I would like to hear from anyone who has used the Chevy orange Por 15 engine paint. Their catalog says it is a 2 stage process with the primer being black. If you have used this product I would like to know if it lays out without any brush marks and how the orange color is compared to the traditional orange in a spray can. Thanks.

 

I have used the black stuff to paint my fan shroud. I used a paint brush to apply it. It looks great and I am very happy with the results. It won't pass with any NCRS people but I am not out to impress anyone but myself :D
I have not seen or used the color versions of POR 15. The black stuff was easy to use just follow the directions. It is very durable ( I tried to chip it with a hammer on a peice of test metal and it didn't even make a mark). The black stuff used three steps but the first two are for cleaning and surface prep only. the paint is not a two part paint...i.e. no mixing if that is what your asking.
John

 

Thanks for the info. You are correct that the paint is not a 2 part product, but the catalog says you must first prine it with the black stuff and then topcoat with whatever color you want (i.e. chevy orange). I thought a product that went on with a brush was best since I am going to paint the block in the engine bay.

 

Okay... mine's not orange, but...




I used the engine painting kit from POR-15. The brush marks disappear before the paint begins drying. Just make sure your topcoat layers are even, or you'll accumulate paint, and then brush strokes MAY appear, (you gotta look closely though)
The basic steps are: diluting a concentrated degreaser, and cleaning the motor. After this step comes rinsing with a garden hose... this sucks, because you have to find a good way to seal all the exhaust ports and the intake, etc. Let it dry overnight. Next involves using an etching solution, (where you'll gather the runoff in a pan or you'll run out), the solution must soak the metal for about 15-20 minutes. Again, the bs rinsing with plenty of water. Let it dry overnight, again. Finally you brush on your base coat, make sure you use gloves, and old clothes, this stuff STAINS anything. About 2-4 hours after finishing the basecoat (depending on humidity), when the coat is 'tacky' with a slight finger drag, you can topcoat. Each topcoat layer takes about a day to dry, and you should put more than one layer on it. They say to wait at least three days drying time, before running the engine.
I'm real happy with my results, but I wish the product didn't require hauling the engine stand out to the driveway and, literally, hosing the sucker down. It hurt me to see my freshly machined motor get rust spots on the block, and brand-new heads. The hurt went away, though, once the paint job was completed.


[Modified by '75 383 ElkGrove, 5:43 PM 8/13/2001]

 

I don't think this stuff is easy enough to use in the engine compartment, unless you mask/cover everything. Its best to paint the entire area quickly and evenly, so the brush strokes disappear. With the motor in the car, you might be forced to do one spot at a time, and where they overlap, you might get brushstrokes.

 

I found the instruction booklet...
In its FAQ section was this piece;
"Can I apply POR-15 paint over other paints? Yes, but you will lose the important benefits of POR-15. You must remember that ordinary paints are weakened by exposure to moisture. POR-15 can't stop rust if it isn't in direct contact with the base metal."
I painted my motor fresh from the shop, on a stand, so it worked great for me. I dunno about how good the stuff is over other paints, you might want to consider another high-temp paint.