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Black Engine Paint and Any Advice

  • Thread starter Thread starter GS700E Lover
  • Start date Start date
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GS700E Lover

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I searched the forum and did not find what I was looking for. I am sure it is out there, but it is easier to ask. What black engine paint do you recommend for engine painting? I prefer it in a can, but that may change with suggestions. For example, the engine is out of the bike and in an engine stand. Should I just have someone media blast it and have it done right or can I get it to look great with cleaning, sanding etc. myself and some good engine paint. What are your thoughts from those that have been through this?

Thanks
 
I used to use VHT gloss black spray cans from the hot rod shop. Of course the cleaner the engine the better. I never glass beaded an engine just to paint it but I would spend hours and hours cleaning, scrubbing and scraping then after that clean everything with contact cleaner and a blow gun with good dry air. The more careful you are with prep the better the result will be.

They look better if the engine is dissassembled and painted (mask off any surfaces you don't want painted) and then when assembled the new gaskets stand out and make the job look factory.

Put the spray can in a tub of hot water for a while before you paint, this increases the pressure inside the can and makes them spray better. You'll need a few cans and a couple of coats. They look really good if you take your time. Follow the directions on the can as far as temperature and humidity go and let it dry for a few days if possible.
 
As above but i use PJ1 engine case paint as its the only thing ive found thats as tough or tougher than the original finish :D

btw i ride in all weather on this fine island of ours & found that vht peels quite quickly, i also prefer to use the satin rather than gloss as it just looks better imo :D
 
Satin vs. Gloss

Satin vs. Gloss

Do you like the satin because it looks more stock? I like things shiny, but I do not want it to look fake or detract from the rest of the bike...

Everyone else... What is your preference on finish...Gloss, satin, etc...

Thanks
 
GS700E Lover said:
Do you like the satin because it looks more stock?
Thanks
Click to expand...

yes exactly that :D most of my bikes get highly modified but imho gloss black on engines just looks wrong, almost as if the owner is trying too hard if you see what i mean

no offence meant to anyone who likes shiny engines its your choice but it just dont do it for me :)
 
I did a satin black on my engine.

Liberal dousing of simple green, hit it with the high pressure washer, two bottles of Eagle One Etching Mag Cleaner between additional high pressure blastings, and a final clean water rinse and thorough dry.

Followed that the next day with brake cleaner and compressed air, and hosed it down with DupliColor High Heat Satin Black.

Been fine all summer long and looks great. Beware though, it will take a few good heat cycles to completely cure. Dont touch it when it's hot, at least for a good 2 weeks.

If I had it to do over again though, Id probably go with a gloss black, as it likes to hold on to a little dust and it's a PITA to keep clean. At least with a good gloss you could just hose it off. Plus, my bike is all gloss black except for the engine and I think it would look better if it matched sheens.
 
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I like gloss black as well. Thanks for the advice. If there is anyone else with some input I would appreciate it. I am painting the motor in an engine stand with no covers. I plan on taping everything off. I plan on cleaning the engine mostly by hand so not to get anything in the openings.
 
The POR-15 products have an excellent reputation for durability, and chemical resistance. Most of these products are formulated to cure through the absorption of moisture through the air so they won’t be affected by gas and oil spills. This would be my choice if you are looking for a top notch job.

Good luck.
 
Check out Eastwood Products. They have lots of things for the classic car restorer. Might have something that will fit the bill.
 
I use Granville Cylinder Black, as Tone etc. said, I use the satin finish, I tried a gloss engine paint, but it was way too shiny, it looked like it had been painted (if that makes sense)

Link to a UK supplier, so you can see what it is at least.

http://www.mandp.co.uk/productinfo.aspx?catRef=503950

So long as you really really really clean everything, then degrease it all with gunk or something, then clean it again a few times, then dry it, it'll come out a treat.

Watch out, these paints are usually very thin and runny, a wee bit goes a long way.
 
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Can you get engines powder coated? I don't know if powder coating deals with heat...
 
Does the satin match what the engine color was originally? The 700 was the same as the 83 750 motor. I like shiny and it will have new chrome. But I also know what was meant by it looked painted and I do not want that.
 
Skyboy8950 said:
Can you get engines powder coated? I don't know if powder coating deals with heat...
Click to expand...

Powder coat is an electrostatic process so it?s very difficult to get the coating down between things like the fins on an engine. Might work well on the crankcase halves but I think liquid paint is a better choice for the upper end.
 
I was thinking about powder coating my bike (tank, side panels, fenders) but remembered that some parts of mine are plastic. That doesn't work well with an electrostatic process. Sometimes you overlook the obvious...
 
PJ1 Satin Black -- it's not quite as shiny as the original paint, but gloss would be too shiny. The coating is very hard and resilient during assembly, but it gets soft and stinky when hot for a couple of weeks. After several heat cycles, the smell fades, and it gets more durable. The PJ1 has a good "build" -- it's nice and thick and levels well, so it's very good at covering small surface imperfections and tolerating crappy spray can technique.

83gs850g_fennimore2007.jpg




Here's another engine I rebuilt and painted with PJ1 Satin. Again, surface prep was pretty casual -- I scrubbed everything clean with detergent and water, then used brake cleaner to ensure there were no oily deposits, but I didn't make any effort to remove corrosion. We decided to black out the side covers instead of polishing:

Sadly, this engine's new owner neglected to put oil in it before the first startup...

P1010040.JPG


Probably should have removed the dinged-up Suzuki emblem from the stator cover first:
P1010043.JPG


DSCI0041.JPG
 
The high temperatures used for powder coating would also create a very serious risk of warping aluminum engine parts. I've seen powdercoated valve covers, but I bet engine cases would warp.
 
paint

paint

I used Rustolium BBQ black on my GS1000 20 years ago and it has heald up very well. I also powdercoated the valve cover engine covers and assorted other nuts bolts and parts. I didn't powdercoat the sprocket cover though as they said it would not be good for the sound deadening foam. I painted it with the BBQ black. The picture in my signature is the bike shortly after it was done. I steam cleaned the engine and side cases and cleaned it with carb cleaner and let it dry. It was totally disassembled as I also put a yosh 1085cc kit in it at the same time.
 
GS700E Lover said:
I searched the forum and did not find what I was looking for. I am sure it is out there, but it is easier to ask. What black engine paint do you recommend for engine painting? I prefer it in a can, but that may change with suggestions. For example, the engine is out of the bike and in an engine stand. Should I just have someone media blast it and have it done right or can I get it to look great with cleaning, sanding etc. myself and some good engine paint. What are your thoughts from those that have been through this?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I dont recommended BLACK engine paint full stop.

It shows grotty dirt and is VERY hard to keep clean! Trust me, Ive been down that route too many times.

Engine paints I use are K&H, much better than VHT but VHT are the 2nd choice.

I recently repainted my GS barrels and head in a silver which is almost identical to the original engine finish.

Looks great!
 
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