Painting VS Powered Coating, what's better?

[Lonestar]

When it comes to making your Engine block look all nice and purddy. X3 Which would be better, Painting or Power coating, price and mat wise?

I'm going to send my block to the shop to have it cleaned and re-ringed, so why it's out, I want to paint it cus I hate a rusty

looking block in my engine bay.

[Eagle_Adam]

im also interested, id PM jrock and ask him. He did a great job powder coating my titans.

[ggzilla]

Powder coating is better.

[Laecaon]

My understanding, powder coating is always more durable.

[bananahamuck]

So let me get this straight ,,,,,your going to have a machine shop rebuild your engine ,,then your going to take that engine down and get it sandblasted then powder coated??...Just make sure you tell the machinast that`s what your going to do while he`s filling out the warranty card..

[Laecaon]

Well, powder coated, and then hot tanked? is powder coat that durable?

[bananahamuck]

Hell aluminum can`t stand up to hot tanking  ,,, Is the engine going to be used as a step ladder when not powering car??  I`ve never had a problem with store bought engine paint ,,,, i think you can even get special mixed colors through Eastwood if you need wild or matching colors.

[Tristin]

Powder coating is extremely durable. There's pictures of tests where soda cans are coated and then partially crushed. Stuff didn't crack or flake.

 

It's great stuff... Though I've never hear of anyone powdercoating a block. If masked properly, I don't see why not though. Should be no more harm than painting.

[alabama_lowlife]

I remember a powdercoater posting in a thread saying that powder coating an engine block causes it to run warmer than usual.

[Dantheman]

My 2 cents. I remember as a kid and into cars, at car shows I loved seeing a smoothed block and a finish just as nice as the body. My dad (the realist) told me that the casting bumps in an engine block have a purpose. It increases surface area and aids in cooling. I know nothing was said on smoothing the block prier to coating or painting, but consider the build thickness of the coating. Powder coat when finished is almost like being plasticized. The greater the build, only decreases the effectiveness of the surface cooling ability. The off the shelf rattle can engine paint works really well. The key is to be really anal on the cleaning step. Don't want to be a buzz kill.

[merlin]

Cool block?  Flat paint  more surface area for cooling on a flat matte surface.   durability=powdercoat..  

 

 

really good thread on it    http://ls1tech.com/forums/tools-fabrication/1479723-powder-coating-engine-block-heads.html

[Dantheman]

Thanks merlin. The info in the link is a good read. I think if your heart is set on powder coat, do it before machining. And I am not an engineer, engine builder, chemist, or all knowing. Just wanted to add what had been told to me over the years. Right or wrong, just putting it out there.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Thanks merlin. The info in the link is a good read. I think if your heart is set on powder coat, do it before machining. And I am not an engineer, engine builder, chemist, or all knowing. Just wanted to add what had been told to me over the years. Right or wrong, just putting it out there.

 

I agree. IF I were to have something like a block powder coated, I would do it before machining. But that's a problem because how do you know where to stop? The gasket surfaces will need to be covered prior to coating because powder coating is thick, but the whole gasket surface may not be covered by, let's say, the front cover. There will be spots that are niether covered by coating or gasket. Kind of defeats the whole purpose.

 

Also, powder coating heats up to 400 degrees. I don't know if I'd want my block to go through that. All kinds of twisting can happen to cast iron.

 

I would paint it! But powder coat everything that bolts to it, like the covers, oil pan, brackets, etc.

[DanielC]

I would worry about a block being heated up to 400 degrees, also, but in normal operation, a block could easily see 200 degrees, maybe 240 degrees, given a proper mix of antifreeze and water, and a pressure cap.

If you do power coat the block, check everything for straightness, before assembly.  Deck surface, crankshaft bearing bores, front surface.  I am not sure if you would want a torque plate bolted and torqued to the head surface, or not.  

 

The roughness on the outside of an engine block is because it is a sand casting.  It does not need to be pretty.  no need to increase the cost of manufacture to make it look smooth.

[Lonestar]

The roughness on the outside of an engine block is because it is a sand casting.  It does not need to be pretty.  no need to increase the cost of manufacture to make it look smooth.

 

Smoothness? Where did this smooth come from? I just want a nice painted block, make the engine bay look nice. :P Well, Powered coating will hold to just about anything but from what I'm getting, it going to be way to much trouble for my budget and time. So painting it is! I'll just have the block sand blasted and then sent to the machine shop. So now the question is, what type of paint and do I want to use etching primer?

[ggzilla]

Use hi-temp engine paint. It works really well. Etching primer is not needed.

[Sealik]

Smoothness? Where did this smooth come from? I just want a nice painted block, make the engine bay look nice. :P Well, Powered coating will hold to just about anything but from what I'm getting, it going to be way to much trouble for my budget and time. So painting it is! I'll just have the block sand blasted and then sent to the machine shop. So now the question is, what type of paint and do I want to use etching primer?

 

Sand blasted????............... :huh:

Just take it to a machine shop and get it hot tanked for 50+ bucks....very effective

No etching primer needed as ggzilla stated......just some engine/hi temp enamel

[Laecaon]

Yep I went straight from Hot tanked, to some VHT Engine paint.

[Sealik]

Actually.....I wouldn't want a sand blaster near my engine block....that shit/sand gets everywhere

And....it would be hot tanked anyways after that fact to remove any of that migrating 'residual'

[Lonestar]

Ah, last time I had a block done, they told me they had hot tanked but it did not look any cleaner.

[datsunfreak]

Ah, last time I had a block done, they told me they had hot tanked but it did not look any cleaner.

 

 

Then it's time to switch machine shops.  B)

[ggzilla]

Crooks ...

[Z-train]

Powder coating is superior.However,the block takes awhile to get to 400 degrees for the process and you will be charged accordingly.THere is no advantage of PC'ing the block.

[Lonestar]

Powder coating is superior. There is no advantage of PC'ing the block.

Aye save from what I've been hearing is that it will make engine run hotter. Not what I want. The only reason I was thinking about PC was because of its durability.

 

Then it's time to switch machine shops.  B)

Eyup, I'm taking my block to Steve when I get the money and have him do it right

[Z-train]

Lonestar-pay attention to surface prep and with the right paint,it'll last a long friggin'time.I was use muriatic to clean the outside of the block.