Painting cylinders and heads

[CarsonsChaos]

First a pic of my new project.

1990 883 Sportster.
now 1200.
Fatbob tank.
Wide glide front.
S&S carb and intake.
Shaved heads.
A little cammed up.
The regular chrome goodies.
But showing some age.

http://www.airbrushtech.info/AIRBRUSH/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=22261&stc=1&d=1226081760

Anyways,
Paint is pealing on the cylinders and heads.
For now, I don't want to take them off but I'd like to touch them up.
I've bought Rustoleum grill and stove paint.
Also VHT ceramic header and manifold paint. (ceramic paint?)
Both in rattle cans.
But I plan on applying it through an air brush.
Any idea which will work best on not perfectly clean raw aluminum??

[Cowboy]

Nice lookin scoot there CC, Far as what I can see, Pics a lil small.

As Far as the paint I,ve used both. The Ceramic seems to be a Bit tougher paint IMO, But either should work Mainly if Your just touching it up.

The Best way I,ve found to get it cleaner is The Cheap Spray carb Cleaner , But Dont get it on any Plastic Or Polished alumium, & dont over use it. Use the Lil tube on the Spray nozzle & You can Direct Exactly where it goes. Allmost Evaporates Immediatly. Works for Me, But I,ve seen others Screw more up with it by Getting in a hurry. Also Protect other Painted & Chrome surfaces to be safe. Other Option is the Good Ole Mean Green degreaser & Much safer . Best of Luck.

[mmccoy555]

I know a guy in the powder coating undustry who cleans the piss out of the engine with a degreaser, then bakes the engine, lets it sit and then bakes it again in his heat booth. You have to take the whole engine apart so as to not melt any of the gaskets and you have to have a spray booth. hehe but I don't see why hitting it with the carb cleaner first then heating with a heat gun a couple time won't hurt. You know just to make sure there is no residual oil or grease left anywhere.

[CarsonsChaos]

Yep, that pics a little small.
How about this one.



http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/carsonsphotos/2008-10-03097.jpg

[Cowboy]

Yep, Much better, Perty clean lookin ride There CC. I Still Stand with My Opinion bout the paints & Cleaning . Thanks for the better pic .

[ABD]

Tiz a beauty of a ride CC!!

I'm with CB on Carb cleaner...Brake cleaner too...Stuff will blast ugly of an ape, I use it probably more than any kind of degreaser..(when cleaning motor type stuff)

I've used the BBQ rustoleum before on Bike motor, held up great...Never tried the ceramic, so I can't offer a comparo.

[CarsonsChaos]

A good friend had 3 bikes.
Moved to Clorado, and had to lose one.
Told me $3.800 and it's mine.
I though, Oh my.
I'll take it.
Don't think I got hurt.
Though after a week and a half, I had to change the front head gasket.
That's how I found out the heads had been shaved.
Buddy thought it had dome pistons.
Oh well, Different process, same result.

Oh, first thing I've ridden with a raked front end.
Takes a parking lot to turn around.
That takes some getting used to.

[ABD]

I dunno if yer thinking of painting the black in between the fins or not?...Best way i found is to spray it all black, then take some wetsand paper on a block and Polish the fins back to bright again....maybe everyone does it that way??...I've done a few, never talked motor painting with anyone tho..hahaha!

22287



Also if ya want it gloss..I know the BBQ stuff is usually flat..I've had good luck with that high heat engine enamel you get at the local auto store..(in a spray can)

Did the whole chassis and motor of this lil quad with it..Held up spiffy like.

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[CarsonsChaos]

That's the plan.
I'd like a satin, but it's flat now.
The other side, were the plugs are, is the worst side.
I'll have to see how close the match is.
Has to be closer than the raw aluminum matches.
One of these days I'd like to either powder coat or just strip them.
But you know how that goes.
One of these days seems to never get here.