The 81 GS1000 Cylinder Mystery

[Call Me Ahab]

Powder coating can't take that much heat

I get the temp ratings from Eastwood: They say it can handle up to 350 after cure.

My engine's highest recorded temp's were during summer, at 310 degrees. I also plan to add an oil cooler to this engine anyways, hopefully that will keep temps down.

[Mekanix]

Do Not Ceramic coat your cylinders and head. It actually raises temperature by isolating.

You can use high heat powder on the block and head.

Just keep in mind that it has to be baked on there for the first time near 350-400.

Also, at that temp your sleeves will pop up a bit.

For the first couple of runs it will soften up again but after a few heat cycles it does harden up.

I noticed that any fasteners that sat on the powder would actually sink into the powder after a few heat cycles and had to be torqued again.

I did my engine base in high heat powder and the top in ceramic before I knew any better.

Powder coating does have its problems.

Grit gets everywhere!! And is a PITA to get it all out.
Unless you get it soda blasted.

Might be just my experience but, valve seals and anything rubber or gasket like cook when left in a head that is heated up to 450.

My source for powder information is http://www.powderbuythepound.com/

[Call Me Ahab]

Do Not Ceramic coat your cylinders and head. It actually raises temperature by isolating.

You can use high heat powder on the block and head.

Just keep in mind that it has to be baked on there for the first time near 350-400.

Also, at that temp your sleeves will pop up a bit.

For the first couple of runs it will soften up again but after a few heat cycles it does harden up.

I noticed that any fasteners that sat on the powder would actually sink into the powder after a few heat cycles and had to be torqued again.

I did my engine base in high heat powder and the top in ceramic before I knew any better.

Powder coating does have its problems.

Grit gets everywhere!! And is a PITA to get it all out.
Unless you get it soda blasted.

Might be just my experience but, valve seals and anything rubber or gasket like cook when left in a head that is heated up to 450.

My source for powder information is http://www.powderbuythepound.com/

Indeed, I baked my valve cover tonight... Looks like I applied too thin of a coat, or perhaps moisture got trapped in a bolt hole and oiled out, I'm not sure which. Will re-coat it tomorrow.

I'm not using "high temp" powders, but I was under the belief that they would work anyways, as my engine is not supposed to exceed 400F. If it does... well, I have other problems

I've completely disassembled the engine parts to be baked, just like I did with my carburetors. They came out just lovely =]

After a brutal struggle, I got my valve seals out. Age had hardened them to damn near rock-like hardness! Now I just need to clean up the Valve Head and the Cylinder Jugs so I can powder coat 'em. I've got a great deal of old paint that flaking off, and sandblasting may be my only option now...

I am getting SICK of sandblasting!!! That crap gets everywhere no matter how tight I think I'm buttoned down - I used to use the hood that sealed into a fabric chem-spill suit. EVEN STILL I find sand in my boots... miserable business.

[Mekanix]

Indeed, I baked my valve cover tonight... Looks like I applied too thin of a coat, or perhaps moisture got trapped in a bolt hole and oiled out, I'm not sure which. Will re-coat it tomorrow.

I'm not using "high temp" powders, but I was under the belief that they would work anyways, as my engine is not supposed to exceed 400F. If it does... well, I have other problems

I've completely disassembled the engine parts to be baked, just like I did with my carburetors. They came out just lovely =]

After a brutal struggle, I got my valve seals out. Age had hardened them to damn near rock-like hardness! Now I just need to clean up the Valve Head and the Cylinder Jugs so I can powder coat 'em. I've got a great deal of old paint that flaking off, and sandblasting may be my only option now...

I am getting SICK of sandblasting!!! That crap gets everywhere no matter how tight I think I'm buttoned down - I used to use the hood that sealed into a fabric chem-spill suit. EVEN STILL I find sand in my boots... miserable business.

Daam right its messy. I do the same but still haven't found a way to be clean except with the soda.
I always wanted to try blasting using baking soda as a media just to see if the results would be the same.

An easy way to get old seals out is to heat them up with a heat gun, I found that they would stretch and come off easier.


Take paint off Chemically if you can.

Use paint stripper or you can use spray gasket remover. It just takes longer.
I think Graffiti remover spray has the same effect but i haven't tried it yet.

Stripping is much better than blasting. You still have to use the right PPE though because the chemicals are quite corrosive. I used aircraft stripper for my latest engine project and it took less than 10 minutes in the dip to completely remove 3 layers of paint from engine covers.
You can even remove powder with stripper!

Normal temp powder will work but you'll see that the fasteners will sink into the paint after it heats up a few times.
Although it does act like thread lock :P

You should pre bake your parts to just above the baking temp to burn off any oil residue and then clean with Isopropyl alcohol before powdering.

I find that there is always some grit hiding and you only find it after baking

Don't know if you've tried yet but I've tried using clear on top of something that is already painted and it ends up mixing with it and coming out dull. Especially with chrome ! It turns to dull silver. But then again the chrome does that after a while on its own anyways :P

[Call Me Ahab]

Normal temp powder will work but you'll see that the fasteners will sink into the paint after it heats up a few times.
Although it does act like thread lock :P

You should pre bake your parts to just above the baking temp to burn off any oil residue and then clean with Isopropyl alcohol before powdering.

I find that there is always some grit hiding and you only find it after baking

Indeed, that would actually be ideal in my case, I'm going back on with silicone gaskets so I can't torque it down as much as I would otherwise: If they'll stick that would be good =]

I have never tried pre-baking unless I let them cool beforehand... I'll have to try that.

Grit. Freaking. Everywhere. Yes, I didn't even think about using alcohol, I just take an air compressor and blew em off

[Mekanix]

Just after your done blasting, its good to rinse them off with hot soap and water. Alcohol helps to get the really fine stuff out. Then bake the part, let it cool down again and spray the powder.
You should have a much better product after that.

[Call Me Ahab]

Just after your done blasting, its good to rinse them off with hot soap and water. Alcohol helps to get the really fine stuff out. Then bake the part, let it cool down again and spray the powder.
You should have a much better product after that.

Right on, thanks for the tips =]

Just finished up blasting, had no damn idea... When I killed the compressor, put all my crap away, loaded up my parts onto the atv and sat down... I crunched a layer of ice that had built up in the hour or two i was working!

Texas weather sucks! It's March ffs...

Not going back out tonight. I'll wash my parts, but I'm not going to bake em tonight.

Most I'll do tonight is try to change my fork seals... Too damn cold now.

[Call Me Ahab]

Upper Cylinder / Cam Housing completed today!