Engine Block Color?

[79XS11F]

Hey guys ... Looks like I will be painting the block of my engine for the restore bike.
When I cleaned up this engine last winter it looks like I got it down to the bare metal which is not stock
Would I be wanting a semi gloss silver, a flat silver or is the stock color more light semi gloss Grey?
Rob

[Czekus21]

As far as engine color, I think that's a personal choice. Now, wasn't a stock 79 engine a shiney polished aluminum? Just going by the bike on the front of the clymers manual.

[HobbyMan]

No. If you take your engine covers off, you can see what it looked like if it hasn't been changed. I thing the cylinders were polished though

[John]

Re: Engine Block Color?

Originally posted by 79XS11F
Hey guys ... Looks like I will be painting the block of my engine for the restore bike.
When I cleaned up this engine last winter it looks like I got it down to the bare metal which is not stock
Would I be wanting a semi gloss silver, a flat silver or is the stock color more light semi gloss Grey?
Rob

Black, black, paint it black!

Click on the pic

[79XS11F]

Thanks John but I'm doing this one over stock the was it came from the factory and the engine on this model was not black.

I also have the Crymer manual and the bike on the cover is a special model. The engine on that bike is very well polished in deed but I don't remember the engines being that shiny and how the hell would I polish the tops and bottoms of the fins?
I guess I will have to look for Pics of the bike I owned and take a guess.
Rob

[79XS11F]

Well I am pretty sure now that the block was not polished alloy as is seen the the photo on the manual cover so that bike on that cover was buffed up for the photo. Anyway I am well into the buffing of the block and cylinders. WOW what a job. I am about 6 hours into it and only about 1/2 done. I hope it proves to be worth the effort. Here's where it's at now.






Rob

[79XS11F]

You can see the difference on the unfinished top of the crankcase breather cover. So what do you think?
Rob

[Shuriken]

How are you doing your polishing? Are you using felt attachments on the end of a drill?

Ben

[JWSanders]

Caswell makes a really thin wheel for getting in between those fins. I haven't tried it yet, but it's what I'm planning on using.

http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/razor.html

Looking good so far! Anxious to see the final results!

[xschop]

that's pretty

I will be posting some pics of the aluminum covers and parts that I will be using on my project bike....They will be a deep dark grey and will look like powdercoat. I use a solution of Sodium Hydroxide and the finish is uniform and corrosion resistant after the treatment....also very cheap and easy to do....nice polish job BTW

[79XS11F]

I'm using an assortment of soft and medium brass wire wheels. Once the block is complete I will finish the fins. I am finding that after brushing the metal can be cleaned completely if I spray it with brake cleaner or electrical contact cleaner
Rob

[trbig]

Just wondering what you are going to do to treat the metal? In no time at all, your nice shiny bare aluminum will corrode and get dark... ruining all your hard work.

I used Dupli-Color silver high heat (1200 degree) paint with ceramic, and it looks pretty good still on the motor, but the edges of the fins are wearing off from washing... I need to re-touch it. It didn't work as well on the header pipes and I have since changed them. I sandblasted my head, cylinders, and valve cover.... maybe 2 minutes per piece.





It is a little different color than the block,(I didn't paint it) but it doesn't just stand out. Remember that it is pretty fragile paint until you bake it according to the directions.









Tod

[79XS11F]

Hey Tod ... Once I get all the old paint and what not off the engine I will give it a buff with a metal cleaner / restorer. The products I will be using leaves a non corroding coating on the metal so I should not have to worry too much. It's the same stuff I recovered my side cases with and they have remained good looking since i did them a year ago.
As good as the engine should look I would not undertake a job like this again I am going through wire wheels like crazy. They seem to dull out and just stop working. I wish I could find a few baby bottle type brushes with brass or soft steel Brussels.
Rob

[trbig]

Yeah... cause nothing cleans those nipples like a brass or steel bristled brush!! On baby bottles I mean! lol..

Tod

[79XS11F]

Well I have done enough cleaning on this engine in an effort to get an appearance like in the photo on the cover of the manual. I can not get the the area in the middle rear of the engine so it will just have to stay dirty.





It will have to do
Rob