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Restoring alloy engine components.


Les Henson

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  • 3 weeks later...

Really nice job! Doing something similar myself and its nice to see the end product before I start experementing myself!

Just painted the engine (did it with gold colour just to leave it similar to what it used to look like, and for some practical reasons, like spotting a leak etc) and now I'm going for the alloy parts.

Just a couple of questions, should I paint the cyl head or not, and what about the mating parts where the gaskets fit, should those be left without paint or not...for example, I left the top face of the block without paint for obvious reasons, what about the rest like the timing case to timing cover faces, or flywheel housing to bell housing faces?

Chris

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You don't want paint where the gasket surfaces are. You'll have to mask them off when you paint. Although it does rather depend on whether there is oil to be kept in. On the two examples you give, I don't think it matters at all. So there I have instantly contradicted myself :)

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You don't want paint where the gasket surfaces are. You'll have to mask them off when you paint. Although it does rather depend on whether there is oil to be kept in. On the two examples you give, I don't think it matters at all. So there I have instantly contradicted myself :)

Thats what I did with the engine block (anyway the original paint helped me guess where paint should go and where it shouldnt) But on the alloy castings its different as there was no paint... well might as well paint them all over, there should be no oil in the timing housing and flywheel housings no?!

To clean the alloy I used an alkaline solution, taking care to wash with water straight away...now will paint them with wash primer and finally with silver heat resistant paint... guess Les used a spray gun to paint them no?

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I've got spray gear, but used aerosol cans instead as I did one part at a time, which is probably why it took so long :(

Gasket faces are usually machined and very smooth, so paint has very little adhesion - I don't paint gasket faces anyway - especially where oil/fuel/compression/vaccuum/fine tolerances are.

I didn't paint the cylinder head because it's brand new - the other alloy parts were badly stained.

Les.

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My 2p worth

Avoid at all cost laquring your engine now that you have finished all that work.

Where i work all the engines come in laqured looking quite smart. But after a few hours running all of the laqure will burn and your hard work will be undone.

It also makes it hard to locate where the inetivable leek is.

Keep up the good work

Si

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I've got spray gear, but used aerosol cans instead as I did one part at a time, which is probably why it took so long :(

Gasket faces are usually machined and very smooth, so paint has very little adhesion - I don't paint gasket faces anyway - especially where oil/fuel/compression/vaccuum/fine tolerances are.

I didn't paint the cylinder head because it's brand new - the other alloy parts were badly stained.

Les.

me got spray gear too, but the compressor has seen better days, and leaks some oil at times...for air tools its no prob but for spraying it is... Will try a bit with a brush and see how it comes... the paint I got is 2 part type, takes hardner and is a bit thick (like hammerite) so it shouldnt look ugly...I think!

Tommorrow taking the block for honing, hope he doesnt mess my work of art! Think it was a bad idea of painting the block before! :(

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Interesting thing I picked up while trawling the net for the best ways to clean badly stained alloy -

The model aircraft guys use 'crock pots' those self heating stewing caldrons on a lowish heat and filled with antifreeze. They they leave their old motors stewing overnight.

Now find me a crok pot big enough for LR parts <_<

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Interesting thing I picked up while trawling the net for the best ways to clean badly stained alloy -

The model aircraft guys use 'crock pots' those self heating stewing caldrons on a lowish heat and filled with antifreeze. They they leave their old motors stewing overnight.

Now find me a crok pot big enough for LR parts <_<

Sounds to me like a job for the old copper (not the policeman!) I have down the shed ... that is after I've used it for heating my waxoyl ...

AndyG

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