Painting engine by hand
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Painting engine by hand
Hey everyone
My L48 engine looks really bad... the paint is flaking off and there is some ugly rust.
It seems that the engine was repainted with black on some spots. The original color is that 'ugly' blue (it's a 77).
The intake will be replaced by a polished aluminum one, so no need to paint that part.
I don't want to (can't) take out the engine just to paint it.
I just want to paint the major visible spots in Chevy orange.
I have a 'garage bridge' (not sure if I'm using the right word), so I can easily paint the underside of the engine, or some other 'hard to reach' spots.
Is there a good quality 'Chevy orange' paint that I can apply with a paintbrush?
Do I have to remove the rust completely to apply the paint?
Do I need to use a primer first?
My L48 engine looks really bad... the paint is flaking off and there is some ugly rust.
It seems that the engine was repainted with black on some spots. The original color is that 'ugly' blue (it's a 77).
The intake will be replaced by a polished aluminum one, so no need to paint that part.
I don't want to (can't) take out the engine just to paint it.
I just want to paint the major visible spots in Chevy orange.
I have a 'garage bridge' (not sure if I'm using the right word), so I can easily paint the underside of the engine, or some other 'hard to reach' spots.
Is there a good quality 'Chevy orange' paint that I can apply with a paintbrush?
Do I have to remove the rust completely to apply the paint?
Do I need to use a primer first?
#2
Team Owner
There may be some 'ready made' Chevy Engine Orange paint-in-a-can out there somewhere. But, it would be easiest to find an auto parts store which also mixes auto paint. Ask them to make up a quart of 500*F engine paint to match Dupli-Color DE 1620. That should get your engine painted with a brush.
Regardless of "how" you paint it, you need to get it clean first. If you engine is fairly clean already, you can probably go to the quarter car wash and first spray it down with the low-pressure tire cleaner. Let it soak a while, then rinse off with hi-psi rinse. Follow with spot-free rinse to keep all residue off. If engine is grimy, buy a couple of cans of GUNK engine degreaser. Shoot the GUNK where needed and let set. Then do the hi-psi rinse and spot-free rinse.
I did mine 'in the car', but masked stuff of with newspaper, drop cloth, and aluminum foil, then sprayed it with Dupli-Color DE 1620. A couple of cans will get the job done.
Regardless of "how" you paint it, you need to get it clean first. If you engine is fairly clean already, you can probably go to the quarter car wash and first spray it down with the low-pressure tire cleaner. Let it soak a while, then rinse off with hi-psi rinse. Follow with spot-free rinse to keep all residue off. If engine is grimy, buy a couple of cans of GUNK engine degreaser. Shoot the GUNK where needed and let set. Then do the hi-psi rinse and spot-free rinse.
I did mine 'in the car', but masked stuff of with newspaper, drop cloth, and aluminum foil, then sprayed it with Dupli-Color DE 1620. A couple of cans will get the job done.
#3
Melting Slicks
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2017 C3 of the Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '20- '21
I can't see you doing a decent job with a paintbrush. A spray can though can come out quite nice. I found my Chevy engine orangine at AutoZone. As advised by 7T1vette you must first thorough clean the engine of all the grease and grime. Probably the first time it's been cleaned in its life span.
You then need to remove all the rust otherwise your paint will not stick and fail quickly. I scrapped, sanded everything I could get to and then use a etching primer after covering everything I could and spray painted the engine. Lots of work but as with many things prepping is the most time consuming and is the most important step. Good luck Ike
You then need to remove all the rust otherwise your paint will not stick and fail quickly. I scrapped, sanded everything I could get to and then use a etching primer after covering everything I could and spray painted the engine. Lots of work but as with many things prepping is the most time consuming and is the most important step. Good luck Ike
#4
Melting Slicks
You can get a good job on the block using foam brushes in the car as the surface is not smooth, however you will want to spray the valve covers or other smooth parts for a nice look.
cleaning off every bit of dirt or flaking paint first is essential.
i did mine in the car after stripping off the accessories etc.
cleaning off every bit of dirt or flaking paint first is essential.
i did mine in the car after stripping off the accessories etc.
#5
Race Director
There isn't really a lot of engine block that shows except for the very front right around the water pump. You're going to have your valve covers off when you're doing the intake manifold clean them up and spray them while they're on the ground.. Or on a sheet of cardboard. Might want to take the water pump off. Would be the best way to get to the front of the engine to get it cleaned up. the a little bit of the cylinder heads above the exhaust manifolds. Then that's small lip of the block behind the distributor. Everything from the exhaust manifolds down you're not going to see you unless you climb under the car and look up.
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#7
Race Director
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I cant count how many engines ive painted or helped paint with just brushes and perhaps spray bombs,
I hate chevy orange, flame me i dont care, in my 66 i stripped everything off the engine had cleaned it several times and painted just the block with small brushes, black, looked great never flaked off,
If you do top stuff like valve covers and intakes spray bomb them
I hate chevy orange, flame me i dont care, in my 66 i stripped everything off the engine had cleaned it several times and painted just the block with small brushes, black, looked great never flaked off,
If you do top stuff like valve covers and intakes spray bomb them
#8
Senior Member
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St. Jude Donor '10
#9
Race Director
There is something to be said for black. But then, most of my engines are Mercruisers...
#10
Safety Car
Regardless of "how" you paint it, you need to get it clean first. If you engine is fairly clean already, you can probably go to the quarter car wash and first spray it down with the low-pressure tire cleaner. Let it soak a while, then rinse off with hi-psi rinse. Follow with spot-free rinse to keep all residue off. If engine is grimy, buy a couple of cans of GUNK engine degreaser. Shoot the GUNK where needed and let set. Then do the hi-psi rinse and spot-free rinse.
I did mine 'in the car', but masked stuff off with newspaper, drop cloth, and aluminum foil, then sprayed it with Dupli-Color DE 1620. A couple of cans will get the job done.
I did mine 'in the car', but masked stuff off with newspaper, drop cloth, and aluminum foil, then sprayed it with Dupli-Color DE 1620. A couple of cans will get the job done.
#11
Another tip is to wipe the engine down with acetone to get all or any oily surfaces. I wire wheeled my motor when it was on a stand down to the cast but forgot to wipe it with acetone. Now although it was clean paint is peeling. Now I will have to do what you are doing.
RVZIO
RVZIO
#13
Race Director
The air tool with pins-fingers-rods is called a paint chipper...
#14
Correct Color?
Just wondering what the correct color is for a 69 engine? I see that Por 15 has Chevy orange and a Chevy red. Did certain years have slightly different colors? Thanks.
#15
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St. Jude Donor '10
I hope that helps.
David
Last edited by AllC34Me; 10-02-2018 at 11:19 AM.
#16
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
#17
Le Mans Master
The GM Corporate Blue is a fine color, and exclusive to a few years. C4 and up, all GM engines are black. All crate engines are black or orange. Every hot rod you see will have another boring orange engine in it. Embrace the blue and be unique!
A needle scaler might be what you want, but hopefully you can get away with a wire wheel at the end of a drill, after you degrease and clean it of course.
A needle scaler might be what you want, but hopefully you can get away with a wire wheel at the end of a drill, after you degrease and clean it of course.
#19
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter