Painting Engine Parts

[Canyonero]

I have an intake from a 3.1L to swap onto my Trooper. Just got it back from the machine shop today, cleaned an bead blasted. So, how should I finish them? Do it myself, get it powdered, leave it bare, or what? I've never had to do finishing of engine parts before.

[IsaacHayes]

As long as you prep well with some sort of degreaser (dish soap, water, then brake cleaner I used) the high temp engine paint at walmart/etc works well. Just put on several coats, and be careful installing.

My engine came out pretty good I think. I even did the chevy logo in paint. (white I cheaped out and got the $1 wal-mart spray paint, but it has stayed on and white for several years)

Powder coat is nicer and more durable though.

[Canyonero]

Yeah, it's just a Trooper, I'll probably be fine doing it myself. But what color will it be?

[IsaacHayes]

I like black, goes with any color car. And if you accent it with something its perfect.

I went with semi-gloss black. Didn't want gloss black, that would look too un-factory. Full flat would look too dirty. Semi-gloss looked pretty good. You can vary the gloss by how close you hold the can to the part. Real close means it stays wet and will be shiny. Farther away the spray dries mid-air and lands down and gives it more of a flatter look.

A nice dark gray would be nice too. I'm not a fan of wild colors for engine parts.

[geoffinbc]

Just use engine enamel.

A word of caution thought. If you had it bead blasted then you better check the oil splash shield for left over media. If any is stuck under it then it could work loose and get into the engine. When I did mine I used baking soda for media so I can just rinse it in water and be worry free.

[IsaacHayes]

yeah when I ported my intakes, I ported them dirty thinking oh I'll clean them all at once. That made it worse as the oil made all the shavings stick to them. I used lots of brake cleaner, dish soap, etc. Had to make sure every spot was clean. Felt with my finger in the plenum and found more.. ugh.. I eventually put it in a 5 gallon bucket with an air hose and lots of soap to bubble up the soap and get all the stuff out. That worked pretty good for agitating it.

[pocket-rocket]

Ever use brake clean in a garage while you have your salamander going? Yeah, I would rather stick a whole pack of cigarettes in my mouth at one time. You have better odds of still being able to breathe after that. BTW, my cheap-o parts washer from Harbor Freight filled with Simple Green would have worked wonders for your intake, Isaac. I think I paid $80 on sale for it. It's 20 gallons I think. 2 gallons of Simple Green and fill the rest with water and it does a good job.

[IsaacHayes]

uh, salamander going???

Worst things for breathing I've experienced would be:
air craft paint stripper... quickly gives you a loose cough..
pure co2 vapors... burns..
Burning tetrafloruthane... burns and brings you to your knees instantly, worst feeling ever. This stuff is like mustard gas. Like dumping pure acid in your lungs that is boiling at 400 degrees. Then it causes other symptoms... yeah scary stuff!

[Canyonero]

A word of caution thought. If you had it bead blasted then you better check the oil splash shield for left over media. If any is stuck under it then it could work loose and get into the engine. When I did mine I used baking soda for media so I can just rinse it in water and be worry free.

The machinist remarked how open and easy to clean the 3.1 3-piece intake was. No splash shield, all the runners are very straight. He said to wash it out with soapy water and it should be fine.

I'll look into getting one of those parts washers. Be really handy. Take up some more garage space though.

[geoffinbc]

No splash shield? On the bottom of the intake manifold there is no metal splash shield riveted to the intake? There should be unless it got removed. In which case I would look into replacing it. It keeps oil from baking onto the hot EGR port that passes under the manifold.

[Canyonero]

These are 3.1L/3.4L MPFI manifolds, they don't run EGR though the LIM like the TBI does.

[96ols60degree]

My 3100 in my olds was painted chevy orange intake(fins and writing masked off) and valve coversalso orange.This is what I will do to the monte eventually.

[neo71665]

I'm old school and like my chevy motors orange also.

[Canyonero]

If I had the block out I'd probably paint it orange or something, but I'm not going to do anything like that with just the intake.

[geoffinbc]

Well if it is bead blasted and you like aluminum then just use a semi gloss clear. It will look good for years. Black or silver is the most accepted colour for intakes. You typically don't see them in colours it does not look good. When you colour match them to the block and heads then it seems you get too much of that colour under the hood and nothing sets it off.

Personally I am doing the block, heads and oil pan in Chevy Orange (was looking for a CAT Yellow at first) and I have the intake done in black and my valve covers are Fiero valve covers with black and brushed aluminum fins.