[djshakes]

I want to freshen up my engine. Anyone have any tips for painting it while it is in the car?

 

[rontoomanyprojects]

If it is not your daily driver just pull it. What's a few hours to make it really look good. Of course it might be difficult to JUST PAINT it and put it back in. The snowball effect is pretty with this hobby young Jedi.

 

[gearheads78]

Pull it and do it right. No way you will ever do it and make it not look like it was done in the. A weekend with a few gaskets and and a couple cans of paint can do wonders.

 

[Bubba's 69]

I did mine in the car. I painted it black over the OE orange, so if there was overspray it would match with the frame. I already had the intake, valve covers, waterpump and timing cover off for a cam swap so that made it easier.

 

[djshakes]

I don't have a garage or cherry picker. I can wrench on a car...but not confident enough to pull the engine.

 

[djshakes]

Someone told me they would do it for $650. I passed.

 

[djshakes]

I could spend ten hours taping off everything. Ha. This is going to suck.

 

[69396ss]

I've done it in the car. It can be done, but you need to spend alot of time masking. 10 hours sounds about right.

Check out the engine detailing link from my 69.

I'll wholeheartedly agree it's best to pull the motor, but it can be done if your tenacious. You'll have to do alot of dissassembly to pull it off.

 

[WAX-UM]

I did that on a 442 once I removed the front clip painted motor and then detailed the firewall and inner fender radiator support, Big project but it turned out nice for a driver.

 

[hurstL78]

I done it once in the car, I would say it took me 30 hours and I still got over spray on everything. I would suggest saving your money and buying an engine hoist and getting a friend to help you. If you have the know how to wrench on it you can pull the engine.
Van

 

[mr 4 speed]

..what John said.
Remove all the accessories,even the water pump and exhaust manifolds.
Aluminum foil,plastic bags,newspaper and masking tape will be your best friends for awhile.
Along with sandpaper and lots of time.
The goal is to make it look like you didn't paint it while it was in the car

 

[Dan Orgill]

I done it once in the car, I would say it took me 30 hours and I still got over spray on everything. I would suggest saving your money and buying an engine hoist and getting a friend to help you. If you have the know how to wrench on it you can pull the engine.
Van

That time frame right there says everything...pull it, paint it, back in it goes.

 

[69396ss]

Granted, you'll spend more time masking than you would to simply unbolt the motor mounts and tranny and pull it at the point of dissassembly you need to be at to do it properly.

I did mine in a one car apartment garage.

Sometimes you've got to do what you've got to do.

 

[Alwhite00]

Tinfoil is your friend.

LK

 

[Hi-po SS 454]

I do it all the time, well when needed. I do the tape off thing and also use rags or paper where neeed. If I do get over spray I wipe it off right away with thinner. it works for me. check my show room.

 

[EdCarpenter]

You can paint it in the car! I would remove the hood to get to the backside.
1. Pressure wash the engine.
- Remove air cleaner, distributor cap & plug wires.
- place heavy plastic bags over the carb and distributor. Tape them tightly so they won't come off.
- keep direct spray away from the carb and distributor
- Initially spray the engine down with a detergent (simple green)
- Spray the entire engine room

2. Dry the engine room
- Compressed air would be the best

3. Mask the inner fenders, firewall, radiator support with heavy plastic.
- Radiator, fan and shroud should be removed
- Altenator, PS pump, battery, all brackets, and all pulleys removed.
- All bolts should be placed in individual plastic bags
- Exhaust manifolds removed
- Carburator and fuel lines removed
- fuel pump remove, unless masked off ( I sometimes use plastic bags, wallmart type to cover and mask small parts.
- remove starter
- Mark position of the distributor rotor on the dist base, mark position of the dist base where it meets the engine (center punch or chisel strike on the base and intake). Pull the dist out.
- Remove valve covers if chrome or aluminum. You can cover the valve covers with masking paper and set them back on the engine or mask off the open areas of the heads
- pull all harnesses away and cover them

4. Solvent clean the engine
- I would stay away from laquer thinner
- Use brake clean or mineral spirits on a rag
- Use scotch brite to the painted engine surfaces
- All oil and grease off?

5. Mask off the engine non paint areas
- mounts, frame, transmission

6. Check everything

7. Apply paint
- Engine
- Clean and repaint brackets
- Clean and repaint PS pump, alternator, radiator, distributor base, fan, etc.

8. Do You plan to paint firewall, inner fenders, and radiator support?

 

[66 MYSTERY CHEVELLE]

PULL IT!!

Call a buddy and get er done in a weekend~

 

[LS7]

PULL IT!!

Call a buddy and get er done in a weekend~

^:yes:^ we're still talking about the engine right.

 

[bigskycountry]

You can paint it in the car! I would remove the hood to get to the backside.
1. Pressure wash the engine.
- Remove air cleaner, distributor cap & plug wires.
- place heavy plastic bags over the carb and distributor. Tape them tightly so they won't come off.
- keep direct spray away from the carb and distributor
- Initially spray the engine down with a detergent (simple green)
- Spray the entire engine room

2. Dry the engine room
- Compressed air would be the best

3. Mask the inner fenders, firewall, radiator support with heavy plastic.
- Radiator, fan and shroud should be removed
- Altenator, PS pump, battery, all brackets, and all pulleys removed.
- All bolts should be placed in individual plastic bags
- Exhaust manifolds removed
- Carburator and fuel lines removed
- fuel pump remove, unless masked off ( I sometimes use plastic bags, wallmart type to cover and mask small parts.
- remove starter
- Mark position of the distributor rotor on the dist base, mark position of the dist base where it meets the engine (center punch or chisel strike on the base and intake). Pull the dist out.
- Remove valve covers if chrome or aluminum. You can cover the valve covers with masking paper and set them back on the engine or mask off the open areas of the heads
- pull all harnesses away and cover them

4. Solvent clean the engine
- I would stay away from laquer thinner
- Use brake clean or mineral spirits on a rag
- Use scotch brite to the painted engine surfaces
- All oil and grease off?

5. Mask off the engine non paint areas
- mounts, frame, transmission

6. Check everything

7. Apply paint
- Engine
- Clean and repaint brackets
- Clean and repaint PS pump, alternator, radiator, distributor base, fan, etc.

8. Do You plan to paint firewall, inner fenders, and radiator support?

What he said. It worked great for me while in the car. It can be done, take your time, and be patient.

 

[SuperChevy402]

With a lot of paper and a few miles of the blue painters tape it could be done. You won't get show quality results, but for a driver it could freshen it up pretty good. Honestly I'd try to find a way to pull it to paint, you'd be doing about as much or even more work masking everything off, and still have a chance of missed spots and overspray.