Tips for painting the engine still in the car?

Thanks!

 

I also use clingfilm/Saran wrap as well as aluminum foil to mask off tricky items. I did my stock Hupp engine a decade ago and used a period correct looking Duplicolor grey after using an etch primer and then did the intake and exhaust manifold with Eastwood hi temp silver. After removing any tags I painted the generator, starter and a few other parts gloss black - as they would have been from the factory, put on new repro tags. It made a grungy greasy looking engine compartment look tits....

 

When I did this on my F100 the hardest part was getting around all the wiring, vacuum hoses, and heater hoses. If you can, remove everything you feel you can put back later. You'll thank yourself.

Hang smaller parts you remove from coat hangers and bolts and screws you stick through a piece of cardboard so that you only paint the head.

I did a ton of cleaning, like everyone has said. I even used Q-tips to get the corners on the block and manifold clean. The engine looked fresh for years.

 

Get one of those cheap pressure wash wands that goes on your compressed air hose. The one where the little hose goes in a bottle of water.

Spread a piece of old carpet on top of flattened cardboard boxes, under the engine.

Scrub in some Gunk degreaser with a parts washing brush. Wash off with the washer wand. For water, use a 2 liter pop bottle filled with hot water. The hotter the better.

This works surprisingly well, and does not leave a mess. Most of the water turns to steam and steam cleans the engine. The grease, dirt and water that runs off is caught by the carpet. It is quite easy to clean an engine this way and not get a bit of dirt or water on the floor.

I've been cleaning engines and other parts this way for years. The wand sprayer can be bought at auto flea markets and cheap parts stores for $12.99 or so.

 

^^ thats a great tip with the wand and hot water. I have used oven cleaner and they are right, dont get it on aluminum! Simple green works good also. I have found warming the paint and warming the engine works well and I always use " Bumper Chrome" rattle can as a base, it sticks to anything and then go over it with your favorite color.

 

Another old thread resurrected, but a good one.

One thing I can add---some guys like mineral spirits or lacquer thinner, cause they works well on grease....but because they're also flammable......
UNHOOK YOUR BATTERY!!
Yeah, I know from experience, I was scrubbing a SBC with a stiff brush and thinner and bumped the metal band around the brush handle across the starter solenoid posts---sparks ignited fumes, and flames ensued Lucky me, I'd just started and was able to put the fire out. Just somethin' to think about

 

Thanks Newfisher. Should also add, Bill Hirsh and others sell brush engine enamel matched to every old car's original color. This is paint specially formulated to brush out smooth, and to be durable under harsh under hood conditions.

Have never found anything to beat the old Gunk degreaser. It's been around since the 30s. It turns oil and grease into soap and washes off clean.