Painting engine bay without removing engine.

[Dino]

I don't have time to pull the engine and all that so I just want to clean it up to get rid of the black engine bay.  Normally I would remove everything and sandblast the bay but that's not going to happen.  I'm going to remove the brake master and booster since master will be replaced.  I'll also remove as much bolt on stuff as I can but I intend to strip as much paint as possible and reshoot it white without drastic disassembly. 

Has anyone done this before?  I'm thinking of using something like easy off oven cleaner for the hard to reach places and just sanding the rest.  There's no paint peeling so at least it sticks. 

Since I need to fix the driver's side header I would love to actually pull both so I can refresh the engine paint and paint the headers themselves.  Am I correct in assuming I'll have to lift the engine a bit to do so?  I don't know what brand headers they are. 

[cdr]

i did it   on page 3 &4  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,90903.0.html

[sanders7981]

I am sure it cna easily be done, just have to mask off and all the parts yo udont want paint on.  I recall seeing a car resto show where htey did something like that.  Used an engine bag to ocver up the engine and plastice sheeting/paper to cover up the rest. 

[Ryan]

Drop the engine out the bottom and it'll take you about 2-3 hours to do so. Very easy and you can leave it almost completely assembled for an easy installation.   

[b5blue]

Much stuff can be covered with tin foil to protect it also. I'll be doing the same thing soon (Hopefully) after getting my exterior in white. Gotta get me a detail spray gun soon anyway. 

[bill440rt]

I've done it several times, Dino.
Like you mentioned, remove as much bolt-on stuff as you can. Other items can be covered in foil (great tip, B5!). The foil is so easy to use to mask, it conforms easily to odd surfaces & parts. Cover the engine with plastic, etc.
Make SURE you CLEAN the inner fender aprons, rad support, etc VERY well prior to doing any sanding & also prior to paint. I've sometimes found paint does not like to stick well to the original underhood area finish. Even though it may look/feel clean & there are no fish eyes etc, through years of use the grease/grime somehow gets into the pores of the paint. I've never had problems with paint after a sandblasting or stripping, though. Clean it, degrease it, solvent clean it, etc. Do this many times.

You can use a small touch up gun, that works well. Or, there are several companies out there that will make up the original colors & put them in spray cans. Those are excellent, too.
But most of all, post pics! 

[Dino]

Man!  I haven't used tin foil for masking in over 10 years!  Sure works though.

I'm not going as far as dropping the engine.  Even if it is only 2-3 hours, it's time I don't have.  I need to do this quick.  I can't have the car immobilized for too long or I'll get itchy again.

I wish I had planned it sooner because the engine needs to be degreased but I can't get it anywhere to do so.  Unless there's a way to do it in the driveway without the wife hunting me down afterwards.  It sure would be easier to prep and paint when the headers are off but there's no way I'm driving it without them, someone will shoot me and for good reason.  Can I bolt on the sanden compressor just so I can have the belts back on and take it to the car wash and back?  Or will it hurt the compressor if it's not hooked up to the lines?  Don't think it will but thought I'd ask to be sure.

Guess I'll have to paint with the headers on.  The inside of the hood looks crappy so anything I do to it will be a huge improvement.  I'm thinking about getting the molded hood pad to clean things up, I still have most all of the clips in the hood.  I just hope it won't rub my mopar performance filter lid, I'd hate to see it damaged, it's the nicest thing under the hood.  

After cleanup I'll have to aim and shoot the engine, I have a few cans of hemi orange laying around.  I may even do the edelbrock performer intake as well.  Headers will get a few coats of silver I think, should look nice and clean.  The firewall has a few spots with thick runs but most of it looks pretty good, albeit in the wrong color.  

I have a small detail gun and I have a dual action airbrush so I'm using those instead of paint cans.  I'm going to call the previous owner and see if he has a a color code for my car as it's not original.  If not then I'll have to go to a bodyshop and ask for the samples, that should be fun!

OH!  What about electrical, all the wires have been painted black, as is the bulkhead connector.  Is there a safe way to get the paint off?

Thanks for all the advice guys!  

Here's what I have to work with, a/c lines and compressor have been removed as well as battery and battery tray.  That reminds me, I have a rust hole under the battery tray, I'd say 1 x 2 " but I'd cut out more to get to the good stuff.  I do not have a welder so I'm thinking of prepping the whole thing and having new metal ready to go in, then mount tray and battery, drive it to the local mechanic and have him weld it. I can finish grind and smooth it out myself before paint.  I thought about panel adhesive but I don't think it's as good although it would be something I can do in my garage.  Opinions?

Maybe I should get a small soda blaster....

[cdr]

yes you can run the ac belt & not hook up ac lines,just dont hook up the electrical on the compressor

[Ghoste]

Masking is one part but you would also need to have everything clean under there.  If the engine is in already I assume its ben running and its a big oily mess.  You wouldn't be able to pressure wash or media blast, so what left?  Just good old elbow grease I am guessing?

[Dino]

Since I can drive with the compressor on but not hooked up (thanks cdr) I'll pressure wash as much as I can but I'm sure some elbow grease will be mandatory as well.   I sure hope I can find the oil leaks, they're not bad but the car does leave its mark wherever I go.

