Painting the engine... best way to prep

[renobruce]

I'm considering painting my project engine black. I have the motor completely apart. What would be the best way to prep the cases, etc. for paint? I wanted to paint the cases and jugs and have all the side covers and cam cover powder coated. Who has done this, and what works well? I don't want to have to deal with flaking paint down the road.

[sharpy]

Best way? Dont know the best way but the way i did mine was ALL the engine apart and i mean all and the alloy bits where acid dip in a solution, It took everything off and came back perfect. Then they where washed with truckwash and left in the sun to dry/warm up and painted with VHT universal aluminum engine case paint (corrisponding satin black should do). Just make sure you dont touch the areas you like to paint. Heated the kitchen oven to 180 degrees f and "baked' all the parts for one hour one at a time in the oven. Had to remove the engine/barrel studs to make it fit and open all the windows in the house. As you see that was 7 yrs ago and not one sign of flaking. Bake all my parts and they come out hard as a rock and it seems to be better than when you placed them in the oven.

[renobruce]

Thanks, Sharpy. Nice bike! :-D Where would I go to have the acid bath done?

[sharpy]

shop?

Havent a clue where over there you would get a acid dip but local papers/vintage car or bike clubs would be a good start. Make sure they know what there doing. The one i went too even sprayed my valve seats with some WD40 i gave them so it wouldnt rust sitting on the shelf for a couple of days. Ask,ask and ask first.

[psyguy]

i took a bit different approach
took everything appart and had all the parts vapor blasted - that gave a clean satin smooth finish
i then coated with a two pot moisture cured clear

[johnnay]

what's "vapor" blasting??? Sounds like Scarlett Ohara swooning over your engine... !:-D

Seriously, what is it? Soda?