Engine paint,

mickshep

mickshep

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Right, After a Titanic struggle to move the bloody thing from engine bay to cockpit and thence the 10' or so to the ground without the benefit of a crane, the oil encrusted lump that has been masquerading as my engine is safely in storage. My question is what paint would forumites recommend for all external surfaces, The block appears to be ally'. Thanks in advance. Mike.
 
Aerosol cans of proper engine spray paint are available. I got some once for a yanmar. Presume other manufactuers also do similar.
 
Cheers, To be honest I've used some of the spray stuff from Halfords in the past and it didn't last too well at all, I'm looking for personal recomendation if poss'. Mike
 
degrease with 'Jiser' or 'Gunk' or similar from your local motor factors.

Its OK to jet off the muck with hot water provided you bung up all the orifaces with plastic bags.

then lard on Hammerite or equivalent, again from your local motor factors.

Always worked for me.
 
Years ago we used to paint engines for racecars with brushing engine paint. The key is use the correct primer and de-grease, de-grease, de-grease! When evrything looks good, de-grease again before painting.
Allan
 
This is probably sacriledge, but I painted our green (but manky, with rusty steel bits) Volvo 2003 white with 2 pack acrylic paint a year ago, and it seems to be holding up quite well - I was not too sure if it would cope with the heat generated while in use.
As has been noted above, it is imperative to get all the grease, crud and dirt off first.
I wanted to paint it white so that I had more of an incentive to keep it clean - and also to more easily observe any leaks that occur.
I painted the fibreglass top hat engine beds and the moulded drip tray underneath the engine in 2 pack acrylic white as well.
And now the space under the engine box is the cleanest part of the boat......
 
I rebuild my Volvo a couple of winters ago. Mixed some Hammerite, got a good match. Went on nicely only problem is as the engine gets hot the paint gets soft, it does go hard again once it cools down though!

And another Hammerite woe, I used their special metals primer on some copper pipe, sticks well only problem is their top coat does not stick to their primer!
 
I rebuilt My Volvo (doesn't everybody?)
Go with Allan's de grease, degrease, degrease, degrease never ending degrease theory!
Then I used a primer nicked from ,sorry obtained from a "Local Authority" used to paint Lamposts or something similar. Then the top coat from the same source. Was a bit yellowish ,might give a clue about it's origional purpose.
Then a brush on coat of "genuine" Volvo green sourced from Volspec or similar when there was a half price type deal going on.
18 months later it looks OK.
So it's down to "minting" the eng first a decent undercoat and the best heat resistant top coat you can find. Stuff the colour it can be changed next time you rebuild the engine.
I think Volvo Marine engines should have "quick release mountings"!
 
Degreased mine and given two coats of Massiey Fergason tractor paint, lasts very well on manky tractors and brilliant on my engine, obtained from local motor factor. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
I agree with Pampas, try car/industrial paint factors and ask for Plant Paint. Can be mixed to match if you take a bit of engine along. I litre brushable poly was vaguely about £15 I think. Can also be had in aerosols made to order. Only takes about 15 mins to mix it for you.
 
Hi,
I rebuilt my old rusty cast iron Volvo Penta MD1. Volvo sell the green Paint for there engines, but i did have to find a undercoat before painting. Have you tried your engine manufacturer there must be a part number for the paint.
It took me about 2 months, but the end result was an engine that looked like it had just come out of the showroom, well worth the effort.
 
Cellulose paint in spray cans should last. Engines don't (shouldn't) get that hot. Blistering is usually caused by lack of degreasing, as others have said. That said, some colours will be more hard wearing than others.

My trade was reconditioning engines in the early 70s, so do have some experience of this. I've seen engines years later that still look good after a good clean. Solvent (Gunk) washed off with water will usually give you a good finish. Clean the engine by brushing solvent first, then hose down.
 
[ QUOTE ]

And another Hammerite woe, I used their special metals primer on some copper pipe, sticks well only problem is their top coat does not stick to their primer!

[/ QUOTE ]

mmmmm, not just me then!

Did the leg of an outboard, primer is still there after a year or so, top coat is flaking off in sheets.
 
Alunimium and many of its alloys need an appropriate primer before using spray Hammerite or similar brands of top coat. My (then) local paint specialist gave me a pot for the sump of my Perkins, and that lasted 7 years - til the rings blew.

Worked a treat on my garage doors too . . . there are lots of brands out there that'll prime aluminium - each claiming to be unique, and better then others . . .
 
Spray paints for engines is rubbish.
Get the pots of brush-on engine lacquer. It goes on clean bare metal and lasts well. The alloy gearbox is painted in the silver version.

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I used B&Q radiator white spray paint on my Transit lumps, first they were degreased and pressure washed, no primer just wapped the paint straight on. After a run across to Dunkirk and a visit to the Trad Boat rally they still looked like new when I laid em up back in 2005.
I wonder what they will look like next year when I get back to the old girl.
 
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