Original Engine Finish

[Etharla]

I know this isn't really a technical question but didn't know what other section to post it to. I have the engine out of the car to do the timing belt, gearshifter bushings and a general tidy up. Just looking to know what the original finish was on the engine out of the factory. Has any one on here decided to paint theirs and if so what were the results like?

I intend to get all the alloy bits and bobs vapour blasted, where possible, any pros and cons for this or other methods or cleaning engine bits ???

Cheers,
Joe

[martauto]

I personally would paint it whatever colour I liked, possibly to match the body ??

Mart.

[Cloggy Saint]

Mine went from this

67.jpg

To this

177.JPG

20140207_143803.jpg

180.jpg

With a ton of elbow-grease inbetween! I didn't get anything blasted, just used varying grades of steel wool and painted the block with hammerite.

[flybynite]

The engine came out of my '84 when it was not many years old and I don't remember there being any finish on it so to speak, even on the cam cover. When the block rusts you can usually still see places where it has been if it had been painted.

I don't think you can go wrong with gently blasting the alloy bits and painting the block black. What you do with the cam cover will depend on the age of the car I guess.

[Cloggy Saint]

If you want an original finish then cover it with yellow waxoyl, which is how it would have left the factory.

[Etharla]

Mine went from this

67.jpg

To this

177.JPG

20140207_143803.jpg

180.jpg




With a ton of elbow-grease inbetween! I didn't get anything blasted, just used varying grades of steel wool and painted the block with hammerite.

That’s looks good, did you paint the intake manifold or is that just polished with the wire wool etc. ?

[Etharla]

If you want an original finish then cover it with yellow waxoyl, which is how it would have left the factory.

I think I prefer what you’ve done, rather than the factory finish.

[Cloggy Saint]

Inlet is just polished, no paint. It didn't actually take that long, the worst bit to do was the thermostat housing.

[martauto]

Inlet is just polished, no paint. It didn't actually take that long, the worst bit to do was the thermostat housing.

How do you keep the finish level once it has been polished??

Mart.

[Cloggy Saint]

I give it some autosol every now and then. The finish never really deteriorates.

[martauto]

I give it some autosol every now and then. The finish never really deteriorates.

Mart.