Questions on painting engine parts
 

I know I shouldve posted this in a different part of the forum, but itll get more attention here so I put it here :eyetwitch . I want to paint my engine cover, etc. But I do NOT want it to have that 'matte' look that ricers driving honda civics have when you just paint the plastic part with high temp paint lol. I want it to be smooth and glossy, I want it to look like it was professionally done, not done in my garage. Now, Ive never done this before but it's time to learn and stuff like this doesnt really scare me, whats the best way to go about his. How can I smooth it out (sandpaper, etc?), what paint would work best (high temp?), and last but not least, clear coating it, whats the best stuff? I searched around a little but didnt really get my questions answered. I'm looking for legit answers from people on here who have done what I am looking to do.

Thanks guys.

hahah sup bro same thing i need to know hehe...

First thing you will want to do is remove the street glow lights.

Next, use a filler to smooth out the rough areas.
Primer
Paint
Clear
Sand
Buff
Done


Find a local body shop supply store and go do some shopping.

what the f... is street glow lights???

^Neon or LED lights made by a company called StreetGlow usually placed undercar also know as ground effects or underglows.......

don't listen to them. painting engine parts isn't rice.

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1221787679

Streetglow is on the interior, no exterior lighting at all. Just an FYI.

Primer is needed on the plastic parts? Didnt know that!

he is asking about the engine cover not the effin engine itself....

read the title. painting the engine is included :)

A filler and a good thick primer will get rid of the roughness on the plastic parts.
Metal part need to be sanded and smoothed, plastic is tougher to sand so filler is WAY easier.

A primer will also stick better than paint. (And paint sticks better to primer than to plastic) Also on any parts that may flex a little it helps keep the paint looking better longer

I wouldn't use filler to smooth it out. Once the paint and primer and filler shrinks after it dries, sometimes it shows thru. It is better if you use a D/A (dual action sander) but of course requires an air compressor. I use 180 grit sand paper for this. After sanding, you will need to primer it. It will be very rough looking, but use some 320 sandpaper and sand by hand to make it smooth. Re-primer, sand smooth, re-primer, sand smooth. Keep doing this till it is perfectly smooth. Shouldn't take too long. It's up to you if you want to use the filler method....not something I would do, but that's your call.

Once you are done with that, wetsand the primer with 600 sand paper until smooth. Dry it and get the dust and dirt off with a tack cloth.

If you want professional results, it is better to use a small detail spray gun, and of course a compressor is needed for this.

Shoot an adhesion promoter/sealer after you get all the dirt and dust off. Then you can apply your paint. Automotive paint will work fine. Use at least 3 coats of clear after you are done applying the paint.

Once dry, you can wetsand the clear with some 2000 grit sand paper and buff it to a perfect shine.

Thats a *basic* idea of what I would do, it is not really the easiest thing to do if you have no paint experience, and if you want it to look professional.

GL :)

lol, thanks. I'm going to try it on the battery cover first, that way if it turns out like shit, then Im out a battery cover, not the entire engine cover lol. It's on my winter project list. My engine bay needs an extensive cleaning. 2 years of a daily driver, 2 winters, and living on a gravel road in iowa for a year all took their toll and my engine bay is diirrrttyyyy. So first detail, then off to my painting projects! Thanks guys and please give any other advice, suggestions, etc.