Engine painting

I need to paint the engine for my 85 VF1000RF. Engine is out of bike and on the shed floor.
Any suggestions as to how to clean it up and paint it without getting water/cleaner into the motor would be appreciated.

 

Use masking tape to seal off all openings and use foaming degreaser to get the loose stuff off. Then use walnut to blast off all the harder muck. When you are done, use foaming degreaser again and finish with an acetone wipedown. Then get some VHT engine paint and paint away. I like the look of shiny engine fins. You can do that by either taping them off before paint, or hitting them with a bastard file after the engine has been painted.

Jose

 

Tape off all the openings, plug up what you can. Whichever degreaser you have available but be sure to clean it off thoroughly. IIRC, I did wipe down with acetone. 3 layers of engine high temp rattle can, cure once it's in the bike and running. It's held up remarkably well.

 

Thanks for the ideas guys.
Vfrcapn, the idea with the rear exhausts is exactly what I needed. Great thinking.

 

Seal open ports with aluminum foil backed with masking tape. Consider that any of the degreasers can affect the adhesive on the many types of masking tape, you might want to do a couple of tests first.

A good general degreaser is ordinary dishwashing detergent. The cheap stuff is fine.. Apply it straight out of the bottle brush it in with a stiff brush and let it sit for a spell and then hose it off.

Areas where there is flaking should be prepped by feathering. Merely painting over patchwork surfaces will show in the finish coat unless "wrinkle paint" is used.

Bulk high temp paints are available as well as in rattlecans. Not sure about what you guys in OZ can get but Sherwin-Williams has these coating even in titty pink if that is what is wanted.. SW calls theirs "Flame Control. Another is a US product called "Stove Bright" many colors from black to white to metallics.

On the acetone final cleaning wipe, standard Stoddard solvent should work as well. Acetone can cause problems on finishes since it is an effective paint remover.

Not a clue as to what is meant by a foaming cleaner. I hope the reference is not to one of the many sodium hydroxide base oven cleaners on the market. These can pit aluminum alloy.

Aluminum alloy parts IMO are best off cleaned, prepped and primed before application of the finish coatings. The primers counteract the outgassing in aluminum outgassing especially on aluminum that is heated. This can cause debonding of the paint or coating.

A good way to do your actual painting if possible is to suspend the engine by use of a pully, chainfall ect. Lots of nooks and crannies on bike engines. Having a good flashlight at hand is also a good idea.

If time permits another couple of degreasers that are effective is "GUNK". Voodoo stuff that has been around for years. Rattlecan available but pricy. The concentrate is mixed with #2 diesel to suit, one more that is sort of time consuming is a good coating of WD-40 and a rest period of about a week. More voodoo chem.

I am almost sure that one or more of our "members" know all those deep dark secrets and will share same so we can make our own from organic and gluten free supermarket shelf items..

 

Thanks badbilly some vey helpful advice.
Cheers

 

If you go with the wrinkle paint, one of the better rattlecan "brands" is by Harley-Davidson. Same deal on primer on aluminum. The trick to applying wrinkle paint is to spray in one direction, then across, then on a diagonal. The first coat can be lighter than the second. A hair dryer of a heat gun aid in dry itme. Heavy coatiings like this take several days to cure.

 

No wrinkle paint for me.
I am trying for the factory look so will use pj1 satin on the engine block and gloss/semi gloss on the covers.
Good idea with heat gun, I also use a blower heater to cook the paint a bit quicker.

 

Do you need to use metal primer under the top coats on alloy parts?

 

IMO generally speaking yes. There are ferrous and non-ferrous metals and primers that are suited for each. One caveat is stainless steel (Inox??) There are paints and coating that do both but these are not usually found in autosupply outlets.

Aluminum and aluminum alloys outgas so that the effect will push the paint or coating away from the substrate. One of the above coatings mentioned was "Stove Bright" which is formulated for application over non-ferrous alloys. Probably impossible to obtain in UK.. Made in USA in Washington state.

Laws differ in most places so I cannot comment on what is and is not in UK. Best primer for aluminum is zinc chromate. Nasty stuff but it works..

Minimum "ATGATT" for all these exotic voodoo chem paints and coatings is a proper fitted mask with suitable filters installed. Same deal in UK as in Canada, same potential for drooling only in Canada it's in their Canadian Bacon and there it would be fish and chips or that God awful Paki curry..