Refurbing Engine casings

[Renevator]

I'm rebuilding an RC36 and would like to get the engine cases looking good again, and would appreciate any input from you guys who've done so, or know of a way to get good results. I'm not intending to take it apart, so soda blasting etc is out of the question, but the engine is complete and out of the frame.

I've been going round in circles trying to discover the best way of doing this.

I've boiled it down to the following:

 

1. Prep and paint with POR15 or Eastwood 2k Engine enamel
2. Clean with raceglaze Alubright deoxidiser then finish with raceglaze Jet Laq
3. Clean with brass brushes, on slow speed drill, or with scotch brute, with wd40 or penetrating oil, then coat with ACF50.

 

The last one, I read on a forum where someone cleaned up an old air cooled Honda very nicely, but he didn't say how he protected the finish. My thought is just leaving it satin, then coating with Acf50 say once a year, and seems the most logical in a way, for a durable finish, as I know ACF 50 is great at protecting a surface. I'm not 100% convinced that any paint would last, but POR15 and Eastwood are the best I've come across.

Also, does the engine have a factory finish? I've read that using aggressive abrasives kills that, and causes even more issues, though as its oxidised and pitted, surely the finish is compromised now anyway??

So has anyone acheived long lasting results on their engine cases, with anything not involving blasting of some sort?

Any tips and recommendations much appreciated. I've got plenty of time so not afraid of hours of elbow grease if that's all it takes. Though it's protecting the finish that's the tricky one.

 

Cheers!

[Thumbs]

I’m going to start refurbishment of the casings on my 89 RC24, I’m going to clean them off with Simple Green and a brass brush by hand them put a coat of etching primer on before the topcoat  ....not sure what the final paint will be 

 

[Renevator]

On 4/19/2020 at 9:17 PM, Thumbs said:

I’m going to start refurbishment of the casings on my 89 RC24, I’m going to clean them off with Simple Green and a brass brush by hand them put a coat of etching primer on before the topcoat  ....not sure what the final paint will be 

 

Be interested to see your results post clean. I can't get Simple Green here in the UK but I can get Bilt Hambur Degreaser which by all accounts is good stuff. Best of luck with your refurb.

[JZH]

1 hour ago, Renevator said:

Be interested to see your results post clean. I can't get Simple Green here in the UK but I can get Bilt Hambur Degreaser which by all accounts is good stuff. Best of luck with your refurb.

Yes, you can!  I used to buy it from the UK distributor years ago, but they stopped selling it in anything smaller than 10 litre containers, which I just couldn't justify.  But your post prompted me to check again, and it turns out that they're again selling it in 1L sizes on up.  1L is £15 delivered from simplegreen.co.uk.  In fact, I just ordered 2L...

 

Ciao,

 

JZH

[Renevator]

On 4/22/2020 at 11:24 PM, JZH said:

Yes, you can!  I used to buy it from the UK distributor years ago, but they stopped selling it in anything smaller than 10 litre containers, which I just couldn't justify.  But your post prompted me to check again, and it turns out that they're again selling it in 1L sizes on up.  1L is £15 delivered from simplegreen.co.uk.  In fact, I just ordered 2L...

 

Ciao,

 

JZH

Thanks JZH, much appreciated.