Engine compartment painting suggestions

[Stevehose]

Now that I have my engine out it seems I've gone all in and removed most everything else in the compartment for rebuilding and cleaning. Booster and steering box are sent off for rebuilding. I'd like to get a couple cans of high quality Polaris mixed up at a paint store and spray the engine compartment. For those that have done this (I think @HB Chris and @dang have as well as others), what is the best way to go about this? I'll wrap up and get the harness out of the way as well as the rest of the pieces. Then sand, prime and paint? I am thinking of lifting up the top fender tar insulation a little so I can get the paint line under that and then lay the insulation back down so there is no mask line there. I'll do the tops of the frame rails but probably not the sides or bottom because I don't see a way to transition that to the rest of the car so I'll paint those black along with the subframe. I'll also do the fire wall and front clip. What kind of primer and other techniques do you suggest? Metal is all solid.

Driver side showing some surface rust from 51 years of brake fluid exposure and dirt:

Passenger side in good shape but would look weird if I only painted one side:

 

[Patton]

Weld/patch holes, delete battery rack, delete tar.
Sand, fill, prime and paint like you would the body.

You won’t regret it!

RP

 

[Patton]

Note the left panel.

RP

 

[Patton]

 

[Dick Steinkamp]

I suggest you use the same automotive paint used on the exterior...single stage or base clear...over an epoxy sealer. I know that sounds like a lot more work than rattle canning it, but I don't think it would be, and you will be much happier with the finish and the durability. You can do it in your shop/garage. You just need good lighting and ventilation, a $17 Harbor Freight gun, and an $18 respirator.

I did the engine compartment of my V8 914 in my shop (single stage)...

And my V8 MGB in my buddy's shop since he had his temporary paint booth set up (base/clear) and we were going to shoot the rest of the car there anyway...

 

[HB Chris]

Steve, Remove everything that you can, including those speed relays you don’t need under the coil. I scuffed the paint with a scrubbing pad, using etching primer if there were bare spots after sanding that area, masked and used aluminum foil to cover the harness. I had the paint store mix up single stage Chamonix which has the clear in it and it came out great. I have also used a finish gun as well. Just cover everything, the overspray gets everywhere even from a can!

 

[Stevehose]

Steve, Remove everything that you can, including those speed relays you don’t need under the coil. I scuffed the paint with a scrubbing pad, using etching primer if there were bare spots after sanding that area, masked and used aluminum foil to cover the harness. I had the paint store mix up single stage Chamonix which has the clear in it and it came out great. I have also used a finish gun as well. Just cover everything, the overspray gets everywhere even from a can!

Thanks. Yes the speed relays will be removed, one of them houses my fuel pump cutoff switch.

 

[wkohler]

I just did this a few months ago on mine. You can get the Polaris mixed and put into an aerosol. Go with a higher end paint as the metallic size on the lower end is too big and makes the paint appear a totally different color. The first base coat I had was Limco and it was no bueno. Debeer was used for the subsequent and it wasn’t cheap but it was very close. I used SprayMax 2K Glamour Clear. It’s good stuff and the nozzle on the can is great. Don’t forget the respirator.

I sanded starting with 120 grit on a little DA for the bare metal surface rust areas, then worked my way up, 220, 320 then epoxy primed. Then sanded the primer, 320, 400, 600 then shot the base, let it flash off then the clear.

I did some soft masking on my car to avoid stickers like the AC sticker and others. I didn’t paint the insulation pads. Not sure if that was the right choice but I’m fine with it I think for my car.

You can see what I did and then redid here.

Mr. Johnson's 1970 2800 CS - Update 01/31/2023

After pulling the fuel tank, I’ve kept up the progress. The tank is at the radiator shop so hopefully it turns out ok. I haven’t yet ordered a sender as I was debating asking for a used one but I should just order a new one. I moved back under the hood to the excitement of cleaning. I had...

e9coupe.com

 

[HB Chris]

Chris did a much more thorough job than I did which is obvious!

 

[Stevehose]

I just did this a few months ago on mine. You can get the Polaris mixed and put into an aerosol. Go with a higher end paint as the metallic size on the lower end is too big and makes the paint appear a totally different color. The first base coat I had was Limco and it was no bueno. Debeer was used for the subsequent and it wasn’t cheap but it was very close. I used SprayMax 2K Glamour Clear. It’s good stuff and the nozzle on the can is great. Don’t forget the respirator.

I sanded starting with 120 grit on a little DA for the bare metal surface rust areas, then worked my way up, 220, 320 then epoxy primed. Then sanded the primer, 320, 400, 600 then shot the base, let it flash off then the clear.

I did some soft masking on my car to avoid stickers like the AC sticker and others. I didn’t paint the insulation pads. Not sure if that was the right choice but I’m fine with it I think for my car.

