What All Can I paint Under The Hood?
 

Ok, my engine is out, and I was thinking that this is prime time to do some "color accenting". Im thinking about painting crap, but I cant think of what all I can paint...Im thinking that I could do the motor mounts and stuff, but what else? Anything on the engine that I could color? Oil pan, water pump, anything? What kind of paint should I use to paint the parts with? Any tips on cleaning things before I try and get paint to stick? Should I try and primer first? Im thinking I'll just stand there with the hood open and say "well this would look cool yellow" type thing...But I was wondering what all you might do. Oh, and Im gonna get a "new" engine for it soon, should I try and paint it while its "assembled"? Or save that till I need to take one apart anyway? The goal is to make it look clean/new, with a slight touch of sporty race if that makes sense...Thanks in advance guys.

~T.J.

PS - Anyone have pics of engine bays that are nice or look good? No chrome please, I dont like the chrome looking engines (IE - Jose Reyes, no offense man, it looks good, just not my style)

you can paint almost anything you want.
I used more High Temp engine enamel, with just sanding before painting.
http://max7.rx-7.org/mods/images/polish1_small.jpg

paint everything:D

when i had my engine out i painted the engine bay silver.. (just used hi heat spray paint)... looks good and is really easy to spot leaks.

Man painting a firewall is a bitch... I have TOTAL respect for anyone that has done it. I had to totally strip everything out to paint mine. Im still deciding what color to paint the car, dunno if tender blue metalic is for me or not?

I used a Binks #7 gun and expoxy primer and catalyst and man does that stuff stink! I got a really good buzz while spraying it :)

when my engine was out, I took 2 cans of Canadian tire flat black spray paint ($1.27 canadian funds each) and painted everything metal on the firewall, motor mounts, etc etc.... then again, it was already flat black, it just needed a touch-up. Plus, I'm not going for the really fancy engine bay, seeing as how the car's only worth like $500 and I never open the hood unless there's some oil to be checking or smoke coming out from under it :eek:

Jeff

Woah, Max7, where can I get one of those airboxes :D, or did you make it yourself? I want/need something like that for my -SE :D. Also, if you made it, Im gonna make something custom like that for the GSL too if I can figure out how...

~T.J.

PS - Just about everything that's red in yours will be yellow in mine, along with the strut bar im custom building :)

Fuck all this preping shit!
:) Just grab the rattle can and go to town! :)

if you want too it real nice and mak sure it will last get whatever youcan get done with powdercoating. just look in the phone book or ask round at paint and sign shops to ind out who does it near you. the parts will come out a whole lot nicer (no runs or drips or anything) andnothing will hurt the stuff. not oil gasoling and i don't even think brake fluid will take it off. depnding on how many peices and how intricate will depend on the cost. i got a guy that does my stuff and does beautiful work and a good price. most of my engine and under car is going to be gloass black or chrome. this stuff works great and they can do any color you can think of. even pearls flip flop colors whatever

why even bother with the powdercoating.. for less than ten bucks you can get hi quality spray paint and do it up. looks good, and there is not really any need for any better in the engine bay.

My kind of thinker, lol

~T.J.

Made it :) checkout http://max7.rx-7.org/cold_air_box.htm for more info on it.

Those who don't want that lovin' feeling to be gone... gone... gone... whoa-oo-oa-oo-oah... will use powder coating. Especially if they are doing a white theme with red and polished aluminum accents (well okay, the white stuff anyway). Paint may save money immediately, but will look like crap on most everything that has come into contact with fluids or uneven heating in a few years.

I take more pride in my car than a spray can fire-and-forget session. :D

What was the question again? ;)

notav6, understood that spray paint may not last as long, but if you are like me then money is an issue and there is no way that i could have afforded to paint it right at that time. hell , if i could have, i would have painted the entire car when the engine was out.

Sometimes patience is required on these things. My car is still in pieces, and the roads are thawed here now. :( However, when it IS running again, it will look like I took my time and did it right.

Powder coating itself is not all that expensive. Getting everything bead blasted first doubles the price. As with anything else, the more work you are willing to do yoursef the cheaper it is. :)

Or you can do like me, buy a spare 7, strip off the parts you plan to paint. take your time. and still drive your 7 around, then spend a weekend swapping the parts over :)
Pretty much everything forward the windshield is getting attention on phase 1 :)

i've decided to get some engine parts powdercoated on the motor i'm building now - the oil pan being one of those parts. i just want to get some insight from any of you guys (or gals) that have done it already. is safe to do both inside and outside, or should it be outside only?

I do my own powdercoating. Pretty much anything that can take the heat gets coated. As far as the oil pan goes. Do the outside only. Epoxy paint the mounting flange and inside. Powdercoat will soften with heat, usually above 300*, many of them are not chemically resistant.

I found this out the haed way after I powdercoated the engine in the widebody and the carb overflowed while trying to set the fuel pressure. The coating on the housings and irons dulled and one color is beginning to delaminate.

If you need some powdercoating done, PM me.

The following is what I have powdercoated in engine bays:

Housings
Irons
Front cover
WP housing, soon to try the wp itself
Alternator
PS/AC bracket
Beehive
Oil filter mount
Front engine mount
Brake booster hard line
Heater hardline
Radiator shroud
Pulleys
Coil brackets
Intakes
Battery tray
Oilpan

If it fits in the oven and can take the heat, it gets coated.

Water pumps, alts, brake/clutch masters and slaves, calipers can be coated, but need to be disassembled first.

How big is your oven?

I'm using a standard hosehold oven for now. Can't justify buying a commercial one atm. I have thought about building a bigger one out 2 standard ovens. The commercial ones are outrageously priced.