painting engines

D

Dmac

I want to paint my engine to match the body color. Plan to use all SPI products with the orange base and UV clear. I know many street rodders do this as most are painted. Will the base and clear stand up to normal engine heat? I know it will discolor around the exhaust eventually with any paint but what are you guys seeing with cars that actually get driven with the engine painted? Do I need to plan for another paint and have it matched?

Thanks,
 
I have done this a few times, just make sure you prep it well and apply some epoxy over it first.. I usually do 2 coats of non reduced epoxy then paint the next day.
 
I've done this and put many miles on the engines I've paint with no problems. Like you said, I had a yellow one that turned a little brown around the exhaust ports on the heads.
 
We have done this for years, two i see weekly is a Tbird done in around 2000 and has 33,000 miles on the engine still great except the two center intake ports have a slightly yellowed 1/2 inch to an inch spot on both sides.
The 383 stroker was done a year before the bird and still looks perfect but only has 5-6000 miles on it.
I'm betting were on 1000's of engines and only complaint ever heard was a spot busting off from not cleaning that part of engine good, oh, that was me but I have heard a few others have that problem. Clean, clean and clean again!
 
It's a chore to really clean up a engine, last one we sealed up and blasted but all know the consequences that could come with that...
 
If you're building your own engine it's best to blast and epoxy the outside of the bare heads and block before the thorough scrub for assembly. I've had the paint on engines with automotive urethane last over 20 years but there's a few designs out there that the heads are very suceptable to burn around the exhaust ports. I remember doing a 400 pontiac for a 67 firebird and the paint burned a little around the exhaust.
 
Oldsmobiles will burn on the exhaust ports, too. I painted mine with black epoxy and had to fog a little black barbecue paint onto the ports after it had run for a while. Not a perfect solution, but it worked for me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top