Painting engine compartment

[ScottTR6]

Gorgeous weather in southern Onatrio, just had my six out for a spin. Having been stored for the winter, I gave her a quick bath, and was reminded at how a new paint job is really past due. I'm not looking for show quality, but still one to be proud of. What are the opinions on attempting to paint the engine compartment without removing the engine? Don't really have the tools to attmpt myself, a mechanic becomes prohibitive, but this area really needs to be cleaned up, or do you bite the bullet to do it right? Thanks. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/canpatriot.GIF

 

[kodanja]

if your looking to paint the engine compartment with the original color, I suggest you pull the motor (very costly for time and $$)
but you may want to do what I did. I restored my tr6 to be a driver only, but I still wanted it to look 1/2 way decent.
I used a textured black/grey rubberized trunk spray for the engine compartment and it looks pretty good. If you apply it carefully you can cover everything and make it look like new.
Granted it won't be original but if your looking for estetics not original, not too bad you can view mine here........ web page /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/patriot.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/england.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/patriot.gif

 

[gsalt57tr3]

pull the engine

 

[ScottTR6]

Thanks, took a look, everything looked first class. How much prep and peripheral component removal did you have to do before painting? Brush & spray? The 1974 has a maze of plumbing that needs to be removed. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

 

[kodanja]

if you going to pull the engine pretty much everything has to come out( not that difficult if you have the corrct tools and patients, if your going to spray and brush very little prep work is necessary. all depends how original you want to go.........

 

[shorn]

I just finished the engine compartment on my Healey, but I had the engine out for a rebuild. Even then it was time consuming. I removed everything I could from the firewall, grommets, regulator, OD trottle switch, turn signal flasher, etc. I wrapped the wiring harness and heater water hoses that went through the firewall, as well as brake lines and fuel line, with aluminum foil. Removed cold air hose, cold air to fan hose, brake and clutch MC, and horns. Then a started in with a gallon of Simply Green, a spray bottle of water and my pressure washer and assorted brushes including a several tooth brushes. Once the dirt and grease were removed, I attempted to rough up the surface with sand paper or rough up pad. Primed with spray can of primer and then used 2 spray cans of enamel that the paint store made up in the exterior paint color of the car. Off and on, I spent several days on the project. I probably did 90 percent of the work inside the engine bay. It would have been very difficult to do with the engine in the car, too many inaccessible areas. The result turned out very good. The paint job is not as glossy as the base/clear on the car's exterior, but the color matches and it looks fine.

 

[kodanja]

sounds like you really went to town on it
It must look great.
do you have any pix you can share?
thanx

 

[shorn]

Here are couple of pics

 

[shorn]

Another pic

 

[ScottTR6]

nice job!

 

[kodanja]

very nice!
you wanna do mine?................lol
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/england.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/england.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/patriot.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/england.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/england.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

 

[shorn]

I have got to let the nicks and scrapes on my fingers, knuckles, and hands heal up first before I take on another one. Oh, and the crouching down in the engine compartment isn't too good on your back either.

 

[dklawson]

I did most of the engine compartment in the Mini without pulling the engine. I took a similar approach to that mentioned above. To clean and roughen the old paint I used ScotchBrite and Ajax/Comet. I knew what top coat I'd be using so instead of using an aerosol can I used a pint of my top coat thinned to spray with a cheap single acting air brush. Almost everything was accessible but even on a Mini, as mentioned above, reaching all the low spots does involve contortions and back aches.

In hindsight, it would have been easier with the engine out but I wasn't planning an engine rebuild at the time. Using the same top coat as the rest of the car gave me very acceptable results.

https://home.mindspring.com/~dklawson/minipics/EngineCompartment1.jpg