I have not painted an engine above rattle canning and I would like to provide a durable finish to my 5.7L Hemi.

Currently the engine has been cleaned and is in pretty darn good shape for painting. I plan on assembling it in the upcoming few weeks, cleaning it,masking and apply paint over the heads, timing cover and block.

• Is it typical to apply a primer to an engine? If so, what kind?
• What type of paint should be used for this application? Urethane? Enamel? Lacquer? I am looking for long lasting shine and durability against fuel, oil, brake clean, etc., OEM correctness is not important.
• Clear coat?

Epoxy primer followed by urethane, either single stage or base/clear.

Thanks for the input.


Recommended amount? I am thinking a quart [mixed] of each ought to do ~2 coats.

Pretty much any catalyzed automotive paint will give you those properties. I like Acrylic Urethane single stage. Self etching epoxy primer will give you a good base. Prep is EVERYTHING! Wipe it down with thinner, followed by wax and grease remover, I also wipe down with Acetone as a final. Do it until a white rag stays white. .02

I'd probably use PPG DCC single stage or Delstar acrylic enamel. I have a 400 sbc that I painted with DCC back in 2007. It's still very glossy looking. It has flaked a little on the smooth machined surfaces, like the deck surface where the heads don't cover everything. I can touch it up with a foam brush and it will last for a few months before it does it again. I put a thin coat of DP90 Epoxy primer on it first. Some say to use primer and some say not to. I did, but just went with one light dusting.

I used a Preval sprayer to apply the paint. Works well and easy to control. I think a Preval bottle filled close to the top would do a complete engine. I bought a quart and have lots left over. Buy a pint instead.

Plastikote works great for a spray can.

Epoxy primer and acrylic urethane or acrylic enamel.

I like PPG stuff. DPLF epoxy primer and DCC acrylic urethane.

That looked good for about a month on the 318.

A catalyzed urethane will best stand up to gas & oil. I always use an etching primer after cleaning & degreasing. I'll also scuff the tin parts for good mechanical adhesion. With little care - just keeping them clean, basically - those motors look great decades later.
For the race motors, I paint 'em a light industrial grey; any leakage is quickly obvious, and it's also easier to see things when underhood. That's probably not for everybody.
I also like to see things looking like what they're made from, so some day, some motor's getting painted cast-iron grey.

I've had good results with POR15. You can apply with a brush and after it sets up, looks like it was sprayed on. What color are you considering?

Another vote for POR products moms got 12 years and plenty of miles on her car Dad restored for her and its held up very well even on the manifolds.

I use etching primer and Nasson single stage.

I wasn't impressed with it myself. I painted the 360 in my truck using the POR15 Chrysler blue. It looked good, but it cannot take heat at all. Burning off the exhaust crossover in the intake immediately, and smelling like crap for a couple of weeks of driving. It also lifts off if there's any oil on it for any length of time. Granted this is in a daily driven truck and I don't ever clean the engine, but engines I painted with plastikote spray bombs in the past held up fine.

I used the Hemi orange POR on the other 360, but haven't put it back in the car yet.

I used Rustoleum once. It never peeled, even after 10 years of daily driving, but the gloss faded away pretty fast. I got the idea after seeing racers paint the inside of their blocks with Rustoleum to aid getting the oil back to the pan faster. I guess it doesn't peel in that case, or it could block the pick-up screen.

Bill Hirch is the best engine paint I've ever used.

Epoxy primer and single stage urethane. I wouldn't waste my time and money on uncatalyzed paint.

Want it to look like this? Clean with DX440, prime with Epoxy, coat with single stage urethane of your choice. Clear coat can be used but is extra cost and an extra step that is not necessary. Don't be afraid to use bondo either. If it's away from the exhaust manifolds I have a Cross Ram intake that was painted 20 years ago and still looks like glass. This engine is on year 4.
Doug