Engine Finishes

Can anyone tell me if the black engine paint on a 73 Z1 is gloss or satin? Are the cylinder head fins sanded all the way around or just on the sides? I got all the white corrosion off of the aluminum case covers which left the dark grey blotches all over, are there any chemicals that will bring the bright aluminum back or will this be a manual sanding and polishing project. What is the stock finish on the case covers is it a brushed or mirror finish?

Welcome Tiki, 1,2,3; 1: Satin 2: all the way around 3: manual sanding & polishing . good luck regards Duke

Sorry missed it sanded just on sides (EDGE)

Thanks Duke

Before you start sanding. Try this stuff. It's awesome & might remove those stains with a lot less work.

Even it it doesn't get the stains out, you'll need an excellent polish anyway. This stuff amazed me how quickly it brings aluminum back to brilliance.

Mothers Cream is pretty good. This is way better and faster.

Here's a sample of it's potential. Note this is a cell phone pic and my lense was obviously crudded up.

larrycavan wrote:

Before you start sanding. Try this stuff. It's awesome & might remove those stains with a lot less work.

Even it it doesn't get the stains out, you'll need an excellent polish anyway. This stuff amazed me how quickly it brings aluminum back to brilliance.

Mothers Cream is pretty good. This is way better and faster.

boy id hate to be around your place on mothers day! :woohoo: ive tried the mothers billet polish,i wasnt very impressed with it myself!
costs twice as much and worked half as good as the origional cheap stuff! :S
so where do you get the pyro polish larry? :laugh:

PLUMMEN wrote:

larrycavan wrote:

Before you start sanding. Try this stuff. It's awesome & might remove those stains with a lot less work.

Even it it doesn't get the stains out, you'll need an excellent polish anyway. This stuff amazed me how quickly it brings aluminum back to brilliance.

Mothers Cream is pretty good. This is way better and faster.

boy id hate to be around your place on mothers day! :woohoo:

ive tried the mothers billet polish,i wasnt very impressed with it myself!
costs twice as much and worked half as good as the origional cheap stuff! :S
so where do you get the pyro polish larry? :laugh:

Hardley Ableson dealership sells it here

It's not aggressive as in having a lot of grit. What it does seem to do is deep clean the aluminum quite easily and the fine abrasive in it polishes very nicely.

Truck stops are good places to find aluminum polishes. Those guys want products that get the job done easily with the amount of aluminum they have to polish.

The Bombs Away also worked good on my chrome pipe.

Here's another product with money back guarantee. This was used by someone I know and also did an excellent job.
www.wenolit.com/

Just so you know, You can't use a regular high heat paint on an air cooled motor. You will burn it up.
They make a special paint for air cooled motors.

The aluminum in the jugs and heads is porous, and that helps dissipate heat. Putting a high heat enamel seals those pours and that will cause the motor to run hotter.
It's kind of like putting a plastic bag on and going for a jog.

They make a case paint that allows the aluminum to breath.

Now if it's a liquid cooled engine. regular high heat paint is fine.

can you enlighten us on this special miracle paint?
ive got a 73 z1 id like to restore some day but was really worried about finding paint that wont peel off aluminum

I'm not talking about paint made just to stick to aluminum. I mean paint that is made for air cooled aluminum engines, that is designed to let heat dissipate through the paint.

I have built air cooled VW Beetles for the past 25 years as well as bikes. There is a parts store here that specializes in air cooled VW's and he sells the paint there. I haven't been able to find a link this morning, but if I can't find it I'll swing by his shop and get a product name.

To clarify what I was talking about,
Air cooled aluminum engine heads and jugs are made out of porous (small air pockets)cast aluminum, heat dissipates through the pours in the cooling fins. putting a regular high heat paint seals those pours, preventing the heat from escaping as it should that will cause the engine to run hotter and could burn the engine up.

You can get away with regular high heat paint if you take short trips, ride in cooler temps or have a liquid cooled bike.
But if you get out on a 100 degree day and get stuck in traffic, you can cook your engine with a quickness.

Oliver wrote:

I'm not talking about paint made just to stick to aluminum. I mean paint that is made for air cooled aluminum engines, that is designed to let heat dissipate through the paint.

I have built air cooled VW Beetles for the past 25 years as well as bikes. There is a parts store here that specializes in air cooled VW's and he sells the paint there. I haven't been able to find a link this morning, but if I can't find it I'll swing by his shop and get a product name.

To clarify what I was talking about,
Air cooled aluminum engine heads and jugs are made out of porous (small air pockets)cast aluminum, heat dissipates through the pours in the cooling fins. putting a regular high heat paint seals those pours, preventing the heat from escaping as it should that will cause the engine to run hotter and could burn the engine up.

You can get away with regular high heat paint if you take short trips, ride in cooler temps or have a liquid cooled bike.
But if you get out on a 100 degree day and get stuck in traffic, you can cook your engine with a quickness.

Won't argue the logic in that. 100 degree ambient with traffic jams is never good.

On this particular engine Duplicolor Metal Cast paint.

Was a hot, hot summer here. No issues with overheating. KZ1000 Block, sleeved and bored to 1197. No problems with heat what so ever.