Engine Painting

[pferreira]

Do any of you boating friends paint or touch-up the motor paint. Mine is black, but I am noticing some spots of rust and was wondering if I can buy engine paint that can be brushed on to cover/protect and "kill" rust spots?

I understand this are from salt and water, etc... but I think it would be a good idea to clean them and touch-up!

:smt038

What do you think?

Peter

 

[tobnpr]

Your engine manufacturer (Mercruiser?) makes engine touch-up paint. Special high-temp, designed for that purpose.
Use a rust converter first on rusty areas. Corrosion is your enemy...

 

[fwebster]

I touch-up engine paint when I do my annual service every year. My engines are white so I see everything. Even though it cost a lot more, I find that an automotive acrylic enamel that dries to a glossy finish makes keeping things clean duing the year much easier.

 

[fc3]

I bet you'd haul the engines and paint them in a booth if you could get Sirens Song into your barn.

 

[J Levine]

I spent a lot of money on Mercruiser OEM black paint before buying some generic gloss black engine paint from an autoparts store, looks the same costs about a quarter of the real thing.

 

[Robski97]

Guys ,
No Primer first?

Frank ,
I purchased Cummins white spray paint. Stuff runs all over the place. I sanded but didnt prime . What am i doing wrong ?

Rob

 

[Four Suns]

I agree the Cummins paint can run if you are not careful. I've had to sand some runs off my aftercooler. A actually clean and paint the aftercooler exteriors every year as they turn a marshmallow brown after about 100 hours.

I keep a can of Rustoleum (sp?) rust stop/primer that I use before I paint a spot/repair. I also have a small wire brush on a dremel tool that I can get most of a rusty spot clean first. I wipe the area with acetone then prime and paint.

 

[pferreira]

Yep... I would think it would be a good idea to wire brush all the rust first, treat it with something to stop the rust and than paint...

Do they sell paint that can be applied with a brush? The spray would be hard to get at some spots!

 

[fwebster]

Rob,

Cheap paint in spray cans is really hard to work with in confined spaces, besides, you get overspray everywhere if you back off far enough to avoid runs. I have just found that color matching automotive enamel then spraying it with a $5 disposable Preval sprayer works better for me.

 

[tobnpr]

treat it with something to stop the rust and than paint...

Rust converters are available at any auto supply store. Converts sruface rust from iron oxide to iron tannate. Better than a primer IMO. You don't need to sand rust to bare metal, which isn't usually practical on an engine.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/BONDO-MAR-HYDE-RUST-CONVERTER/GP_2000774_N_111+10201+600016934_10101.jcw

 

[douglee25]

Local auto stores may refer to the rust converter as 'Naval Jelly'.

Doug