MNS Black paint for frame/engine parts

[CatatonicBug]

I have a few frame parts that have the black paint flaking off, including engine covers and footrest supports, as well as the cover panels on my Vetter luggage. I'd like to make them pretty again, but I don't want to have to re-do it any time soon. Whatever I use must be heat/chemical/fuel resistant like the OEM paint. Do I need to focus on fancy 2-part automotive paint, or is that necessary to get a reliable paint job?

Also, some of the items have recessed gold lettering/accents. Is there anything I can use to re-paint the gold details but retain the OEM look, while also being heat/chemical/fuel resistant?

Last question - What is the correct finish for the valve cover? Mine is rather beaten, so I can't determine if it was originally a crackle finish, satin like the engine block, or gloss like the other engine covers.

[BA80]

I haven't found any other colors than this in 2 part paints in a can but I can tesify that THIS STUFF is bullet proof.

I cleared my tank with it and it's hard as a rock and gas doesn't touch it. It does require sanding in steps down to a very fine grit to get a shine without orange peel but it would work on the frame with less work than that.

[mack]

Valve cover

I can check tomorrow, I have a spare LH head upstairs in the shop and it's original. Seems to me though, that it was mat with the top ridges being just exposed aluminum to match the edges of the cooling fins. Let me look in the morning and I'll have a firm answer for you.

[CatatonicBug]

Another question - what's the best way to "expose" the ridges on the Valve cover? Should I mask them off before painting, or should I paint the whole thing, then remove the paint from the ridges somehow?

[BA80]

Masking would be tedious. Easier to paint then sand the riges then clearcoat I would think.

[crazy steve]

Yep, sanding works better than masking.....



One thing I would recommend is after painting is to put some masking tape around the fins to protect the paint while sanding them. This one was done in powdercoat, then sanded in steps up to 3000 grit.

[DGXSER]

Hey Bug,

On both of my project bikes I used VHT header paint on the valve covers. I painted them both completely, then U used a small scraper (1/8" wood chisel actually) to carefully peel the paint off before curing it. I also sanded after removal with 1000 then 2000 grit.

[CatatonicBug]

Masking would be tedious. Easier to paint then sand the riges then clearcoat I would think.

Clearcoat? None of the items on the bike were ever clearcoated from the factory - including the tank. Why would I clearcoat the engine covers? Doesn't clearcoat yellow on an engine?

I don't plan on painting the block or the fins, as I would have to completely remove and disassemble the entire engine to do that correctly. I don't think it would look right if I painted over the engine seams.

[DGXSER]

Bug, most of the bare aluminum parts on the non MNS bikes are covered in a clear coat from the factory. And yes, the tanks have a clear coat on them. I just purchased one with some of the clear worn off, the black paint with the factory red metallic flakes was still on it, so stock paint job.

As to the MNS engine, I have no clue what was or was not cleared. I have not put clear over the valve covers I painted with the VHT and it has held up so far.

[mack]

I just checked

and the spare head and the cover is the same color as the head but with a crackle finish. The ribs on top are the same as the one in Steve's photo.
I remember now that when I was doing mine that I considered doing that again but rejected the idea because I wouldn't be able to get my hand in there very easily (big hands)to polish the ribs every once in awhile. So I powdercoated the whole thing high gloss black to match the engine, which was also powder coated high gloss black. I didn't file the fin edges off either, but to me it still looks ok.

[CatatonicBug]

and the spare head and the cover is the same color as the head but with a crackle finish.

Thanks! I couldn't really tell on mine. It did look a little different from the rest of the engine.

My tank has a small dent, with the paint actually chipped off, and I can almost guarantee that there is no clear coat over the black. The engine covers and frame pieces also have no clear on them. I know the paint was a different type (laquer?) from what is used today, so that may be the reason for the lack of clear.

[BA80]

Doesn't clearcoat yellow on an engine?

The clear I gave the link to I believe is guaranteed not to yellow. Even if it did it would be tough to see on black.

[fredintoon]

Clearcoat? None of the items on the bike were ever clearcoated from the factory - including the tank. Why would I clearcoat the engine covers? Doesn't clearcoat yellow on an engine?

Hi 'Bug,
FWIW, the engine covers on my '84 XS650 Heritage Special were clear coated, as were the aluminum rims on the earlier wire wheels I swapped into the bike.
Over time the clear coat had yellowed but what was worse, it had also fallen off in little flakes to give a galvanized look.
Mind you, the clear coat that didn't fall off was harder to remove than the Russian army at Stalingrad.
It took 3 tries with paint stripper plus a buffing wheel to get it all gone.

[mack]

clear coat

"Bullet" came up here a couple years ago right after he had finished his bike. Dan had clear coated it with a supposed non yellowing product. All I can say is that with-in a month his engine and top of the crank were very yellow, he was not pleased at all. I haven't seen him post on here in a very long time but he may be lurking. I'd check with him (PM) and make sure you didn't use the same product.
If BA80 says his product won't yellow, it must work, but even if it did yellow, the base color is black and it would be hard to notice a yellowish effect over that. Unlike Dan's bike. The yellow really stood out on bare aluminum.

[Rasputin]

I have a few frame parts that have the black paint flaking off, including engine covers and footrest supports, as well as the cover panels on my Vetter luggage. I'd like to make them pretty again, but I don't want to have to re-do it any time soon. Whatever I use must be heat/chemical/fuel resistant like the OEM paint. Do I need to focus on fancy 2-part automotive paint, or is that necessary to get a reliable paint job?

Also, some of the items have recessed gold lettering/accents. Is there anything I can use to re-paint the gold details but retain the OEM look, while also being heat/chemical/fuel resistant?

Last question - What is the correct finish for the valve cover? Mine is rather beaten, so I can't determine if it was originally a crackle finish, satin like the engine block, or gloss like the other engine covers.

Whatever else you do...DO NOT use Duplicolor Engine Enamel unless you are curing every part separately in the oven. Even then it is iffy.
I just walked away in disgust at what that product did on my engine. I will have to fully media blast it again and do another product.
I wish I had a better photo of how it looked before, Now I have to media blast it again. We used to have VHT here but it went away with Duplicolor's aquisition of them and now we have shiite!
My lovely wet black with polished highlights went to **** over one simple oil leak! Tried wiping it down but no go. Every single bolt would strip paint as if it was the most brittle substance on earth.
I do not know what is best for this job but I do know that Duplicolor products will be the very last on my list!