[cdr]

Since I can drive with the compressor on but not hooked up (thanks cdr) I'll pressure wash as much as I can but I'm sure some elbow grease will be mandatory as well.   I sure hope I can find the oil leaks, they're not bad but the car does leave its mark wherever I go.

yep the old dodge is just markin its territory

[bakerhillpins]

The engine compartment on mine was sprayed at one point with no sanding prep (sounds like what you are talking about doing) because it's all releasing now to show the beautiful Q5 underneath.  It's 20 yrs into the paint though.  I have been thinking of pressure washing too but I suspect I will have a black and blue engine bay then. 

[elitecustombody]

Why not do it right? It will only take an extra few hours, a day at the most to take it all out and put it back together. I just don't understand the logic of doing something halfway. Either do it right or don't do it at all. But that's just me

[Dino]

Why not do it right? It will only take an extra few hours, a day at the most to take it all out and put it back together. I just don't understand the logic of doing something halfway. Either do it right or don't do it at all. But that's just me

And I would agree, afterall I did restore cars for a living and that motto was on the wall in my shop.  But I'm not doing a resto, this is a driver and needs to stay that way.  I am just thinking that I could at least make it look a whole lot nicer than it is now.  I don't have the tools to remove an engine so I doubt a day is all it takes. 


Maybe one day I will restore this car but I highly doubt it.


Baker you 're probably right, you'll end up with black and blue all over.  I will be sanding everything though, I never paint over anything but sanded paint.

[Homerr]

Labor Day weekend is coming up.  Take the time then to pull the engine?

[twodko]

I'm of the same mind as Stefan. Do it the right way the first time even though it will entail more time and effort. You'll be happier knowing you did it correctly.

[Dino]

I absolutely agree so I will likely not do anything to the engine bay.  I seriously cannot pull the engine.  The car will end up being a shelf.  I have maybe 2-3 hours a week I can spend on the car and I have to fix the header, install all the a/c components, fix the water valve and install the front disc brake kit, mc and valves.  At this rate the car will be off the road for several weeks and that's more than I want it to.

I'll just wait until I have the car home for a winter.

how much doe sit roughly cost to fill the A/C?  When the time comes I'll have to take it apart again.

[AirborneSilva]

Dirk, I think waiting for winter would be best, it will take you 2 -3 hours just to deal with the damn headers!  Pulling the engine out the bottom sounds like an easy process but I don't know how you would drop the engine out the bottom without a lift    I'd like to do the same thing to my 73 but have lots of other work that needs to be done on it, so I can at least drive the darn thing 

Drive and enjoy it till winter 

[Dino]

It won't be this winter as the car will be in rented storage.  Hopefully we have our garage up and done by the next winter.  Then at least I'll have a bit more time.  Don't get me wrong, I understand and appreciate all's opinions and I would love to raise the engine if only to fix the damn header but I just can't do this right now.  I have a full time job and college to go to plus I don't even have the space to put the engine, literally.  All I have is a jack and a few stands, that's it.  I can check CL from time to time to get the tools I need but I'm not going to buy that stuff new.  It'll be for single use...I hope.

Oh well, I figured I could kill a few birds with one stone but that's ok, I can do the painting part later.  Back to priority 1:  fix header, fix brakes, fix a/c, enjoy car.

[AirborneSilva]

  Back to priority 1:  fix header, fix brakes, fix a/c, enjoy car.

Sounds like a good plan 

[Lord Warlock]

it can be done, just get a large industrial sized leaf bag and cut a slice down one side, and it covers 80% of the motor, the rest can be unbolted.  I had spray bombed mine black in the 70s and went back to stock color now.  Wish i'd thought of aluminum foil for wrapping hoses, that would have helped out some.  You can pull the bag down until it hits the transmission and it covers more than you need for quick general work.  Not every car is intended to be a show winner, some of us just want to get it roadworthy and in better shape than when we got it.  I also didn't want to spray the firewall on mine, although i did go down to the lower cowl sections.  That way a little spot will verify the original paint color, and mine only needed a degreasing and pressure wash to come pretty clean. 

I'd take the battery tray out, all hoses cables etc to front harness, washer bottle of course, and wished i could have unhooked the AC or tranny coolor lines. A small detail gun is plenty for the confined area.

[kab69440]

It won't be this winter as the car will be in rented storage.  Hopefully we have our garage up and done by the next winter.  Then at least I'll have a bit more time.  Don't get me wrong, I understand and appreciate all's opinions and I would love to raise the engine if only to fix the damn header but I just can't do this right now.  I have a full time job and college to go to plus I don't even have the space to put the engine, literally.  All I have is a jack and a few stands, that's it.  I can check CL from time to time to get the tools I need but I'm not going to buy that stuff new.  It'll be for single use...I hope.

Oh well, I figured I could kill a few birds with one stone but that's ok, I can do the painting part later.  Back to priority 1:  fix header, fix brakes, fix a/c, enjoy car.

What equipment do you need? I'm only a few hours South of you.

[AirborneSilva]

Hey Dirk, what's going on with this, did you get that damn header bolt out - I hope 

[Rolling_Thunder]

Pulling the engine out the bottom sounds like an easy process but I don't know how you would drop the engine out the bottom without a lift    

Piece of cake....   I have done it in my driveway with the following equipment.

1. home made rolling cart
2. 4 jack stands
3. 2 large "C" clamps
4. 1 pair of hands to assist