Just a quick question.....I guess this would be the right place to ask. I'm going to be painting my block in the near future and was just wondering if you guys recommend any particular brand of paint or anything? It's been hot tanked so it's all clean and ready to go. Really all I need to do is use a degreaser on it and then spray it down right? I'd appreciate any advice you guys can share....I just don't want it to turn out bad and peal off or anything. Thanks!

Clean it good and when you think it is clean enough clean it again. Epoxy prime it and use a good paint, the clean and prime are the major thing.

Use a good wax and grease remover on it,epoxy prime and single stage urethane and it will look great and last a lot longer than a spray can job. Heres the engine in my camaro i painted it Hugger orange with Dupont ChromaOne.
Engine (http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ochrisl/detail?.dir=/Camaro+68&.dnm=327_2.jpg)

An epoxy primer? Is that paint primer with exopy in it? Sorry, i'm not very familiar with all different paints/primers. (obviously right?) Would NAPA carry epoxy primer and the proper cleaning materials? Do you guys know if those chrome colored paints look good or hold up? Just curious.

Thanks a lot guys

Originally posted by pegleg71:
An epoxy primer? Is that paint primer with exopy in it? Sorry, i'm not very familiar with all different paints/primers. (obviously right?) Would NAPA carry epoxy primer and the proper cleaning materials? Do you guys know if those chrome colored paints look good or hold up? Just curious.

Thanks a lot guys I know some people are not real big fans of rattle can stuff, BUT- I just repainted an Iron Intake with DupliColor Chevy Orange 500 degree, and am REALLY happy with the results (and I repatinted over RED)! To do a real good job, get a pistol grip for the can- it makes a ton of difference! Once it dries, its REALLY Tough- almost like a plastic- and resistant to most anything. Best part- $3.00 a can at Wally World tongue.gif The KEY to getting it to work well- as with any paint- is to clean it as good as you can possibly get it; and then clean it again just to be sure.

Yeah, i just painted some parts for my car....didn't really put much time at all in prep work so it's going to look like schit in a little while. lol oh well. I guess i'll just have to repaint them when they start looking bad. Luckily they are all easy parts to get off, except for the water pump. (alternator brackets, battery plate, and some odds and ends)

Cool, Buzz...I was just at The Pep-triplets auto store...I bought some 1500 degree header paint, and saw the duplicolor 500 in Hugger Orange. I was unsure to trust it, and paint my ZZ4, but now I am sure. Thanks again! graemlins/hurray.gif

I just did my motor,cleaned it as above,then shot it with some 2k primer then 2 coats of my car color base coat then put on coat of clear over that. :D
As stated above,cleaning is the key.I used a spray bottle with wax/grease cleaner in it and a scrub brush with paper towls to help dry.

graemlins/waving.gif
Rick

Originally posted by Racer613:
Cool, Buzz...I was just at The Pep-triplets auto store...I bought some 1500 degree header paint, and saw the duplicolor 500 in Hugger Orange. I was unsure to trust it, and paint my ZZ4, but now I am sure. Thanks again! graemlins/hurray.gif Im telling you- you get that block as clean as you can get it- and get a rattle can pistol grip- and as many cans as you think you might need- and you will have a NICE paint job with that paint...One thing though- it stays GOOEY for a while, but just leave it alone and youll be fine. Once it hardens up, I doubt it can be beat...

Originally posted by pegleg71:
I'd appreciate any advice you guys can share....I just don't want it to turn out bad and peal off or anything. Thanks! You want to do it right or not? I gave you my advice. Rattle can engine enamel will look good for a while, but does not compare to using a real two part paint. I have seen all rattle can engine enamel peel after time, the big thing is its not a good enough paint to spray over bare iron,it just wont hold up. If you dont have access to spray equipment i would reccomend using Bill Hirsch engine enamel,buy the quart can and brush it on.Its not as good as a two part urethane, but does hold up much better than a rattle can from pep boys.
http://www.hirschauto.com/

allthough i started with a brand new dark block i cleaned on it for 2 days.i washed with soap and water and a bristle brush first then blew it off. then i went to acetone and cleand the snot out of it with the brush again. i used a gun barrel cleaning kit with a bristle brush on it as well to clean all the threads and oil gallies as well. when i thought it was clean i got a propane touch and litely went over it to sweat out any oil that may have remained and cleaned with acetone again with the brush. then i used metal etching primer and then the "good ole VHT paint" has held up great, still looks brand new 1.5 years later. Dave

I vote for the POR15 engine paint kit... it goes on really nice!!! Plus its brushable which spells paint control IMO.

I've had Dupli-Color rattle can :D on my 327 smallblock FOR OVER A YEAR & 1/2 !!! and it still looks as good as the day I sprayed it !!! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Originally posted by 65 Convertible:
I've had Dupli-Color rattle can :D on my 327 smallblock FOR OVER A YEAR & 1/2 !!! and it still looks as good as the day I sprayed it !!! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

graemlins/beers.gif

I've always used Dupli-Color Engine enamel in the spray can over "clean" bare iron. Never had a problem with it flaking or burning in over 6 years. Still looks just as good as when I sprayed it.

