Remove Engine for Paint?

[RustyTank]

I'd love to paint my 79 GS850G engine. For those of you with experience with this sort of thing, can this be done without taking the engine out of the frame? Or, is it just standard practice to take it out for paint?

I wasn't sure where to post this question, so I chose the discussion board. If someone has a suggestion on where it's best suited let me know, I'd be happy to move it.

[red1100]

Remove it. You'll never get first class results unless you do. Are you painting it a color or duplicating the original finishes? The factory did a semi polish then covered that with a horribly cheap clear. You would have to recreate that and cover it with a modern clear urethane.

[RustyTank]

Remove it. You'll never get first class results unless you do. Are you painting it a color or duplicating the original finishes? The factory did a semi polish then covered that with a horribly cheap clear. You would have to recreate that and cover it with a modern clear urethane.

I'd like to paint the engine a gloss black. Planning on using Eastwood 2K engine paint.

[Steve]

That would depend on the quality for which you will settle.

If you are OK with a “20/20” bike*, just clean it the best you can and spray away.

If you would rather have an award-winning show bike, there is no question, remove it.

* A 20/20 bike looks good 20 feet away, moving at 20mph.

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[chris]

I'd love to paint my 79 GS850G engine. For those of you with experience with this sort of thing, can this be done without taking the engine out of the frame? Or, is it just standard practice to take it out for paint?

I wasn't sure where to post this question, so I chose the discussion board. If someone has a suggestion on where it's best suited let me know, I'd be happy to move it.

HI, I would say you can paint the engine without removing it. That is what I did . You can see photos of my bike in the my profile and in the appearance section and judge for yourself. Like the other guys said , the results will only be so good. The better you prep it the better it will look. I used a rifle bore cleaning brush to get between the fins combined with lots of emery paper and brake clean. I used flat black on the fins and head with results that were good enough for me. The only time I would remove a engine is to do mechanical work.

[RustyTank]

* A 20/20 bike looks good 20 feet away, moving at 20mph.

HA! It's true isn't it.

[red1100]

I've used 2k at $25 a can and used Krylon max epoxy at $10 a can and can't tell em apart. For what I do in old car and motorcycle restore use I this product now instead. I've even used it in place of powder coating.

[RustyTank]

I've used 2k at $25 a can and used Krylon max epoxy at $10 a can and can't tell em apart. For what I do in old car and motorcycle restore use I this product now instead. I've even used it in place of powder coating.

Hmm...thanks for your two cents red1100

[Steve]

My paint of choice is VHT Epoxy Paint. It's available in Glossy or Satin Black, but the Satin is a bit harder to find.

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[nvr2old]

I've done it both ways. If you remove the exhaust (the carbs off would make it way easier for sure) and all the body parts around it, you can mask off the frame with aluminum foil. Just wrap everything up with it. Sand as much of the engine and clean it as much as possible, and you should be able to do it in the frame. Most people recommend removing the engine, and that's cool if you're able to do it, otherwise just sand, mask, and spray away.