Paint

[cywelchjr]

I am excited...one more question, no problems for you guys who have done it with the bike overheating? I had a friend tell me it ruined his bike becuase it began to overheat after he sprayed it. Any insight you guys can offer will be acknowledged!

For that to have happened he would have had to have used an insulating paint. Most paint is both thin enough and effective enough at transmitting heat to have little to no effect.

[Ivan]

Man, you just never see an engine painted all black.

[crazy steve]

Don't want to go to all the masking trouble?

Paint it with a brush. I did this on my 650 twin Yammy, and it worked great (I'd only recommend using black). Way easier than spray paint, and held up better to boot. I did remove the larger stuff to get better access. With a brush, you can get paint into the nooks and crannies better and by brushing it in, small amounts of 'stuff' that you probably couldn't get out will be 'moved'; spray paint will just lay on top of this and start peeling.

If you're planning on doing the cases, those should be sprayed. But for doing the barrels/head or any finned areas, this is the way to go as far as I'm concerned

Look for a semi-gloss black oil based paint. Cure by running the motor up to temp, then shutting it off. Repeat until the paint smell goes mostly away.

With a bit of occasional touch-up, this lasted 4 years until I sold the bike. And touch-up was a snap too.

'78E original owner

[Athedra]

Athedra, most of the US models do not have an oil cooler.

If it helps, the 81 models had the jugs painted from the factory along with the valve cover. As mentioned, the edges of the fins were bare aluminum but I think ti was more for show than heat transfer. Heat transfer is about surface, air flow, and temp difference. Not much area on the edges of the fins to transfer heat so no real gain in it.

Don't have oil coolers? What gives with that?. I think during manufacturing they fitted the ugliest one in the factory on mine.

[CatatonicBug]

Don't have oil coolers? What gives with that?. I think during manufacturing they fitted the ugliest one in the factory on mine.

No need for an oil cooler in most US locations. Some of the desert areas might benefit, but the air-cooled engine does a fine job all by itslef in most cases.

[Kmccaslan]

I am guessing that during the "baking" process I need to uncover the carbs if I have them wrapped. Is this correct? I was planning on using saran wrap to get them good and covered...let me know if you guys think saran wrap would be an okay material to wrap them before spraying.

[barberad]

Blue masking tape and news paper is all you need to mask. find as many sizes if the tape as you can, you will need it.
Dan

[fredintoon]

I am guessing that during the "baking" process I need to uncover the carbs if I have them wrapped. Is this correct? I was planning on using saran wrap to get them good and covered...let me know if you guys think saran wrap would be an okay material to wrap them before spraying.

Hi Mac,
if you are going to "cure" the paint with engine heat, it for sure won't run with the carbs wrapped, eh?
But to paint the motor take 'em off fer chrissake, if you ain't cleaned 'em yet it will need doing anyway.

[cajun31]

I resprayed my midnight and did most of what everyone is suggesting on this forum. The fins are easily masked off and kept the look when I was finished. The spray bomb paint I used was found at the hardware store. I used the semi flat that is sold for touching up barbeque grills. It is high temp and looks great on my bike. I have had it on there for six years now and none has flaked off. It took a bit for it to completely cure.