Bit by bit I've refurbished most of the visible surfaces on my '98, and it's looking really sweet now. The only blemish is the engine, which has heavy corrosion. I've tried searching but have found little on topic. The initial problem is how to get the existing, very rough surface smooth enough to make a repaint worthwhile. Then, what do I have to do to make the new coat last well? Especially given that anything I apply has to be highly heat resistant. Then there's the position of all the nooks and crannies - would I be able to do a good job with the engine in situ? Spray or brush? How much trouble is it to remove the engine and do it properly? So many questions, so little idea. 

I'm not sure about the best way to proceed on this. Any advice / experiences / links would be gratefully received as always.

The last air cooled engine I painted,I taped off the intake port,exhaust ports,any place water could get in I taped it off.Then I used a good degreaser and washed the engine good.Next,I used a wire brush to clean off any peeling paint and rough up the surface.Then I washed it again to remove any loose paint or debris.The I painted it with high temp engine paint.BTW,I had the engine out of the bike.Remember to label your wiring,hoses,and cables if you're not familiar with their locations.

Quote from: ben2go on June 15, 2008, 06:38:28 PM
The last air cooled engine I painted,I taped off the intake port,exhaust ports,any place water could get in I taped it off.Then I used a good degreaser and washed the engine good.Next,I used a wire brush to clean off any peeling paint and rough up the surface.Then I washed it again to remove any loose paint or debris.The I painted it with high temp engine paint.BTW,I had the engine out of the bike.Remember to label your wiring,hoses,and cables if you're not familiar with their locations.

Yup, pretty much what I did
1.) Remove Engine
2.) Seal off all entry points to the inside of the motor (Intake, Exhaust, Spark Plugs Left In)
3.) Remove all Rubber Items
4.) Bring Engine to Car Wash
S.) Hose motor with Soap and Water avoiding Intake and Exhaust area.
6.) Spray engine with Heavy Duty Engine degreaser
7.) Use small bristled brush scrubbing between cooling fins and in all crevices., hose degreaser and dirt off, repeat.
8.) Use a Red Coarse 3M Scrub Pad to remove stubborn dirt and scuff the paint and debris between the cooling fins, hose off with soap and water, repeat if needed, rinse with hot water.
9.) Scuff all areas with Red 3M Scuff Pad, wipe down with alcohol or paint prep product.
10.) Paint according to directions on can, I think I applied 4 Coats total.
11.) No word on how it will stand up as I haven got it back in the bike yet, I'll post results if anything weird happens.

Heres the results.

That's one nice lookin engine!Now do mine. 

Quote from: ben2go on June 15, 2008, 08:13:28 PM
That's one nice lookin engine!Now do mine. 

Sure, Crate it up and send it to me, I'll send it back.....

Quote from: Fry on June 15, 2008, 08:27:08 PM

Quote from: ben2go on June 15, 2008, 08:13:28 PM
That's one nice lookin engine!Now do mine. 

Sure, Crate it up and send it to me, I'll send it back.....

J/K my engine has been painted with a base coat/clear coat.It actually shines like a new dime when I wash it. 


Your engine does look as good as factory or better.Better I think.

I debated with going with a gloss always a classy look, yet deciding I wanted the tank and frame a Flat Color I went that route with the motor as well.

That looks fantastic, Fry. How hard is it to remove the engine? How long did it take?

Physically the motor was a Buddha Loves You coming out. I had the bike almost completely stripped down and in hindsight  I should have removed the swing arm and rear suspension then I think I could have moved the frame off of the engine rather than the engine out of the frame, at least I think it would have been easier that way.

I have to put the motor in, out and finally in again permanently for some mock up purposes and will try doing the frame onto the motor rather than trying to wrestle a freshly painted motor into the frame, even tapping it up I know it will get scratched pretty badly irregardless of how careful.

A exhaustive cleaning and careful attention to paint prep will leave you with good results from a rattle can spray job.

what did u use to plug up the wholes?

Socks and Duct Tape.

lmao awesome! thanks!

i'm planning to paint my bike during the winter

Engine looks great, I'm planning on repainting mine once I complete the rebuild.  What paint did you use?  I have a 90 GS, so my engine is mostly black.  Anyone have suggestions on paint (brand, color) for the older engines?

Thanks,

Nick

My engine was originally Gloss Black but I wanted a change in look.

I used Duplicolor 1200 Degree Heat Resistant Ceramic Engine Paint, Flat Black. Duplicolor also has a 500 Degree Heat Resistant Paint.

For the Valve Cover, Starter Cover, and some small inspection windows on the motor I used the same color (Graphite Wheel Paint) that I used to paint my rims, which I feel will give me some needed contrast from all the Matte and Flat Colors on the bike., this paint is also a Duplicolor product I believe.  Tank Will be a matte Black, the Frame and Subframe will be a Semi Gloss Black, Fork Legs and Swingarm will be either a Flat Silver or Dull Aluminum. Bars will be Graphite, Chain, Levers, and foot/heel guards will be anodized Gold.

Again, the key with any paint is the amount of proper prep work you put into it prior to laying your first drop of paint. Get the surface completely cleaned of dirt, debris, grease(From bare finger tips as well) and chemicals along with any flaking paint, scuff surface with appropriate item (Wire Brush, 3M Scuff Pads, Sandpaper to ensure proper adhesion of the new paint.) and stick to the directions on the back of the can. Don't be tempted to lay down a heavy first coat, you basically just want to "Dust" the entire motor and allow the proper dry times between coats, not to long either.

Prep, Prep, Prep...

any before shots of teh engine?

This is the only one I have to make a comparison of.

The motor and for that matter the rest of the bike are in very good shape aesthetically speaking yet as I mentioned I wanna go from the "Barney" look to something a tad more sinister.

Are there any guides on how to remove the engine? I don't have a Clymer.

Get your self a big pry bar, a few Gorillas, numerous sockets, wrenches and therapists and wrestle it out. It also helps to remove the valve cover....I dread stuffing the painted slug back in.

The biggest thing I've read for putting the engine back in, if possible, strip the frame down!  Sit the engine on blocks, and actually move the frame around to get the engine back in the right spot then slowly bolt things back on.  It might make more work in the end, but it might also save the paint work you've just done.

***EDIT***

Don't drop the engine by yourself with one jack and wearing sandals.  I thought I was going to either lose a toe or drop the engine, and at that point I was more worried about dropping the engine to think "OH CRAP MY TOES ARE UNPROTECTED DOWN THERE!"