Dwayne

Thanks for the replies guys, I think i'm set. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Just for the record, the DupliColor Im talking about is the "Ceramic" one- and yea, its $3.00 at Wal Mart. I really doubt that if you apply it right on a CLEAN block, and let it dry long enough, that it will flake or peel. It literally does dry like some sort of plastic coating, and is really resistant to gas, oil, coolant, whatever..

I suppose if you wanted to, you could paint the engine with that and THEN clear (I THINK Duplicolor has clear IF Im not mistaken) that if your worried about chips or flaking. If you drive your car any decent amount, I think asking for a spotless painted engine is asking a little too much, IMHO. For most people, Id bet that properly applied rattle can paint done where one takes their time and does the right steps, is just fine..Cleanliness and using that pistol grip is the key, IMHO.

You'll use less paint and have better results with the Plastikote rattle can paint if you put some primer down first. I use the non-high temp primer first and have no problems. The Plastikote engine paint will need to go thru a couple heat cycles from running the engine to set up completely.

Originally posted by Wooderson:
You'll use less paint and have better results with the Plastikote rattle can paint if you put some primer down first. I use the non-high temp primer first and have no problems. The Plastikote engine paint will need to go thru a couple heat cycles from running the engine to set up completely. Ditto..what Wooderson said..no drama,works every time graemlins/thumbsup.gif

regular automotive epoxy primer and single stage urethane can't be beat for durability and gloss retention, the rattle can stuff breaks down after the first year and doesn't offer much of a shine even when new. You get what you pay for with paint and primers.

Actually, truth be known...
The original factory Chevy orange paint was an enamel, applied without primer, and manufactured by Pratt & Lambert.
In the early '70s, the Tonawanda plant had a standing order of thirty 55 gallon barrels per week.

That maybe true, but all it needed to do is keep the block from rusting and look good until the car left the lot, not much longer. Bob hit it,you get out what you put in,if all you want is to make the block orange,a spray can will do it. If you want a show quality engine finsh that will last then epoxy and urethane will get you that. When i do anything i try to do it the best way possible, not the cheapest and easiest.

2.5 years and 7K miles my rattle can primer/paint job on my motor looks a fresh as it did they day I put it in..it usually gets a wipe down twice a year with bug/tar remover,and the intake gets a wipe down with laquer thinner to main that fresh aluminum look.I'll stick with my "cheap" and "easy" job that doesn't look like it was done cheaply graemlins/thumbsup.gif I also prepped the block/head surfaces very,very thoroughly with laquer thinner and prep solve.

Originally posted by mr 4 speed:
I'll stick with my "cheap" and "easy" job that doesn't look like it was done cheaply graemlins/thumbsup.gif I also prepped the block/head surfaces very,very thoroughly with laquer thinner and prep solve. I'll second that, and also second PREPARATION IS THE KEY (!as is the pistol grip!)..IF you have that DupliColor paint flaking off after a year, you did something wrong...How can it just all the sudden flake off when A)Its gas and oil resistant, B)It dries as hard as a rock and C)Its good for 500 degrees? As said earlier, the stuff dries like plastic. Not sure on the PLastiKote, But I wouldnt prime for the Ceramic Duplicolor. Also, you dont "REALLY" need a special respirator to spray with a spray bomb like you would epoxy and urethane paints. Thats just more cash outlay and a waste of speed parts money if you are JUST painting the engine, IMHO. Also, its a real health risk to NOT use the right stuff when using those kind of paints.

Originally posted by Buzzbomb:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by mr 4 speed:
[qb] How can it just all the sudden flake off when A)Its gas and oil resistant, B)It dries as hard as a rock Hard as a rock equals brittle. Brittle paint along with expansion and contraction equals flaking. Epoxy is kind of rubbery and very sticky giving it good adhesion qualities. Not here to convince anyone that quality,professional paint is better than a $3 spray bomb, someone asked a question and i gave an opinion. Take it or leave it. smile.gif by the way the fumes from a spary bomb will fry your brain as quick as anything. A $30 charcoal mask is a wise investment regardless if your spraying with cans or a gun.

hey, I didn't mean to ruffle any feathers but I've painted a few engines with the plasticoat and duplicolor engine enamels but they never held up. The first epoxy and urethane job I did was done OVER ten years ago with DP40 and Deltron. It is perfect to this day. Also my chevy 4X4 pickup sees more abrasives and road salt than you would ever believe- did that one over three years ago with DP and elcheapo Omni MTK and it looks PERFECT today. Listen - the weather conditions and amount of road salt used up here is so bad that the local parts stores all stock oil pans and valve covers because the stock ones rust out with holes, sometimes within 4 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!Does engine sheetmetal rust out in your area?