Painting the Engine Cases

[lcjohnny]

Time to start tidying up my very tatty monster.

Long term battery boiling has marked the generator case. So painting the engine cases is the first thing or should it be powder coating??

I cannot decide So help!! what is best?

On the one hand does Smoothrite last? .

On the other hand can you get the oil sight windows out without breaking them?
and what about keeping all the mating surfaces for seals etc clean how easy is that?

Advice views prejudice - all wlecome :spin: :twak: :thumbsup:

[Scotty]

have you tryed the search thingamy up there i nthe bar ?

umm anyway IMO
hammerite and the like hard wearing paints are difficult to apply but presumably have a better lasting protection (im cutrrently doing some belt covers with a spray tin of hammerite it sprays rubbish but is better than a brush)

the like of halfords car spray paints in tins are easy to use and you can get quite a good finnish with a bit of effort but it chips a bit easily for exposed bits like engine cases

im not sure about powder coat - hard wearing - but you need someone elst to do it for you basically

and someone used something called 'two pack ' or something to great effect but again your getting in to profeshonal teritory and associated kit

[Yorkie]

Scotty,

Have you been drinking???

Yorkie.

[slob]

or should it be powder coating?
It should really if you want it to last
On the one hand does Smoothrite last?
like all paint, it depends on your prepatation, but it's still no substitute for powder coating/stove enameling
can you get the oil sight windows out without breaking them?
you can, ask Shandy, who found out the hard way last winter
what about keeping all the mating surfaces for seals etc clean how easy is that?
Take it to someone who specialises in bike parts, not industrial job lots: girders, railings etc.


do What Scotty said and search on smoothrite/cases/powder coating

[mad_turnips]

i used a high temp spray paint it worked realy well

[nambduke]

Scotty,

Have you been drinking???

Yorkie.

He ain't been drinkin'....he's been sniffin' those Halfraud spray paints again.....

Mark Nambduke

[stef]

i used smooth hammerite. works great. good finish if well preped.

[makemdan]

hammerite... ughhh
I saw my mates Ford Corsair (ok it was a couple of years ago, maybe more) painted in metallic green hammerite (the old goey stuff) and it was god awful.... but at least he could park where he liked.

Seriously the local car discount shops are great for paints and they often have a great eye for matching. The only thing to remember is preparation and the right primer. I always use self etching primer on alloy but you can probs get away with plastic primer?

[lcjohnny]

Well. I stuck some cellulose stripper on the crankcases - and it is just cellulose paint! No wonder it chips & corrodes -

So Smoothrite has to be better! (no not hammered Hammerite that was for: field radios, 1950s computers, V bombers, tractors and bikes belonging to 16 yr olds - don't ask :p )

I agree about self etching primer but the Hammerite "special metals primer" claims to do that job. So plan is to brush prime & paint the main cases and starter to protect them from stones then primer sand & spray all the other corroded (originally painted) castings.

We shall see - powder coating was £100-200 and involved removing sight glasses and loads of masking - think I will try that when I blow the crank and need a total rebuild!:D

Jon

[Lowsider]

Don't know who quoted you for powder coating but mylocal guys it costs £20 a side.

And it looks great had mine done.

[lcjohnny]

Aye well 'appen we've more money than sense down south! :chuckle:

[Shauns4]

You could always have them polished and clear laquer them, not that good for winter use though.

Shaun

[Nickj]

The paint they use on pylons seems to stick well, available in silver too. A mate had an ex pylon painters landie stripping the dripped on paint off was virtually a hammer and chisel job.

Nickj

[lcjohnny]

Ok
The-no-pain-paint-plan has hit a hurdle.

The "special metals" Hammerite primer is not available as a spray so it is u/s on things that need to be on the v smooth side .

Have other smoothrite users used a primer? If so what?

Johannes Verdi:spin:

[CK & AK]

I used Sparex engine paint on mine, you get it from most motor factors at about £6.99 a can.
You wont need a primer and can spray straight onto the clean casings. I did this in late 2003 and the paint is still on there. The black I used, is over the top of the silver and hasnt chipped or come off and this is my daily commute bike whatever the weather.

It comes in black or silver

Just make sure you key the surface up first

Alan

ps: This has been covered before, in depth..............