smells of all time is acrylic enamel !

[71 SE3834V]

I like all auto related smells. Paint, cleaners, waxes, new rubber, burnt rubber, engine oil, rear axle oil well not so much....

[Dino]

I forgot how much enamel stinks though. It takes a while for it to cure.  

Still smelled out there today but it was a nice 60* day so the doors were opened and it aired out.  

I expect that thing to be assembled this week cause the weather will be perfect for painting next weekend.
Let's see...trans almost done, suspension painted, engine should be done over the weekend. Looks like it's assembly time! I will dig out the lift so we can put that baby back in it's home!

Yeah we might make it still!

Today I didn't have much time but I installed the oil pan and timing cover with ultra copper on the gaskets. Tomorrow I'll put some blue Loctite on the bolts and torque them down. From there on I'll assemble the rest of the block and get it ready for paint. Shooting for Saturday.

Trans is ready for paint as well, I just need to prep the shift linkage for paint and thoroughly degrease the trans.

Trans cross member and LCAs need to be painted as well and that should be it!

Once I have everything prepped I'll do the brake lines and some small work in the engine bay.  I'll let the engine paint dry in the sun Sunday and Monday and I'll keep the electric heaters on it overnight. Tuesday pm I'll bolt on the other parts and maybe Wednesday we can get it off the stand and onto the K frame along with the trans.

One of my favorite smells of all time is acrylic enamel !

You're weird! Although I do like the sweet smell of certain clears. 

[BLK 68 R/T]

You all just think the paint smells good, when really it's just cause all the brain cells that tell you it's really bad are dead already from the fumes   

[Charger-Bodie]

The smell of enamel just takes me back to whe I was very small. Remembering it from when my Dad was painting cars. I also love the smell of 3m super duty rubbing compound.....