sulzerman Posted February 16, 2020 Report Share Posted February 16, 2020 Hi all I want smarten up my engine bay. Rocker cover and air box could do with painting. My last attempt, the paint has cracked now after 7 years What has anyone else done? Should I go for powdercoating? Would that last? Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted February 16, 2020 Report Share Posted February 16, 2020 Seven years isn't too bad. Most things I've seen powdercoated lasted one summer, from my GT6 suspension to my outdoor furniture. A good aerosol of silver paint (do they still make Chromealike?) over a good primer will last years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sulzerman Posted February 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2020 Maybe I am expecting too much! I have found steel colour wheel paint looks the right shade. I will have to strip off the old and respray. thanks for the advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Clark Posted February 16, 2020 Report Share Posted February 16, 2020 Halfords have a silver aerosol engine paint. I used that on my GT6 rocker cover 2 years ago. So far so good! Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinR Posted February 16, 2020 Report Share Posted February 16, 2020 If powder coating, only do the outside, not the inside. When the powder coating eventually fails it can peel off in large chunks, and if its on the inside of the cover it can block oil ways and cause no end of problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted February 16, 2020 Report Share Posted February 16, 2020 Why not just but an aluminium rocker cover from the club shop. And the air box use smooth hamerite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted February 17, 2020 Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 club shop sells the older orig gold rocker paint Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted February 17, 2020 Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 I used a standard spray can of sliver paint, 3 years on still looks OK. However, don't spray in a dusty environment, I thought my conservatory would be ideal, warm, dry and sunny. It was, but VERY dusty. Had to strip it off and do it again. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain T Posted February 17, 2020 Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 There are probably as many grades of powder as there are oils. Powdercoat adhesion depends to a large degree on preparation. Most small powdercoating companies just use cheap powder unless specified then the price goes up, a lot. I spec'd a facade system coating on a office block 300 metres from the sea using marine grade from Vertik-Al in Birmingham. Finish was super smooth and because it had a flexidiser in it extremely chip resistant and 20 year guarantee (with caveats) but cost three times standard. However for small quantities it would be too expensive, £250 min charge. Best prep for steel parts will always be electrocoating but again you need volume. I agree with Andrew ali rocker cover and hammerite air box. Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted February 17, 2020 Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 52 minutes ago, Iain T said: I agree with Andrew ali rocker cover and hammerite air box. Iain Hate the stuff and wouldn't let it near a car - just personal experience, but it was bad experience! Good primer and a standard aerosol works for me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted February 17, 2020 Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 29 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said: Hate the stuff and wouldn't let it near a car I've also had bad experiences with Hammerite. For my Spitfire's rocker cover I used silver engine paint, sprayed on. It seems to be lasting well so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted February 17, 2020 Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 33 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said: Hate the stuff and wouldn't let it near a car - just personal experience, but it was bad experience! 3 minutes ago, NonMember said: I've also had bad experiences with Hammerite Guys! You can't leave it like that! What happened?!! I've used it with no problems and Yellow Hammerite IS mimosa yellow Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted February 17, 2020 Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 16 minutes ago, dougbgt6 said: Guys! You can't leave it like that! What happened?!! I've used it with no problems and Yellow Hammerite IS mimosa yellow Doug Probably poor preparation on the metal below - I used it on the Herald suspension back in the day, but the rust came through and it just literally fell off again. I believed the blurb about 'simply brush on over existing rust'...so the front suspension wishbones etc were only wire brushed before painting and the rust came straight back again. I also find it very brittle in that if struck it chips, then water gets in behind it. The GT6 suspension was shotblasted and sprayed, and has lasted very well, but the Hammerited Herald is due a total refurbishment and this is only after sitting in a garage for years - it never saw the open road. I must admit to using Mimosa on wheels, but I've noticed recently that it appears to have shrunk, and adopted a crazed finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted February 17, 2020 Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 You have yellow wheels?!! 'respec dude, even I haven't gone that far! Can I interest you in these that I bought recently in a rash moment? db 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave.vitesse Posted February 17, 2020 Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 I first used Hammerite back in the 1970's on a rocker cover. Disaster, loads of reaction due to poor preparation on my part. Since then I have always taken the surface back to bare metal and de-greased it. I used a red primer. Result, no problems and a lasting finish. The problem is the rocker cover is a very oil object to start with and has to be thoroughly de-greased inside and out before applying the paint. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted February 17, 2020 Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 My issues with Hammerite have mostly been that it chips easily and flakes off. In some cases it was bad surface preparation but even when I thought I'd done it right the stuff still flakes. Also, the aerosols are useless. I believe they re-formulated it a few years back so I don't know what the current stuff is like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave.vitesse Posted February 17, 2020 Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 53 minutes ago, NonMember said: Also, the aerosols are useless. Yes, inconsistent. Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted February 17, 2020 Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 2 hours ago, dougbgt6 said: You have yellow wheels?!! 'respec dude, even I haven't gone that far! Can I interest you in these that I bought recently in a rash moment? db Magnolia. MAGNOLIA!! slaps head in exasperation. By the way, do those stay on? I prefer the roll-on ones myself... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martyn wright Posted March 8, 2020 Report Share Posted March 8, 2020 Hi All! A good paint for the Rocker Cover is VHT Paint in a Light Silver or Black? I painted my Air Filter Box with Silver its heat resistant? Cheers Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted March 8, 2020 Report Share Posted March 8, 2020 On 17/02/2020 at 13:52, dougbgt6 said: You have yellow wheels?!! 'respec dude, even I haven't gone that far! Can I interest you in these that I bought recently in a rash moment? Went on a hoarding raid to Waitrose and parked next to a black BMW that had these on it's wheels! Easy to locate the valves when topping up I guess. Might get some for the modern. db Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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