Picasso, i'm not. Painting engine and tranny

[janolsson]

Well as i have my original engine out sorting out the rear guide and the damage from a snapped rear chain i thought i'd clean it up a bit. Also whilst refitting the engine first time around i didn't seat the torque converter fully and bust something in the tranny (works but rattles) so got another to put in.

Been cleaning for a couple of weeks now, just 10mins here and there and today was ready to do some prettifying.

I started by buying some VHT paint from USA automotive and a tin of cheap brush on engine paint from the local motor factors. The VHT is for the engine block, heads, valve covers and exhaust manifolds.
I had a go at cleaning the valve covers by hand
Before

after

it got mostly clean but i was concerned about the nooks being grubby so decided on shot blasting. Found a place locally, walked in and there was an old school friend. £10 for both covers, BONUS. The only problem was that even though i said only the outside he did inside a bit and this left blast media in there. I also took both my manifolds to him a couple of weeks ago and he did them for £10 too.

So today got some Mr Muscle oven cleaner and coated the hardware.

After 20 mins i hosed the bits off and left them to dry.
Whilst they were drying i started painting my tranny. I spent a lot of time with brass wheel and brass brush and brake cleaner prepping so i was left with this

I now used a small brush and got to work putting a light coat on first then a second coat. The finish isn't great but looks ok
first coat

Finished

I used the crap gasket you get with the new filter whilst i did this so before i refit i will put the original gasket back on.

 

[Maniak]

Looks nice.. Of course, I'm partial to painted engines (I have two lego looking ones).

Remember though, until the engine paint cures its very easy to chip/scratch/wash off so be careful until the motor has run for a while. If you spill gas or carb cleaner or even ATF on something that hasn't cured the paint may come off.

edit: btw.. what color scheme are you going with on the motor to match the Red Trans?

~Mark

 

[janolsson]

continued

So now the valve covers and manifolds were dry i gave them a good hosing down with brake cleaner to get any bits of blast media the mr mucle didn't.
Below shows the bits ready for paint

I now gave the manifolds a couple of light coats of VHT high temp primer and one coat of the primer on the valve covers.
The manifolds then got a couple of coats of VHT ultra high temp exhaust paint in flat cast aluminium.

The valve covers got a couple of coats of VHT engine enamel in rocket red (same colour gonna be used on the block)

Thats all i got done today. The VHT stuff needs curing by heat for a time then cool and then even more heat then cool so i'm gonna persuade someone to let me stick these things in their oven. mmm my sis is away for a few days at the weekend!!!
I plan to do the engine on Saturday or early next week.
So what da ya think?

 

[janolsson]

Looks nice.. Of course, I'm partial to painted engines (I have two lego looking ones).

Remember though, until the engine paint cures its very easy to chip/scratch/wash off so be careful until the motor has run for a while. If you spill gas or carb cleaner or even ATF on something that hasn't cured the paint may come off.

edit: btw.. what color scheme are you going with on the motor to match the Red Trans?

~Mark

Hey mark
caught me half way through. Gonna do the block in bright red and the heads in cast aluminium. SOHC so i may paint the lower and upper intakes at a later date. being plastic they may take a bit of thought. also not sure what colour to do them. As for your lego engine i've seen that in threads and i like!!
I'm also gonna dress the wiring loom somehow in red, got a few ideas but still considering my options

 

[Joe Dirt]

Looks good so far!

 

[janolsson]

More done

Got a bit more painted today

The waterpump pulley has some masking tape around to preserve the area the belt runs on. I still have to do the heads but gotta wait for the red to go off some before i can mask off the red. I also intend on doing the power steering pulley. I'll have to look at what else once the motor swap happens as the other stuff is being used at the mo.

 

[janolsson]

It's ready

Hey guys
Finally got everything i needed to sort out the engine.
Rebuilt my oil pump and replaced the conrod shells.
Today i buttoned up the bottom. I then put the R/H head back on and set the timing. All went to plan appart from torquing the sprocket bolt. My torque wrench didn't work anti clock (i checked on a different bolt at a very low torque) so i called my mate and he said he had one that did. When i went to pick his up we tested it and his didn't work either. The solution was flip the ratchet head over so it was on the other side, simples.
So now this is what is waiting to go in when i next have a full day off

Regards

 

[IZwack]

Silver, red and a bit of black - good looking combo!

 

[janolsson]

Thanks IZwack

The silver on the heads is cast aluminium in colour so in person it looks like a new cast. The water pump and oil filter carrier didn't get painted as they came up good with a brass brush and elbow grease.

 

[BobWiersema]

Looking good.
Are you going to clean up and or paint the engine bay before installing?

Bob

 

[janolsson]

Looking good.
Are you going to clean up and or paint the engine bay before installing?

Bob

Hey bob
The engine bay doesn't need paint and is pretty clean already but the ancillary brackets, alt and power steering pump are also gonna get a spray and a quick clean of everything else. Maybe get the degreaser and jetwash out.