Engine. Paint or no paint?

I am going to bead blast all engine castings. But I have dilemma if I should leave it as is - bare alum or paint.
Seems like a lot of people paint engines. Not sure what is the reason?

I can think that paint (if good) can be cleaned up much better/easier vs alum later in life.
I am also on a fence regarding black paint. It's 650, came unpainted. So, if painting - probably silver, but which one?

And, if paint - what is the ultimate choice? I see PJ1 being recommended. If I have access to spray gun and want best, what would be the choice?
I don't have oven though. But I do have IR lamp

Thanks!

Ultimate choice would be what Kawasaki used during the early 1980's. I have no idea what kind of paint it is but it's damn durable. They sprayed the engine with seemingly only minimal attention to masking, as referenced by the large amount of over spray inside the engine, but that paint holds tight and doesn't flake or peel, despite constant exposure to high temperature oil. I'd love to learn what type of paint this is, and if it's still available.

Nessism wrote: Ultimate choice would be what Kawasaki used during the early 1980's. I have no idea what kind of paint it is but it's damn durable. They sprayed the engine with seemingly only minimal attention to masking, as referenced by the large amount of over spray inside the engine, but that paint holds tight and doesn't flake or peel, despite constant exposure to high temperature oil. I'd love to learn what type of paint this is, and if it's still available.

Oh, they actually painted? Can't tell.

But anyways - there got to be something better than "rattle can". Maybe cylinder and head is different story (because of higher temp). But casings?
Maybe they just clear coated it?

Nessism wrote: Ultimate choice would be what Kawasaki used during the early 1980's. I have no idea what kind of paint it is but it's damn durable. They sprayed the engine with seemingly only minimal attention to masking, as referenced by the large amount of over spray inside the engine, but that paint holds tight and doesn't flake or peel, despite constant exposure to high temperature oil. I'd love to learn what type of paint this is, and if it's still available.

Me also. I’d like to know the frame paint as well. Even with the powder coat I had done on my project it’s tough but brittle. I have a an area under the lower yoke clamp bolt that has chipped off from the split lock washer digging in.

I think I know what I am going to do with casings. I will see how bead blasting goes and just coat them with automotive clear.
How hot do they get anyways? Clear should withstand those temps me think.

Not sure about head and cylinders though.. Maybe just leave them as is after cleaning. And maybe clear valve cover

Mostly because this will give me color I want and mostly because I already have this clear.

Clear won't hold up on an engines. You need to paint. Maybe the catalyzed version of Cerakote? I'd try that after being sure to strip all the old paint by media blasting.

And speaking of blasting, be sure to keep the grit out of the oil galleys in the head. It's damn hard to clean out the blind passages unless you pull out the press fit plugs.

www.cerakote.com/

Nessism wrote: And speaking of blasting, be sure to keep the grit out of the oil galleys in the head. It's damn hard to clean out the blind passages unless you pull out the press fit plugs.

www.cerakote.com/

Yes, I am working on a "plan" . I don't think I need to blast any of the internal surfaces. I may just mask everything except for places to be painted.
Then I can use soda to clean gasket surfaces.

And I was thinking on using pressure washer to clean parts afterwards

Got response from Cerakote. Their recommendation for paints which don't have to be oven-cured:
www.cerakote.com/shop/cerakote-coating?c...eries&temp=cera_1800

Application instructions here:
images.nicindustries.com/cerakote/docume...333765134.1566230269

I might just try that. Interesting to read application guide. They do not recommend bead-blasting. Areas painted need to be coarse-blasted to give a good bite.
Prepared parts(not painted) ideally need to be baked to 300 degrees for a 30 minutes to let any remnant oil/etc get out.

And final cure will be in 45 days after application. I think I can do that. Going to order paint swatches as I am still on a fence "black" vs "silver"

Check out SHARKHIDE. I have used and seen results.If you are looking to like the aluminum case look opposed to paint.Its about $80 a quart. Its used a lot in the high end pontoon crew for those big polished pipes they ride on in mucky ass water with no oxidation. You have to be insane on your cleaning procedures no matter what you use for proper adhesion of any topcoat.

Shankkole wrote: Check out SHARKHIDE. I have used and seen results.If you are looking to like the aluminum case look opposed to paint.Its about $80 a quart. Its used a lot in the high end pontoon crew for those big polished pipes they ride on in mucky ass water with no oxidation. You have to be insane on your cleaning procedures no matter what you use for proper adhesion of any topcoat.

I searched on it but don't see any evidence of using it on engines. It's preserving aluminum(metal) and preventing corrosion. Sounds great in theory, but no info on how it's going to do with high temps, oils and gas.

There are a lot of Harley panhead and shovelheads out there with this on the cases. Its more in the chopper crowd. There is an old iron engine builder with the company name Dragstews in Bellevue florida. I first saw this stuff on one of his builds four years after new, still beautiful with some small dings in front of the cases.I suck at computer tech, and don't know how to link a damn thing. Hope this helps.I am doing the final polishing on my Z cases and they will be coated with shark hide.It will be a good two months before she is running and I can show you all how it holds up to the heat on the Kawasaki aluminum cases.

Received paint samples from Cerakote. I think I will go with bottom one. Matches blasted aluminum perfectly. Handles 1800F. Air dry product.
Still need to bake cases to get any of the grease out, but it is doable.