Info on how to paint engine bay?
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Info on how to paint engine bay? Branching off the other thread about painting. I'd like to get as much information from guys that have painted their engine bay (with the motor in). I have a car that's had a battery leak in it and my passenger side fender well is trashed. I've done the wire mod, relocated the hood release cable and relocated all the grounds. For those that have done this before: what kind of paint did you use? I want to keep mine stock NBM. What kind of primer did you use? How to prep the rusted areas where the battery corroded the paint to bare metal? What did you use to fill your holes when you did the wire mod? I'd like to only do this once also. Don't want to do this and a year later it look like crap again. Any and all help will be much appreciated. Thank you!
It's not a fun job. Temporarily remove/relocate as much stuff as you can before you start. Take your time and tape everything you don't want painted. There are lots of ways to do this and lots of different materials you can use. When I have done it, I just use regular car paint (ppg base/clear). Just sand everything down, clean, then paint. Try and get all the rust off (use a wire wheel or roloc disc on a 90*) and get that area down to bare metal. If you want, use a wash primer before your first coat of actual primer on that area.
Yea, I've done this quite a few times. I try and take as much stuff as I can off the car. And what does not come off easily, I'll try and relocate. After that just tape everything up.
This will give you a real nice clean look.
Originally Posted by toofazt
All the holes that weren't being used I welded in and smoothed.
if ya aint got a welder im sure a skin coat of bondo or something would work... shouldnt be to many holes cept on the front runner where most people relocated the grounds
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I'll weld the holes up. I don't have any (auto) painting experience and was wondering what all you experienced painters thought about the duplicolor color match paint. I'm talking about the little cans you buy at auto zone and ****. I'd never paint the body of my car with that crap but I would like to give the engine compartment a try. Also, what did you paint yours with steve? Was your motor dropped and you sprayed the whole car one time or something? The reason I ask is because it looks really freekin good!! what paint did you use?
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If you are going to go the rattle can route, I would suggest you take a trip to your local paint store, give them your paint code and get them to mix you a few cans of spray paint (they may not be able to do it in house, but they can order it...each paint store is different). At least that way it will be good quality paint, and it will match well. Pick up primer and clear in rattle cans while you are there too. Just my 2 cents.
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I just talked to someone from a paint store in town and tomorrow I'm going to go in and they should be able to mix me some and put the paint in a rattle can. Does anyone have any additional info on wet sanding. After I paint, how long should I let it dry? What grit sand paper do I use? and How long do I sand it for? Do you wet sand after clear coat?
Wet sand your primer with 400 then 600. Then clean it off and paint it. I wouldn't wet sand after you clear though, it's too much of a pain to get a buffer in there. Let the paint dry for an hour or so, then remove any tape that is on a painted surface. After that let it dry for about 12-24 hours before touching and re-assembling.
its almost quicker to go ahead and pull the engine out rather then trying to paint the engine bay with it in there, is a LOT of taping but i've seen it done before. Wasnt perfect but it still looked great. Good luck man, taping and good prep work is the key for any paint job, no matter what part of the car its on.
Originally Posted by zlover129
its almost quicker to go ahead and pull the engine out rather then trying to paint the engine bay with it in there, is a LOT of taping but i've seen it done before. Wasnt perfect but it still looked great. Good luck man, taping and good prep work is the key for any paint job, no matter what part of the car its on.
zlover, I've seen your car at school...nice!
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POR 15 comes in clear? I have a little can (not spray) sitting in my garage right now. I think it's black. Did you spray that POR 15 on or brush it on? I've never heard of that.
Originally Posted by socmguy
POR 15 comes in clear? I have a little can (not spray) sitting in my garage right now. I think it's black. Did you spray that POR 15 on or brush it on? I've never heard of that.
Last edited by brandonppr; Oct 23, 2007 at 02:27 PM.
