Painting Block

[gremmen]

Going to receive my new Dart Lit M short block tomorrow and am just wondering what most people do about painting the block or not. I've never seen a Dart block in person, so I'm not familiar with what they look like un-painted. All my passed Chevy blocks have been Chevy Orange.

Any Suggestions ??? I don't like Black or Yellow blocks

[lun40119]

If it is iron I would paint it...............ORANGE is the only color I like to see :D

[want-a-be]

I like black. What ever color you use make sure you prime it before putting the color to it. For some reason people leave that part of the paint job out when painting engines.

Don

[lun40119]

Black Don????? Old guys :D :D :D

[bogger]

i never prime before painting never had a a problem with paint fallin off and my stuff sees water everytime it is out. Any one have there stuff powder coated, any one see a problem with heating a block or a head up to 400 degrees in know it not the same but you get a running engine up to 400 it dont enjoy it very much any thoughts on that?

[gremmen]

Friend of mine painted his 400 block some aluminum looking paint, don't like that at all, makes cheap looking aluminum block look.... sort of. Don't like black, that's to 90's looking. So for the 69 Nova it will be Chevy Orange.

Thanks for the feed back though.

[rbrduck71]

I Painted Brand New Dart Heads, Having Cleaned Way Too Good With Laquer Thinner First, And My Junkyard Orange Started Peeling After 10hrs Of Running.......no Primer!!!!big Problem!!! Yes Us Dirt People Call It Junkyard Orange And I Love It, In California!!!!!
Rubberduck

[Bacon104]

But it sure looks cool when you start up an engine painted with improper non-high heat paint and brand new headers!..............."Wow.....thats alot of steam!:D

[Awesome Bill]

painting blocks are an option. we paint nothing. paint it and it loose some heat control. Not much but it keeps the heat in. Some times that is good some time its bad. Cosmetically, if your have a pretty car, paint it with Bowman Solids, that is the best paint in the world.

[Nova67ss]

I once read about this paint and temeratures, Think it was "Smokey" Yunick that wrote about it..

A black engine (all black, intake, heads, block, waterpumps, etc.) was about 10`C cooler than a engine painted in other colors and with crome assesoires..

In my personal opinion black is a good color to hide dirt and oil "swett", but then again orange reweals leakage realy fast :D

[Kemper007]

The main thing is to get it absolutely clean, and I mean not pulling anything on a white towel...clean!!! I have good luck with base coat clear coat. I have never had any problems. It may not be much on heat transferring, But it is durable anywhere on your engine, except headers...lol, and you can pick any color you want!

[Awesome Bill]

paint it what ever color you like, this is an area of choice verses power or the ability of the block to release or hold heat! Bowman Solids are killer

[72 firechicken]

I personally like black, with a hi temp clear coat, which hepls the paint from fading when chemical cleaners are used such as brake cleaner, although If the engine is used in competition, and you spring an oil leak it can be hard to isolate, which can cost you the race.

[want-a-be]

Make sure you use a good primer before painting. Helps a lot if you're oil free also. Years ago I started painting the rear of the block, the part thats inside the bellhousing, white. This helps alot to prove, or disprove, an oil leak in the bell housing area. It's hidden in the bellhousing behind the flywheel, or flexplate, anyways. So it doesn't matter what color it is. White just shortens the guess work of oil leak problems.

Don

[Awesome Bill]

Make sure you use a good primer before painting. Helps a lot if you're oil free also. Years ago I started painting the rear of the block, the part thats inside the bellhousing, white. This helps alot to prove, or disprove, an oil leak in the bell housing area. It's hidden in the bellhousing behind the flywheel, or flexplate, anyways. So it doesn't matter what color it is. White just shortens the guess work of oil leak problems.

Don

Yeah that is pretty good, but we don't have leakers! One thing, never power coat a block, this seals it and the air will not be able to work as well to remove heat. Clear coat of any kind tends to turn yellow and ugly that is a no no. Bowman Solids, best paint ever, with or without primer, just has to be clean.

[want-a-be]

Nor do I. But I have seen guys take engines out and look over the area only to find out the oil filter or some dry sump line was leaking and it was sucked into the bell housing area. Which prompted them to take the tranny, or engine, out to fix the leak in there, only to find out it was something else. Doing this helps in the diagnostics of it before you take things apart.

Don

[lun40119]

Orange!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D

[Awesome Bill]

Orange!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D

X2, can't beat it.

[Mattsv8_03]

here is the motor i painted for the blazer.
its duplicolor metalcast red.
im doing the turbo motor in blue

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d71/Mattsv8_03/SSPX4138.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d71/Mattsv8_03/SSPX4140.jpg

[lun40119]

Edelbrock Carb................................:rolleyes:

[Toecutter]

Main reason for painting ours orange is also to make it easier to find leaks down the road.

http://www.texasdragracing.com/pics/Wagon-Project/wagabu-408-2.jpg

[Awesome Bill]

Main reason for painting ours orange is also to make it easier to find leaks down the road.

http://www.texasdragracing.com/pics/Wagon-Project/wagabu-408-2.jpg

yeah that is a good reason if you have leaks it is easier to locate them.

[Trmnatr]

here is the motor i painted for the blazer.
its duplicolor metalcast red.
im doing the turbo motor in blue

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d71/Mattsv8_03/SSPX4138.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d71/Mattsv8_03/SSPX4140.jpg

That looks good.

My buddy wanted his engine purple. So we painted it with some DuPont Imron and the paint is still there. It's ugly but it is there!

I would have no issue painting it with Imron or Base/Clear as I have done so before. Dupli-Color also looks very good.

I like Black and Orange is ok (Sorry Jake :D)

[lun40119]

My new one is Grey..........looks kind of cool.
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w26/bells67/2010%20Dart-3V%20Performance%20Build/DSC01090.jpg

[Awesome Bill]

We always paint them any color you want after dyno testing is done. We charge $250.00 to do everything and prime the block first then paint then seal. Sounds like a lot of time but add it up. You'll see why the cheappy bomb spray coated stuff looks bad. Ofcourse, Bowman Solids are killer.

[ash]

gun metal grey... hammer tone finish...

[Awesome Bill]

gun metal grey... hammer tone finish...

that does look like an aluminum block and you will be able to see any and all leaks very easily!!

[ash]

that does look like an aluminum block and you will be able to see any and all leaks very easily!!


lol..
more soo, it makes my painting skills look better.. :)

[lekid]

So I just received my Little M. I believe I read in this section that you do not have to paint the block. What do you guys think of that? Is it going to rust if it's not painted?

I have also painted my stock GM blocks before, but would like to leave this one as-is if it is not going to rust on me.

Thanks

[want-a-be]

So I just received my Little M. I believe I read in this section that you do not have to paint the block. What do you guys think of that? Is it going to rust if it's not painted?

I have also painted my stock GM blocks before, but would like to leave this one as-is if it is not going to rust on me.

Thanks

Prime and paint it. imo

Don

[WeDyno]

You might consider Clear, that way you keep the cast iron look and it doesn't rust.

[ComaxRacing]

I was thinking about clear coating as well, I might just do it.

Corey

[lekid]

I actually decided to paint it flat black.

Looks really good. If a new how to pot pictures, I would.