Hi Jurgen:
The old recommendation for painting engines is to not use a primer, because
most cannot withstand the heat, but to paint directly on the castings.
I've used this method successfully for years. My MGB engine, painted 3
years ago with a household acrylic enamel spray can, after a simple
pressure washing, still looks as new.
I am sure there are modern primers which are heat resistant but my
experience is that extensive preparation is unnecessary. The factory paint
on fresh castings usually endures for years and it was certainly not as
sophisticated as the paints available today. Paint adheres extremely well
to cast iron if it is even reasonably clean due to the rough porous nature
of the medium. Primer tends to fill the voids and could reduce the
adherence properties existing.
John
>At 10:33 PM 1/25/98 -0400, Enrique Claure wrote:
>>
>>>Hello fellow MGers, My MGB=B4s engine is out and ready for a 99.99% overh=
aul.
>>Before I do so, I will paint the engine with Maroon Red form Hirsch Auto. =
I
>>must first remove the original worn down paint. What should I use to do so=
:
>>1. Sand blast 2. Chemical Stripper 3. Stripper and Mechanical sanding?
>>Thanks for your advice, ENrique.
>
>Enrique, when you take your block in to have the bearing faces and
>cylinders bored(if necessary), tell them to dip it in their tank or have
>it blasted clean in their pressure wash. The machine shop will put a
>special chemical onto the block which cleans all surfaces very well, as
>well as removes any paint. What you get back from the shop, you will have
>a nice, clean surface ready for primer. The apply your engine paint, and
>voila, a magnificent job.
>
>I would discourage the use of sandblasting as a means of removing paint
>from an engine block. The chance of sand getting into the recesses of the
>block are too great. When you rebuild the engine and start up the car for
>the first time, those little sand particles will be floating around
>possibly eating up your critical surfaces and ruining all your work.
>
>Chemical stripping is possible at home, but I did not have the chance to
>try it out. Normally, though, chemical stripping is easiest on smooth,
>flat surfaces, but it may work in crevices of an engine block. I dunno!
>
>Jay
>
>
>***********************************************
>Jurgen Hartwig, Civil Engineering, Georgia Tech
>
>When you were born you cried
>and the world rejoiced
>Try to live your life so that
>when you die you will rejoice
>and the world will cry.
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