Powder coated or painted??? Which is it, Honda no help:/.

I put two small scuffs on my RH crankcase cover on my 06 VFR, which was otherwise in showroom condition. Therefore, I went in search of touch-up paint for it. Local dealer said there is no such thing. Then I place a call to Honda. Customer service tells me there is no paint code and they don't know what it is and that's it and that's all, have a good day.

So, either Honda outsources the painting or powder coating (which ever it is), or they just don't want t tell me.. Not sure. I go to local paint supply dealer to see if they're fancy portable computerized paint match program will work, and of course it did not, but the person says that it might be a powder coating, as it has a sort of flat type finish.

Does anyone know where I can find this code and or touch-up for the 2006 VFR RH crankcase paint? I would be very appreciative if someone could steer me in right direction. meanwhile, I will continue to try and find someone at Honda that gives a crap and wants to try and help me..

Cheers

 

"Local" paint stores are mostly for housepaints. A wide variety to be sure. Try an automotive paint supply. NAPA stores sometimes have paint departments. They sell Martin-Senour a division of Sherwin-Williams. Also contact a powdercoater in your vicinity.

If Honda's customer service is outsourced, the contact person is likely operating from a script and doesn't know a motorcycle from a ____________.

 

The paint supply business I went to, was a automotive paint specialist.

 

If there is another in your vicinity got and talk to them.

Powdercoating sheen levels can be nearly dead flat to high gloss. The scanner for matching paint in both regular and automotive paint stores cannot tell the difference whether a substrate is painted or powdercoated.

Just a guess but since Honda paintwork is factory then it is possible that the coating on cases is also factory.

If you are doing business with your local Honda folks, put the arm on them to get you the answer to your questions.

Give it some time, there are dudes here that are founts of esoteric information and maybe even collect old engine cases for a hobby..

 

Any kind of paint you try and use while it's on the bike won't hold up very long, powder coating is the way to go. For now take a magic marker (if you can match color) and touch up scratches till you can get it coated. Clean thoroughly before putting it back on, they use fine glass beads to prep case. Just had my '83 case done, and it looks great.

Are the scuffs just to the paint, or is there damage to the aluminum?

 

No damage to aluminum, just minor scuffs. I just can't see replacing the case for these, as wear from boots will eventualy happen anyways

 

There is no paint code for crank case covers. Honda (and most of the Japanese mfgs) do outsource their touch up paint. You'll notice that if you order touch up paint from your Honda dealer, it'll come from a company called color rite, not Honda. I'm pretty sure Honda actually uses a chemical finishing process (similar to parkerising) on their case covers. For this reason, Honda customer service isn't going to be able to provide the color code because it doesn't exist. I used to work for a Honda dealer and we have had this problem before. Occasionally a valve cover or case cover or something else similar would get scratched in the shop and as far as Honda is concerned the only acceptable fix is to r&r it. I know this sucks for the DIY'er like you and me but that's how it is.

As far as paint vs powder coating I think powder coating will be the best substitute to the original finish in terms of quality and durability.

 

You are right about boot marks, might try some rubbing compound and a hand buffer.

 

With careful masking, and a real painter employed, those scuffs might be diminished with a couple of coats catalytic clear. This is called a "lens effect" and is optical in nature. For that crankcase cover a pro painter might use a small HVLP top feeder or an airbrush.

Parkerizing is mostly used on guns and uncoated steel. It does not work on non ferrous metals. It also does not work on steel with a high nickel fraction.

Anybody that has information on how to tell powdercoating from paint on any finished substrate please don't keep it a secret.. This short of looking up one of several paint and coating analysis labs here and elsewhere.

Removal of coatings in general by abrasion is nearly as complex as the coatings themselves. The general term is "sandblasting" A more precise term is "media blasting" the media can be as non-intrusive as bicarbonate of soda to slag used in machines called track blasters used to scarify old concrete flooring. Other media does include sand, nut shells (this does not include SOW) , glass beads as used in portable blasters, and shaped polycarbonate media of known durometer, size and physical profile.

Buff it oot and ride the damn thing or get it chromed.. LOL