tx911

My engine is getting ready ready to come back from the builder and needs paint. I do not want to spent $400 to paint it with inron paint. I have thought about using the dupli-color paint shop paint. It is pre-reduced, laquer based paint for cars. It has a base,a mid color coat, and a final clear coat with the metallic in it. Does anyone know if this will work and hold up? It will cost about $70 as opposed to imron, and I really dont want to rattle can it. Any thoughts

diln911

Might be a little cheap for you.. but when I build engines for my cars, depending on what color you want to paint them, I often use rustoleum black stove and grill paint. It withstands the heat, holds up well when it gets wet and you can get it in a matte or glossy finish. Especially if it is coming back from the machine shop and has been bead blasted or cleaned up down to the metal, it will look nice. Might sound a little primitive, but it looks nice. I think you can get high heat grill paint in colors too.

Good Luck

Jim Courtney
32 Fountain Fever
Richmond VA

tx911

I was trying to avoid the rattle can paint job, but it may ed up that way. I just cant justify the price of automotive paint lie imron. I thought the paintshop paint may be a happy medium, just not sure about the laquer base on a engine.

jeff1000man

I use automotive based paints for engine, but I use an acid etching primer before I start my expoxy primer. THen I apply as I usually would with a car. The clear coat on the engine is good because it helps to seal the paint from things like greas, oil and gas.

getrdunn

Black is always always good as it is suppose to dissipate the heat better than alternative colors. A good metal etching primer as Jeff mentioned is always a good idea also. Don't put it on heavy though. Just a couple of thin coats.

Article RE: black engine paint.
http://www.sacskyranch.com/paint.htm

Color options:
http://www.duplicolor.com/products/engine.html

wtfo

dupont nason zinc chromate / etch primer followed by nason ful-thane urethane. very reasonable price, great gloss, holds up great. then do the lower parts of the oil pan with good rubberized undercoating - no rust. that was recommended by the engine builder and is what they use on their engines (in merc racing blue...). no comparison with rattle can or rustoleum...

rchevelle71

Whatever you use, make sure its a urethane, I use PPG Concept.

Young Performance

I have played around with the Duplicolor body shop and did not like it. I didn't put it on an engine and I'm glad I didn't because it would not have held up. If any gas gets within the same zip code as the paint, it will lift. The clear does not have a very good gloss. I just wasn't happy with it.
I generally use House of Kolor. It is not cheap. Expect to pay $80 a quart. It will take at least a quart to paint 2 engines.
As wtfo said, use the Nason base/clear. Very good paint for a reasonable price. It runs about $40 per quart for paint or clear. They both flow out very good and flash very quickly. They also have a very good acid etch primer in a rattle can. It is the same stuff you spray from a gun, but it comes in a can. That is the primer I use on 95% of the engines I paint. It runs about $15 per can. You should be able to get all of the materials for about $125. I think it will be money well spent.
Hope this helps, Eddie.

tx911

Thanks Eddie that is what I need3ed to know. I was worried about the fuel trashing it, that seems to be the main thing that will tear it up. $125 I can Handle, the $400 for imron I an not ok with

Young Performance

I pulled the invoice for the last paint I just bought. This was about 2 weeks ago. A qt of Nason base (custom color) was $40.80, a qt of Nason clear was $25.00. A pint of activator for the clear was $11.40 and the Nason acid etch primer(rattle can) was $7.75 per can. You will need 1-1 1/2 cans per engine. I have been using this paint for about 2 1/2 years now and love it. I still use House of Kolor for some of the off the wall colors.
Here are a few shots of an engine that I just painted with the Nason paint.
Eddie