Painting aluminum block and heads (LS3). What to use?

[scherp69]

I've tried searching on several different forums, but there is not a whole lot of info on guys painting their LS engines. I want to paint mine while it's still clean. The two options that I'm looking at is either painting it with POR15 and then top coating it with their engine enamel paint. I've read lots of good reviews on the POR15 engine paint and have used their products quite a bit so I know what's required to make it stick. So far I'm really impressed with their stuff. The other option I'm looking at is using Duplicolor's engine primer followed up with their engine paint with ceramic. I want to paint it aluminum color to make it look stock, but to avoid any ugly oxidize build up.

What have you guys used to paint your aluminum motors and how has it stood up? If you did it again, would you use the same stuff?

Thanks in advance.

[almcbri]

I painted mine with duplicolor engine primer and paint. http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a312/almcbri/6cc76144.jpg

[Merlin]

Heat dispersion ceramic coating to help shed away heat. I had an intake manifold coated with a black heat shedding coating. After an auto-x run, one could touch the intake as it would be cool to the touch.
This is what I used. http://www.techlinecoatings.com/articles/Coating_The_Oil_Pan_Article.htm

Cliff
369 CP Chevelle

[jeff s]

We've had success simply using a high quality enamel, like you'd use on the body of the car. The High-temp POR15 might be overkill since your block is already clean.

You should be more than fine with a nice high-temp enamel.

[onefast70elco]

i agree with jeff!

[John510]

Dupli-Color in a rattle can works good. Are you changing colors of the motor?

[scherp69]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I know the POR15 was overkill, but I ended up using it. I painted it with two coats of silver POR15 and then their engine enamel. Very happy with the color of it now. I also painted the transmission.

John...yeah I wanted to get away from the dull grey of the block. I prefer the silver aluminum look than the dull dark grey. I also wanted to paint the block now while it was still new and didn't have to spend a bunch of time cleaning it. This way I won't have to worry about the aluminum oxidizing. The color now is more silver. I'll take some pics in the next couple days and post some.

[kainedogg]

I would like to see those pics as well. Debating what to use to paint my transmission.

[timpala62]

i used eastwood's paint with activator with a self etching primer.

[scherp69]

I would like to see those pics as well. Debating what to use to paint my transmission.

Sorry for the delay, here's a couple pics of what the color looks like. This is the POR15 engine coat and the color is aluminum. I started with two coats of silver POR15.

Here's the before, more of a dull gray
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd68/scherp69/P1000741.jpg

After
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd68/scherp69/P1010618.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd68/scherp69/P1010648.jpg

Overall I'm very happy with the color. The only thing I'm not happy with was when I was putting it on, I thought I was putting it on with a light coat. Apparently it wasn't as light as I thought and started to run a bit. I tried to brush out the runs, but it ended up leaving some brush marks on the front of the heads. A friend of mine looked at it and really couldn't tell until I pointed it out, but it's one of those things that I know is there. Oh well, hopefully once everything's on the motor it will hide most of it.

Here's what I was talking about on the front of the heads

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd68/scherp69/P1010652.jpg

[GregWeld]

Looks good Mike! You won't see much of the heads once the accessories get bolted on...

[6D9 Matt]

Looks much better man... and I know what you mean, you know it is there and you will probably always think about it. But hopefully it will get better once its all setup and the accessories, etc are on.

Looks great! :hail:

[scherp69]

Thanks guys. Overall I am happy with the way it turned out. You're right, once everything is on the motor it won't even be noticeable.