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Engine painting questions?

Rikker

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I have looked on past threads but don't seem to find a couple questions. 1971 charger se 383, going to have my intake manifold and exhaust manifolds sand blasted. I decided on the MOPAR brand paint aerosol. What primer should be used? And can I use the same paint on the exhaust manifolds, but believe it should be a higher temp paint. Saw on graveyard cars how they were painting the entire engine including the exhaust manifolds the same color all at once. The exhaust manifolds should be painted the same color as well correct?
 
you can paint the manifolds if you like but it will not not stay on them it will burn off.
 
if the block and everything else is properly cleaned and prepped there is no need for a primer. Engine ceramic paints are formulated to be used without a primer base. Every added mil of coverage inhibits heat dissipation.....TV is not reality on proper techniques...

The complete engine with manifolds were painted at the factory on a conveyor system. So a portion of the bottom of the oil pan didn't get full cover and also behind the manifolds. The manifolds originally had no coating and were the cast finish. Once the full engine was painted and started up a couple times the engine enamel burned away.

Exhaust manifolds need a high temp paint to mimic the cast looked or send them to get powder coated with a high temp powder coat. What damages the finish on those two choices is the initial break in on a motor. That is due to the excessive temps generated dialing in the motor and seasoning the cam. I break in the motor on a run stand, assemble the manifolds and paint the complete unit. Then all you have to do once it is in the car is just run 2-3 heat cycles and your manifold finish will be protected.

So if your not breaking in the motor than paint and heat cycle it a few time, 10-20 minutes each cycle....

Moisture is also an issue on the longevity of manifold coatings....humidity in the garage....
 
As Moparnation74 said, if you use ceramic engine paint, no primer needed as long as its really clean. That's how I did my motor after it was broken in by my builder. Then just covered all the openings, I used a kit that DMT sells, and used old plug wires over the plugs and painted it on a nice calm and warm dry day!
IMAG1852.jpg
 
As Moparnation74 said, if you use ceramic engine paint, no primer needed as long as its really clean. That's how I did my motor after it was broken in by my builder. Then just covered all the openings, I used a kit that DMT sells, and used old plug wires over the plugs and painted it on a nice calm and warm dry day!
View attachment 387878
Damn...That is NICE! Good job
 
Here is a pic of my chargers original 440 Sprayed with Totally Auto's paint
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photo-80.JPG
 
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Want to do it really nice so it last's for years? Single stage urethane with epoxy primer. This motor has 400 passes and was painted 5 years ago.
Doug

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64 engine remastered pic.png
 
I bought a case of Mopar brand 70's blue as pictured above.

It has an odd sweet smell and is particularly sticky yet easy to run.

It also has a propensity to leak from under the nozzle, fill up the low area on top of the can, and then drip and run out.

Be SUPER careful that pool of paint doesn't drip on your work piece.

This has been an issue with all four cans I've used so far.

Not nearly as nice a painting experience as Krylon or even cheaper brands.

...but it IS the correct color.
 
I bought a case of Mopar brand 70's blue as pictured above.

It has an odd sweet smell and is particularly sticky yet easy to run.

It also has a propensity to leak from under the nozzle, fill up the low area on top of the can, and then drip and run out.

Be SUPER careful that pool of paint doesn't drip on your work piece.

This has been an issue with all four cans I've used so far.

Not nearly as nice a painting experience as Krylon or even cheaper brands.

...but it IS the correct color.

I didn't have any problems with the nozzle dripping on mine but I know what you're saying. I really hate that and didn't know they had those nozzles when I ordered them. The sweet smell is quality paint. I'm not sure what it is, maybe added polymers but every car that I painted with quality brand paint had that smell. Cheap paints would smell like kerosene.

I believe Sherwin Williams had the patent on the blue nozzles and they are the best rattle can to buy. Always good paint in the can also.
20170115_100136.jpg
 
Do it right! Ditch that rattle can!
Go buy a 12 dollar hazard freight HVLP gun and call Frank Badalson for the correct enamel paint.
Rattle can paint looks OK for the short term, but doesn't compare over time.
Why spend all that time and money on an engine and then save 80 bucks or less by using cheap paint?
 
Also, the Mopar turqoise paint isn't even close to correct! I know you're using the later blue. Not sure how that compares to the original color.
 
Do it right! Ditch that rattle can!
Go buy a 12 dollar hazard freight HVLP gun and call Frank Badalson for the correct enamel paint.
Rattle can paint looks OK for the short term, but doesn't compare over time.
Why spend all that time and money on an engine and then save 80 bucks or less by using cheap paint?
Badalsons paint is good stuff...and great for the person whom wants to use a paint gun....It is more economical to sell it in a sprayable form when the shop uses that procedure...buying in bulk saves shop cost and more profit per can

I have had rattle can paint on mine over 5 years on the charger. My previous rides had been around 10 years old on the paint and looked no different than cars with the same age and Badalson's paint. There are a lot of factors other than the paint that play into the life and duration of that finish.....

