powder coating engine?

[the_adam]

Hi all,

I'm looking at getting my engine paint sorted once winter is over. The engine block was a bit of a mess before but now it's flaking off everywhere else too :hissy:

So I'm needing the whole engine re-coating (considering having it done in black this time)...firstly I'm wondering whether it's best to go for a respray or powder coating, from the bit of research I've done the general consensus seems to be a powder coat would be more expensive but last longer? The bike has to be used all year unfortunately so salt is a big consideration!

Also, I've been looking for places to have it done and they seem a bit hard to come by around Manchester if anyone knows of a friendly shop (Yorkshire would also be a possibility, I could probably stay with the parents while the work was done). It would have to be somewhere that could remove and prepare the engine - the only space I have is the gap between my housemates' cars in a car park at the moment so doing it myself isn't going to be an option. :(

Adam

[Capo]

I had my cases powder coated by Aerocoat. You have to strip all bearings and seals from the cases. I prepared them myself, chemically stripping the existing coating. I would not recommend any kind of grit blasting except soda.
The masking tape that Aerocoat use leaves its rubber based adhesive behind which is a PAIN to remove.

Here are the parts
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm143/Tarugo996/Bikes/P1000679-1.jpg

and the finished product
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm143/Tarugo996/Bikes/P1000987.jpg

[jerry]

Hammerite paint l works well too.

[He11cat]

I'd say powdercoat.
I have had 3 black engines now.
One is factory and for a 92 bike has worn well except I got some damp start on it by mistake and it's marked the black paint and looks grim got to try and sort it out.

One painted high heat satin black with stainless bolts.
Looked fab have to say but after 3 years and not daily use started to look worn.
It's not a case of touching it up either but strip and off.
But it did look good for a good couple of years.

If I had the monster done I always said I'd stick to black engines but after having 3 I'd keep the monster silver I think.

If your riding all year and not garaged powdercoat it.
My black engines suffered with all year riding.
If you get a bit of corrosion on black it shows up badly!!!
I'd say powder coat .
Trouble is finding someone to take in as do as it sounds like your like me and no place to get it apart and prepped!!

[the_adam]

Capo, that's looking good, can I ask how much they charged for it? Afraid the prep work is going to be a problem here but I'm thinking I might be able to borrow a mate's garage to make things easier...only problem would be getting it all to norfolk then! Did the timing belts cause any problems putting it back together, I've never done anything with a Ducati engine before...

[pooh]

Adam
Ive just done my 900 and the powdercoat cost £250-00 which aint the problem its the £250-00 for new bearings, £130-00 for seals and gaskets ontop of that you will need shims etc when you rebuild the motor. That is of course not including the price of somebody to strip and rebuild it if you cant do it yourself. If you can do it yourself you will need some specialist tools aswell. Its well worth it in the end thou so dont be put off.

Ian

[utopia]

I can't speak from experience, but considering the associated costs of a strip and rebuild if you were to go for powdercoat, I'd definitely consider smoothrite.
The black smoothrite cases on Ped's bike look great (in the pics anyway), and you could do it all with minimal stripdown. On top of that, you could easily touch up any chips or flakey bits that might occur later.
AND think of all the goodies you could get with the money you'd save !!

[analogue_rogue]

I can't speak from experience, but considering the associated costs of a strip and rebuild if you were to go for powdercoat, I'd definitely consider smoothrite.
The black smoothrite cases on Ped's bike look great (in the pics anyway), and you could do it all with minimal stripdown. On top of that, you could easily touch up any chips or flakey bits that might occur later.
AND think of all the goodies you could get with the money you'd save !!

hiya.... im about to start my monster engine paint job... i know i have been lazy and still need to get my ass in gear to do the valves etc.. (still need ya help with that) anyway..

what is this smoothrite you speak of?

[utopia]

Its like a development from the old Hammerite paint marketed for years by Finnegans, but with a smooth finish. Available anywhere, brush or aerosol...the brushing stuff is thick and gunky (I've never tried the aerosol stuff myself). Good stuff.

Re the valve adjustment, let me know when you're ready. I've sorted out a spare micrometer and an old valve shim that you could have to practice on if you like.
I'll be in shrops tomorrow and a day or two more, as it happens.....could easily drop them off ??

[analogue_rogue]

if you wanna drop them off that would be great i can post them back when im done if you like... you could give me some advice about the engine paint too!!!

[the_adam]

Sorry to bring up an old thread, made more sense than starting a new one though :)

Powder coating is definitely out for now, still waiting for some back pay I'd been expecting. I still want it sorting out for summer though. So... the plan is to go for the self-painting option. It can't really look much worse anyway! School holidays are coming up and I conveniently have 4 weeks still to take off before September, should give me plenty time to clean it up first :thumbsup:

Just a couple of things I'm wondering...I know a few older bikers that have removed engines before so should be able to get some help with it, are there any specific problems with the monster though? Also, if I'm supporting it on something I obviously can't paint the bottom, does the join show too much if you do the underside after putting it back on? Bellypan should cover up anything minor with a bit of luck

[analogue_rogue]

The biggest issue i had when i did mine two weeks ago.....

engine mount bolts siezed in place.. and swing arm shims refitment...

nothing hard or complicated jsut fiddly and bloody annoying..

and.... prep prep and prep!!!! if its clean and shiney the primer can stick if its dirty and greasy even slightly it looks shocking when painted and youll be gutted...

