Respraying engine bay, novice q

Post Thu Aug 30, 2012 12:47 pm

Bit of a amateur when it cones to respraying, but engines out, I've fertanned spots in the engine bay, I've given it a clean, do I now sand it down with 100 grit to get a slight key, wipe it down then just start spraying?

I recently got a air compressor for free, and just want to smarten up the engine bay, before I drop the engine in..

Will the gun below be okay for a quick spray job?

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewit ... 9863559128

And the paint okay for it? Says it's a solvent basecoat

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewit ... 0739994153

And then I can just lawyer to go over it?

Thanks[/list]

Post Thu Aug 30, 2012 12:57 pm

100 grit is way too rough just to key the surface. If you're not doing a bare metal respray, you can flat back the old stuff with either 360 grit or a grey wool pad. Then wipe it with a degreaser and silicon remover.

As for the gun, it looks like a cheap POS, and the nozzle size is a bit too large (1.5). Have a look at the Sealey Gold guns, they're good simple cheap units that give a decent spray, and are great for beginners.

Don't forget, you need filters on your hoses (not just on the gun) to remove moisture and oil from the air, and you NEED a proper face mask - two pack paint is deadly. The paint you've chosen NEEDS a clearcoat on top, and 1K clearcoats aren't worth using. You're better off finding a proper 2K colour coat that doesn't need a clear on top.

All in all, it seems like you're trying to do it on the cheap. It's really not worth it, even for an engine bay. Get onto the mig-welding forum for more info.

Post Thu Aug 30, 2012 1:29 pm

Might sound a bit amateur, but you can use 2k paint mixed in an aerosol can with a good fan nozzle from your local automotive paint supplier. If you're good with a can (like I am) you can get great results.

Not as good as a proper spray set up, but easily good enough for an engine bay. Depends if your car is a show piece or you just want to tidy it up.!

Take care too, as Grrrmachine says, 2k paint contains isocyanates which will f*ck your lungs and I believe is carcinogenic too, I've inhaled some before and it was really choking.!

Post Thu Aug 30, 2012 3:09 pm

ive had a look around where can i get the paint from? i really dont mind aerosol... its mainly just a tidy up cause of the fertan theres black marks and chips everywhere! not a show car, just thought it would be simpler now that ive got a compressor,

bmw supply aerosols but at £18 per 150ml it could get slightly costly very much doubt the paint will cover the whole engine bay area, let alone give me two coats..

tried halfords but they mixed me some next colour, even though i gave them the paint code,

Post Thu Aug 30, 2012 3:18 pm

Aerosol paint is a lot thinner than gun-blown paint. This means it takes more to cover an area, so aerosol is really only good for touching up small repairs; it's not really designed for entire panels, and would be really expensive to do so. Of course, it won't be as expensive as buying 2k paint, a gun, a mask, hoses and line filters.

So you need to decide if you want to invest in getting the proper kit for a proper job, or just get some rattle cans for a touch up. Either way, you'll need some high build primer on top of that Fertan, and you need to match your primer to your paint or you'll get a reaction (the paint will make the primer wrinkle and lift).

There are dozens of paint suppliers out there, you just need to find one local to you.

Post Thu Aug 30, 2012 3:31 pm

A 750ml can of 2k paint mixed to the colour of your car in Liverpool costs 7.50, the same can of 2k lacquer also costs 7.50 with good fan nozzles.

Some places won't mix the lacquer in an aerosol as they are tight and don't want to open a big tin of lacquer to mix into aerosol.! The place I go to sells loads so he doesn't mind, shouldn't be a problem.

What part of London are you based BMW9818?

Post Thu Aug 30, 2012 3:33 pm

thats not bad think halfords were charging something like £15 for a can... im in south london cr4 area,

Post Thu Aug 30, 2012 3:40 pm

just googled it website - car paint repair , for a 400ml can and 500ml of laquer + tack rag and sandpaper £22,

thing is dont know how accurate the paint matching is... i entered my reg and then it takes it to checkout,

its not like a full on respray i.e soundproofing etc is still on at bulkhead. just around turrets battery tray and along the sides, 400ml enough just about no?

ive got some primer cans still left so that should be okay

Post Thu Aug 30, 2012 6:26 pm

2K rattle cans are a very specific piece of kit; they contain two containers in one, and you break-and-mix the containers just prior to use. The idea that a supplier won't "mix 2k because they're cheap" sounds a bit weird...

Basic rattle cans are nothing like 2K, even if they've been mixed by a paint specialist. If you're not adding your own hardener, it's not 2K.