Painting large inner engines

[GoldenDays]

I have some rust appearing on my two fifteen-years old 680HP MANs and the white paint is scrapping in a few areas.
Does anyone have experience in painting such large engines?
Which preparation do you recommend?
I am planning to degrease, apply POR-15 rust preventing primer (that also reabsorbs rust) and paint over with an enamel-type paint that could support high temperatures.
Stripping the current paint is out of question since access to all sides and areas of the engines is problematic.
Many thanks!
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[tcm]

the intercooler bits (with the lattice work at the back of the engin that mechanics always use as a workbench) seems difficult to prevent from enamel-type paint lifting. Perhaps mask this and use aluminium paint - but mines gone rusty so er i'll use YOUR tip regaridng primer and try again...

Thin you need to mask off, get the fans going and use a compressor, surely?

 

[GoldenDays]

Thanks, TCM. I was planning to use a compressor but I am not yet 100% sure that it is the best solution for all the almosty hidden engine spots. I have to make a visual inspection and then decide what to do.

Regarding painting, and the problem you mention with your engine I suggest you read the following questions & answers from my dialogue with the POR-15 manufacturer. May be that helps you too.
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I am considering the use of POR-15 in maritime engines but I don’t know if it is suitable or not for that kind of application.



Major reasons are the following:



a) Engine compartment is with moisture, being cold at the marina, and warm when the boat is running;

Fantastic environment for our product – POR-15 loves moisture (it makes it stronger) and can handle up to 600F



b) Engine and accessories are all painted together in the same colour by the engine manufacturer (MAN);

We have topcoats including many engine enamel colors that are designed to go over POR-15



c) Engines are large (600HP) placed side by side, and access to their bottom and one of the sides in each engine is very difficult. By that reason it will be almost an impossible task to remove current painting in some of the areas and arrive to bare clean metal, which seems to be a requirement for the application of Metal Ready.

Correct, however you do the best you can in those areas follow the steps but make sure you rinse with fresh tap

water after the application of Metal Ready



d) Different metals combine in the engine, since we have sensors that I suspect have a brass body. The engine manufacturer with the same colour paints even rubber hoses.

Our process will work on all types of metal, if you want the rubber hoses painted – there shouldn’t be a problem there but obviously your not trying to prevent rust from forming on rubber.



I have the following questions:



1) Can Metal Ready be applied by spray or brush over an existing paint (not bare metal), if the paint is kept only in areas where rust is not present today?

Yes, rinse thoroughly with clean tap water

2) Would that be of any advantage in terms of rust prevention, assuming that those areas have no rust beneath?

After you coat with POR-15 and a new topcoat you will get more protection, but for the best possible rust protection POR-

15 should be applied to bare metal

3) Which engine enamel would be suitable for such large maritime engines running at high temperatures?

Any of our engine enamels will work

4) How to paint rubber hoses? With the sequence Marine Clean + POR-15 + Engine Enamel? Is POR-15 recommended and safe for that?

Yes, but it’s not what POR-15 was developed for and it will actually seal the hoses for better performance from rubber alone.

5) Do you have any specific recommendation or instruction that I can download about such type of application?

The products come with instructions – especially if you order the Engine Painting Kit and check out our website under product information for each product and the kit.

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Cheers

 

[rich]

Is This an Advert or WOT, come on TCM? Compressor! in an engine room, I hope you've got BIG fans /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif What is POR-15 anyway?

 

[studgies]

[ QUOTE ]
come on TCM? Compressor! in an engine room, I hope you've got BIG fans

[/ QUOTE ]

I can confirm the answer is yes to both

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[rich]

I meant paint spraying /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[GoldenDays]

When I agreed with the "compressor" I was addressing the paint spraying technique, which can be done with a compressor or with a simpler HVLP (High Volume, Low Pressure) environmental-fiendly spray station, like those manufactured by Earlex in England.
POR-15 is a line of products manufactured in US and sold in England, and other EU Countries, which had a lot of success in car and engine restoration. It some aspects it is similar to Hammerite, but seems to accept and chemically combine with any type of enamel or paint over it without any adverse reaction. The manufacturer site is http://www.por15.com/.
I am not endorsing any brand on this forum. Just trying to help others, and find help for myself when the time comes to paint my engines.