[the_adam]

Had a quick look at it last night and I noticed the nut at the front which holds the header pipe in place is...well...not particularly nut-shaped anymore :worried: I can't imagine it not being seized/rounding off... although from the look of it, it may just crumble off as soon as I touch it!

I've been looking into painting it for a long time and the general impression I've got is that stripping the paint right back to the metal to prime it isn't as long-lasting as just sanding off the surface then painting over the top. Also engine-specific paints don't appear to have lasted as well as random barbecue etc paints. Anyone comment on this?

Get the feeling if I do this it may get expensive...got my eye on shiny engine bolts and things already :chuckle:

[gary tompkins]

Cut what is left of the nut off the exhaust studs and wind it out afterwards

I had to replace both of the rusty studs on the 900 for the same reason

[analogue_rogue]

I sliced the nut and hit it off with a chisel. This saved the thread which I cleaned up with a wire brush and thread file. Then copper slipped the new nut going back on.

Paint on engine... Simonez enamel paint. Absolutely amazing stuff....

[the_adam]

I'll remember that one :) Got the week booked off work now so I just need to get everything together!

[the_adam]

Only a week to go now! Got another painting-related question though...

Is it a good idea to do the timing belt rollers (clear covers are planned :) ), and if so do I need to be using high temp paint? Can imagine it getting fairly warm under there... one of those little pots of enamel they use for airfix seemed ideal so I wouldnt have a huge tin left over and I might be able to get a decent colour match with the frame, not convinced how well it'd last though...

[a7avenger]

This is another job that I'm just about to start. My intention is to strip the old paint off and get everything back to nice clean metal so that I know there is not any corrosion lurking anywhere under the old paint, the engine is to being sprayed in one big lump then the covers removed, cleaned up and sprayed or polished seperately (Less masking up that way).
The crankcase covers are being done in Satin Black PJ1, which in my humble opinion is just about the best engine paint around, goes on lovely, tough as old boots once cured and does not need any etching primer.
The crankcase and cylinders will be in Silver Simonize engine paint, which I'm told is good stuff too.
The belt covers are to be PJ1 Satin Black also and I'm hoping the contrast between the Silver and Black with polished valve covers and Stainless cap heads should look quite smart.

[the_adam]

Sounds good to me, make sure you post some pictures when it's done! :)

Unfortunately I've not found anyone free to help out that week, plan now is to give it a go with the engine still on the bike. Will remove everything else that I can and mask the rest off...and be very careful! If it doesn't turn out as well as hoped I'll just have to redo it later, anything would be an improvement at the moment though :thumbsup:

[a7avenger]

Will do, I think some people have had pretty good results on here painting the engine in situ.
I don't know what paint Ducati used but it certainly does not keep the water out, my engine paint has lifted off in big sheets!

[gary tompkins]

It's not the paint that's the issue - more the lack of surface preparation. The short front mudguard on monsters means the front of the motor gets peppered with stones, and once the finish is damaged rot creeps underneath lifting the paint. The fact that UK roads get salted in winter doesn't help either

[a7avenger]

It's not the paint that's the issue - more the lack of surface preparation. The short front mudguard on monsters means the front of the motor gets peppered with stones, and once the finish is damaged rot creeps underneath lifting the paint. The fact that UK roads get salted in winter doesn't help either

Yep style over practicality I suppose, I've bought a Carbon fibre fender extender, it won't go on though if it looks crap.

[gary tompkins]

I bought one in black plastic

Yes they do look crap and mine didn't get fitted - still in the shed

[the_adam]

I was wondering about going for one and just taking it off if I'm going anywhere special... would imagine it'd probably end up unused as well though!

Happened to notice today, my engine has (possibly) rubber spacers between the cooling fins. Anyone know what they're there for? Never actually noticed them on a bike before. They can't be doing the cooling much good - all I can think is that they're maybe stopping resonance, although the fins aren't really that long? A few have fallen out and it doesn't appear to have made any difference anyway...

[analogue_rogue]

Originally they were there for vibration damping. Older bikes had them a lot. But I stand to be corrected.....

[Mark Taylor]

I removed all the rubber grommets from the engine fins when I painted my monster engine (with silver smoothrite - top class) and it made no difference the sound whatsoever.

[the_adam]

Thanks Mark, good to know, they seem quite a tight fit so I don't know how easily they'll go back in again!

The prep work properly starts this weekend, I decided to experiment last night and took most of the paint off the front end of the engine. Looks good but it was a lot of work... a lot of the paint further back is peeling in big sections though, should make things a bit easier :)

One (hopefully last!) question on the paint... I'm going to be using 2 colours, plan is to spray the whole thing black then brush on a thin coat of dark red for detailing (just the hard to reach bolts and Ducati logos...considering the tips of the fins too but that might be taking things a bit far!). Is it a good idea to cure the black paint before trying to put a different colour over the top?