Btw Totally Auto's paint in PPG in the can.......Do you know what Badalson's paint is manufactured by?
 
Badalsons paint is good stuff...and great for the person whom wants to use a paint gun....It is more economical to sell it in a sprayable form when the shop uses that procedure...buying in bulk saves shop cost and more profit per can

I have had rattle can paint on mine over 5 years on the charger. My previous rides had been around 10 years old on the paint and looked no different than cars with the same age and Badalson's paint. There are a lot of factors other than the paint that play into the life and duration of that finish.....

Btw Totally Auto's paint in PPG in the can.......Do you know what Badalson's paint is manufactured by?
His paint is ppg acrylic enamel.

There isn't any magic paint that does not require proper prep, no matter how one transfers it to the work surface.

For the 12 dollars the hazard freight gun costs, I cant understand the downside of using a much better product

I'm not sure if frank sells the paint in quantity. He may.
I bought a 1/2 pint, which he intends for coverage for a single engine.
 
His paint is ppg acrylic enamel.

There isn't any magic paint that does not require proper prep, no matter how one transfers it to the work surface.

For the 12 dollars the hazard freight gun costs, I cant uberet and the downside of using a much better product
I have five different Sata HVLP's and I would waste the time picking one up based on the quality achieved with my spray bombs. Easier clean up too.....On cars that won High awards.....

Same paint as totally auto, lol(I knew that before I asked) Same results long term with proper prep techniques...

Thats cool, you use a gun and I don't, its all good but in the end if covered the same they look the same.....Much better than the way they factory did it back in the day......
 
I have five different Sata HVLP's and I would waste the time picking one up based on the quality achieved with my spray bombs. Easier clean up too.....On cars that won High awards.....

Same paint as totally auto, lol(I knew that before I asked) Same results long term with proper prep techniques...

Thats cool, you use a gun and I don't, its all good but in the end if covered the same they look the same.....Much better than the way they factory did it back in the day......

I own a good quality Iwata HVPL for my stuff. I was suggesting the cheap gun as a way for someone on a budget to paint an engine. I certainly would not shoot panels with one.

You will never convince me that you can get the durability out of a rattle can, but I get that it's easier.

As for clean up, if someone has taken the time to restore an engine, the 10 minutes it takes to clean a gun is irrelevant.
 
I own a good quality Iwata HVPL for my stuff. I was suggesting the cheap gun as a way for someone on a budget to paint an engine. I certainly would not shoot panels with one.

You will never convince me that you can get the durability out of a rattle can, but I get that it's easier.

As for clean up, if someone has taken the time to restore an engine, the 10 minutes it takes to clean a gun is irrelevant.
Likewise...you will never convince me on the fact that the rattle can is less durable than a spray job.....

Almost everyone here had shared pics mainly from rattle cans and man don't those look sweet!

BTW i have done both types.....At one time I had the idea like you than anything out of a can is not that great. That was at the time when the paints were not that great. These days the paints and cans are high quality depending on brand. Painted four motors with a spray gun and all looked great and lasted well. Once PPG hit the can and the nozzles improved, 6 engines later and a seventh here soon. They lasted the same in durability and finish as the the spray gun.....

To each is own of course but I cannot knock either one. Especially, when my cars have sat in the big judging events with either spray gun/rattle can and both won top awards in points and years later retained the same look between the two based on age......

There is more involved with a sprayed gun than just the gun....I would surely hate someone to grab a gun and a cheap filter. Spray the paint with a cheap compressor and blowing a paint/water mixture onto a freshly prepped surface....
 
Likewise...you will never convince me on the fact that the rattle can is less durable than a spray job.....

Almost everyone here had shared pics mainly from rattle cans and man don't those look sweet!

BTW i have done both types.....At one time I had the idea like you than anything out of a can is not that great. That was at the time when the paints were not that great. These days the paints and cans are high quality depending on brand. Painted four motors with a spray gun and all looked great and lasted well. Once PPG hit the can and the nozzles improved, 6 engines later and a seventh here soon. They lasted the same in durability and finish as the the spray gun.....

To each is own of course but I cannot knock either one. Especially, when my cars have sat in the big judging events with either spray gun/rattle can and both won top awards in points and years later retained the same look between the two based on age......

There is more involved with a sprayed gun than just the gun....I would surely hate someone to grab a gun and a cheap filter. Spray the paint with a cheap compressor and blowing a paint/water mixture onto a freshly prepped surface....

Congratulations on the big time points wins you've referenced more than once.

Extremely impressive!
 
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