20 replies to this topic

[MontpellierVanMan]

Is there a secret to this ?

 

My A+ 1275 Metro block/head were in the original BL red, and after a desultory attempt with paint-stripper seemed to get them clean - although still resolutely red - I used POR15 Engine Paint from Frost to turn them both yellow.

 

HOWEVER ! Despite several coats (the stuff is hopeless at the "single-coat" covering they claim) and a good period of drying, gentle warming etc - as soon as the engine got really hot the yellow started to go slightly orange, and almost red where there had been lots of red BL paint.

 

 

This was the beginning of the problem - just above the petrol-pump orifice, the effect of a heat-gun within the block, inadvertently left for about 30 secs against the wall, started going orange.

 

The red was working itself into the yellow, and whilst the POR15 gave a satisfactory shine it a) wasn't yellow any more, b) stained really easily (including anti-freeze) and c) chipped very easily.

 

 

And once it had got SERIOUSLY hot, the thing began to look pretty naff.

 

SO since the motor is apart again, I decided that I stood more chance of getting a stable colour if I painted it ............... red.

 

I've now started using copious quantities of the most hideous paint-stripper known to French paint-suppliers, and am on my second treat-and-scrape session, but whilst I can get the yellow off pretty easily, the original BL red is still sticking like proverbial s to a b.

 

Has anyone got any experience of a solution / a product that really does get rid of this ?

 

Obviously it can be removed with enough rotating wire-brushes and emery sleeves, but that seems a ton of work to remove red paint !

 

And I won't use bead-blasting on any sand-cast engine cases, having seen many years ago what (sometimes) happens.

 

 

[Craig89]

I had mine chemically cleaned by an engine machinist and when it came back it was still prodominently red. But it gave a great key for the BMC green enamel brush on paint, as supplied by minispares, which went on great and looked great until i sold the car

[Carlos W]

I cleaned mine with a wire wheel in a drill.

 

But then painted it red again

[Coxie]

Did mine with a wire wheel and a dremmel in the hard to get to corners then etch primed before painting.

[MacGyver]

Same here.







...made a right mess of my workbench when I hit a bit of gasket... 😕

[mk1leg]

I used this http://www.holden.co...m&pCode=099.044

its brilliant it ate through the BL red back to bare block then I used thinners to wash off stripper residue and then gave it a hot power wash

[Fast Ivan]

Burn it off

[ACDodd]

I use oxy - propane or oxy acetylene torch. This loosens the paint then you can use a wire wheel.

Ac

Edited by ACDodd, 11 June 2016 - 10:55 AM.

[cal844]

I use oxy - propane or oxy acetylene torch. This loosens the paint then you cam use a wire wheel.
Ac

Roofing specialists burning torch

On a bare block, wouldn't advise it on a built engine!

Edited by cal844, 11 June 2016 - 10:11 AM.

[ACDodd]

I have the blow torch type and its not hot/concentrated enough to get the paint to loosen. The roofing torch does not work. It is very good at warming the entire engine block.
Yes I agree, only do this with the block stripped out.

Ac

Edited by ACDodd, 11 June 2016 - 10:54 AM.

[Northernpower]

After reading reports I used Screwfix paint remover in a side by side test with Nitromors and surprisingly found the Screwfix product better. Once you've cleaned it up as best you can I would suggest you paint it with self etch primer before applying the finish coat

[smurfomatic]

After reading reports I used Screwfix paint remover in a side by side test with Nitromors and surprisingly found the Screwfix product better. Once you've cleaned it up as best you can I would suggest you paint it with self etch primer before applying the finish coat

 

The new formulation of Nitromors is rubbish compared to what it was like a few years ago - the old stuff was brilliant, but you soon knew if you accidentally caught some on a piece of exposed skin!

[monkey]

I thought a red engine adds 10hp? Or is that just brake callipers? :-P

[Northernpower]

 

After reading reports I used Screwfix paint remover in a side by side test with Nitromors and surprisingly found the Screwfix product better. Once you've cleaned it up as best you can I would suggest you paint it with self etch primer before applying the finish coat

 

The new formulation of Nitromors is rubbish compared to what it was like a few years ago - the old stuff was brilliant, but you soon knew if you accidentally caught some on a piece of exposed skin!

 

You're right it is rubbish. I'd not been very successful with the Nitromors so I started looking for alternatives and that's when I came across the mentions of the Screwfix product on a couple of trade forums.

[MrBounce]

I painted mine blue using the enamel paint that I got at London to Brighton. Lovely finish. And no red has come through whilst it's been under the bench...

 

However, I may have to do some engine work to re-gain the potential extra 10bhp obtained from a red finish. 

Edited by MrBounce, 11 June 2016 - 03:00 PM.