You can see what I did and then redid here.

Mr. Johnson's 1970 2800 CS - Update 01/31/2023

After pulling the fuel tank, I’ve kept up the progress. The tank is at the radiator shop so hopefully it turns out ok. I haven’t yet ordered a sender as I was debating asking for a used one but I should just order a new one. I moved back under the hood to the excitement of cleaning. I had...

e9coupe.com

Excellent, thanks. I can definitely relate to the scope creep.

 

[deQuincey]

they did it professionally; only keeping the bunch of things there:

do not forget to use new insulation bits, the looks after it are something nice:

you can see the welded studs in the tunnel area to install the exhaust shield

 

[Larry Louton]

I have two box fans and a scroll fan I'll bring over to help with. I've got some covid masks too.

Larry Louton

 

[Stevehose]

I have two box fans and a scroll fan I'll bring over to help with. I've got some covid masks too.

Larry Louton

I'll also need you to distract the neighbors!

 

[Larry Louton]

Trouble with your HOA? Tell them your painting the interior of your garage?

 

[Stevehose]

Yes, except all the residents walking past now ask "how's the car?" They've seen my legs sticking out under the car into the driveway for a month now. News travels fast

Trouble with your HOA? Tell them your painting the interior of your garage?

 

[jjs2800cs]

Steve,

As you have seen, we painted my engine compartment with base clear, the same as the exterior. The rest of the interior, trunk, etc. we use single stage as it gets covered anyhow. Oh, and the doors inside were base clear. The reason for the use of single stage was at the time (over two years ago) I purchased the base coat, it was almost $900/gallon. Of course you still need to buy the clear. It was painful on the wallet, so it helped using the single stage.

As far as what paint to use, honestly as someone pointed out, a good quality single stage flashing the final coat would look terrific.

For your info if you don't know already, there is a PPG paint store real close to us where I got mine. Who knows what the paint might cost now however, if you want to go with PPG products.

I have several decent quality HVLP paint guns if you want to use them.

jjs2800cs

 

[Stevehose]

Steve,

As you have seen, we painted my engine compartment with base clear, the same as the exterior. The rest of the interior, trunk, etc. we use single stage as it gets covered anyhow. Oh, and the doors inside were base clear. The reason for the use of single stage was at the time (over two years ago) I purchased the base coat, it was almost $900/gallon. Of course you still need to buy the clear. It was painful on the wallet, so it helped using the single stage.

As far as what paint to use, honestly as someone pointed out, a good quality single stage flashing the final coat would look terrific.

For your info if you don't know already, there is a PPG paint store real close to us where I got mine. Who knows what the paint might cost now however, if you want to go with PPG products.

I have several decent quality HVLP paint guns if you want to use them.

jjs2800cs

Thanks, as you have seen, my garage is quite tight so am still working through this and will pick it back up when I am back next month.

 

[rsporsche]

Steve - do you want one of the 5 series exhaust shields that goes on the passenger side of the tranny tunnel? i have a spare. are you going to replace all of the firewall insulation? the one from BMW i believe has gone NLA. Coupeking and CS Werk have them. i have a spare big one (passenger side) from CS Werk and i have a small BMW one (drivers side).

as far as creep goes, i know this all too well ... i bought everything new for under the hood - new small / lighter starter, new a/c compressor + layne mount, new alternator with new PS pump with the new style bracket, new hoses, etc. new radiator, new fan and a lot more. its so easy while everything is out of the car ... just do it, you won't regret it.

 

[Stevehose]

Steve - do you want one of the 5 series exhaust shields that goes on the passenger side of the tranny tunnel? i have a spare. are you going to replace all of the firewall insulation? the one from BMW i believe has gone NLA. Coupeking and CS Werk have them. i have a spare big one (passenger side) from CS Werk and i have a small BMW one (drivers side).

as far as creep goes, i know this all too well ... i bought everything new for under the hood - new small / lighter starter, new a/c compressor + layne mount, new alternator with new PS pump with the new style bracket, new hoses, etc. new radiator, new fan and a lot more. its so easy while everything is out of the car ... just do it, you won't regret it.

Thanks I have one of those shields. I ordered the oem looking upper firewall insulation from W&N - pricey but I want this rabbit hole finished out properly. I have the others from CS Werke other than the one around the brake booster support - I am going to make one out of closed cell foam since it’s hard to see it anyway and the repop is expensive for something not visible.

 

[rsporsche]

when i got the upper firewall insulation from W+N a few years ago, it was the BMW part ... so hopefully it still is. if you want the pattern of the original BMW part, i can trace it for you. you will have to fit it to the CS Werk piece as they are slightly different