Paint suitable for engine & ancillaries

[mm289]

Hi,

bit of a debate if this should get asked in bodywork or mechanical

Want to clean and paint the engine before refitting and wondered what y'all have had the most success with, i.e. that stays put and doesn't flake off after 3 months!

Have seen a post using stove paint for exhaust which I thought was a clever idea as it can withstand the heat easily, but interested in paints for the case/heads/etc.

Realise it will need to be a high temp paint and there are a number of special paints around but what works best?

Also, what have you used to get the engine clean enough to paint?

And finally, is there the equivalent of an etch primer available for high temp applications as I guess the paint won't like taking straight to ally.

Cheers,

MM

[Plasticman]

Gunk,jizer any of the de-greasers lots of work if you want it, flexi drive with variouse ends to get into nooks! and orifices
I used to get silver paint from a glassworks never came off, but proprietry engine paints work , less applied the better IMHO, same goes for ex manifolds, use as youve suggested or get aerosol eht paint, and fire the engine up to bake the stuff , works reasonably well,
mike

[mm289]

cheers mike, do you use a primer or just paint the bare metal?

[Plasticman]

Paint the bare metal
mike

[mm289]

Thanks Mike, attacked it with Hyper Clean twice already - just laughed at me

[Plasticman]

Sarrans recent postings spring to mind, hes just cleaned up a block etc with nice pickies check it out and ask him
Mike

[mm289]

thanks for the steer, i had read sarrans post earlier but not kept up with the updates.
I wondered about paraffin as thats what i use in my parts cleaner - cheaper than gunk etc and possibly more aggressive - will attack with a soft wire brush as well me thinks!

MM

[Plasticman]

Yep paraffin is fine, add a dash of petrol, 10-15% helps evaporation and cleans better ( wont be at an explosive ratio)
The first layer of crud usually comes off quite easy, and as you proceed it becomes baked on with heat, dont need to be too kind with the wire brush, all you have to remeber is that paint dont stick for long on burnt deposits, , when your all done I would then give it a go woth a proprietry degreaser to remove parafin residues wash this off with boiling water with a bit of fairy liquid in, works a treat
mike