Engine cleaning or painting

[califkid_66]

I want my engine to look good so what do most of you guys do to make the engine look nice  my block and head look dirty do you just clean them up or paint them im talking about just block and head the rest will be painted
Thanks for your advice

[jbcollier]

I think you are running a Renault engine.  The block and head are originally unfinished aluminium.  Often this discolours over time.  We thoroughly clean and degrease and then paint with Seymour Alumi-Blast.  Looks great and is very durable and cleanable.

Be careful with blasting aluminium as it often leaves a rough surface at a micro level which may be very difficult to clean afterwards.

[califkid_66]

I dont want to blast it !
I have access to a parts cleaning machine they put part in and it steam and cleans the parts like a dishwasher im gonna try that first  but now is the time to decide cause the engine is all taken apart
If it doesn’t come out nice ill paint

[dakazman]

   This is probably out of the question then, I soda blasted mine for Placing bolts in every hole. Afterward pressure washed. Now sanded and polishing. I have a lot of nook and crannies on the other side but it’s coming along. 

[jbcollier]

If you'd spent five minutes with a spray can instead, you would be driving the car now ;-)

(looks pretty though)

[dakazman]

 Still waiting on those tappets at Elgin cams . Two sets ! 
Dakazman  I guess you can’t rush things . Bell housing looks like that too . Gearbox paint!

 

[Fotog]

For my Stromberg carburetors I used various solvents to give it a good clean. Then I used some phosphoric acid solution which dissolves the oxidation, along with a brass wire brush for the worst parts.  I think it turned out pretty well and it was not excessive effort. It's already losing its luster though after a few months since unanodized aluminum will oxidized readily. 

[califkid_66]

 When i said i didn’t want to blast it i thought it was sand blast i saw an artical a guy did a soda blaster with a air gun a piece of pipe and arm and hammer baking soda this i would try he cleaned his bike carburetor with it and a baking soda is water soluble not like sand the carb looked like new
Im gonna try at work with the machine if it looks nice that’s gonna be it if not soda blast then rattle can
You’re engine  look amazing but if i start polishing my engine ill never finish i have to much to do

[rjbaren]

You guys might want to take a look at product called Shark Hide.  You apply it with a rag, and I think reapply it as needed maybe every two or three years.  No need to strip it off in between.  They use it on the hulls of pontoon boats.
I heard it is good stuff.

[surfguitar58]

 When i said i didn’t want to blast it i thought it was sand blast i saw an artical a guy did a soda blaster with a air gun a piece of pipe and arm and hammer baking soda this i would try he cleaned his bike carburetor with it and a baking soda is water soluble not like sand the carb looked like new
Im gonna try at work with the machine if it looks nice that’s gonna be it if not soda blast then rattle can
You’re engine  look amazing but if i start polishing my engine ill never finish i have to much to do

Harbor Freight sells a cheap blast gun with reservoir and 50 lb bags of baking soda. I'm planning to pick this set-up up for phase III of my tranny strip.

Another alternative is Eagle One acid based wheel cleaner. I tried this on my trans and oddly it shined up my UK made Renault-to-Ford adapter bell housing nicely, but didn't do much for my French made 365 tranny housing, other than smell like the after effects of a rotten egg burrito.

Tom

[Pfreen]

I tried the mag wheel cleaner on my transmission/bell housing as well.  It did clean up the bell housing nicely, and I used a drill mounted wire brush on the transmission.  I then sprayed it all with VHT sp145 engine paint clear coat, which is good to 550 degrees.
A word of caution, don’t get the wheel cleaner acid on the release bearing.  It makes it sound really bad, and you will have to change it fairly soon after you put it all together.  Guess how I know this?