Painting Engine - Duplicolor or VHT or ???

[Greg72]

It almost time to paint the 502BBC!


What little information I've found online suggests that prep is key (duh) so I'll be giving the block a good once-over with a Scotchbrite pad and then a thorough cleaning with an Eastwood PRE-paint prep solvent.

I've read that using an etching primer is a no-no, since it will not withstand the high engine temps and will peel off and ruin the job. I've heard that there is such a thing as a "high-temp" primer but haven't seen one in a rattlecan (yet). Anyone know if such a thing exists?

Finally, I can get Chevy orange in either a Duplicolor ceramic rattlecan, or a VHT brand... any preferences either for durability or faithfulness to the original factory color?

I'd like to do this project correctly (and only ONCE!) so anyone that has advice on how to paint it to make it last please chime in.

 

[cuervo]

I'll have to look, but I think I had a link to a Super Chevy write up about painting blocks.

 

[fishinnutt]

My block came needing to be touched up at the very least. You spend that kind of money, you would think they could do a better job painting it. The paint job on my engine was kind of hollow in spots.

I think duplicolor owns VHT, so I am not sure how different their product lines are.

 

[89yimmiJ]

I worked at PAW in the 90's and they painted every block(over 25000) with etching primer. I have painted about 5-10 personal engines with etching primer and have never had an issue with it peeling when the block was prepped correctly.

 

[toomany]

I've done over 50 motors with VHT. The only one I had a problem with was the one the battery blew up and got acid over it.

I spray the block/heads with brake clean, tape off with 3m masking tape (being carefull not to touch the metal with my hands). Then hit it with the paint. You have to get all your coats on before it fully drys. One light tack coat, a second and third color coat. And a fourth to get any areas I may have missed. I prefer to let them dry for 24 hours, but the motor in my K5 went in as soon as the paint was dry to the touch. And it was fired and broke in within 6 hours of the first coat going on.

 

[sweetk30]

i like duplicolor ceramic my self. 3-4 coats it starts to look smoth with less casting marks.

here is my doubler setup with the grabber green. 2 coats per.

 

[Greg72]

I'll have to look, but I think I had a link to a Super Chevy write up about painting blocks.

The April '09 issue had an interesting article on "Small Parts Detailing"... which discussed the correct types of paint (gloss black vs. satin, gold cadmium, etc)... are you thinking of a different article?

 

[cuervo]

The April '09 issue had an interesting article on "Small Parts Detailing"... which discussed the correct types of paint (gloss black vs. satin, gold cadmium, etc)... are you thinking of a different article?

Yeah, I think it was an 08 issue that talk about preparing the metal, cleaing, sanding wax and grease removers, masking, painting and curing with heat for a lasting oil resitant finish... grrr, where is it.

 

[4by4bygod]

POR 15 has a nice line of engine paints that I've used..it's brush on, but it flows nice,( so the brush marks disappear ) and you can really push it into the pores of the block.

 

[GNERGY]

Dupli color hi temp engine paint. Once it gets baked on there it's tough as nails.
Tarey

 

[Greg72]

.....UPDATE:


After a bit more searching and reading, I found what I was looking for:

Duplicolor DE1612 - Engine Enamel Primer
Duplicolor DE1620 - Chevy Orange Engine Enamel

Of course none of the local places had these in stock, so I had to place another order with Summit.

Summit P/N: SHW-DE1612 & SHW-DE1620

According to one article I found in Car Craft, guys like Steve Strope (Pure Vision Design) use these two products to paint the engines in their mega-dollar showcars.... guess that's good enough for me.