Johnson Outboard Engine Repainting Advice

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Aug 9, 2013
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I know this topic has probably been covered, but I have two late 70's Johnny's that could use some TLC in the paint department. Not sure the best route to go when it comes to getting everything prepped for paint, especially the engine block and heads. I will be doing this in the spring in a storage unit that has electricity but no water. Any suggestion? Can I get by with just scuffing with a red Scotch Brite Pad? The 150 HP has almost no white paint on it because it flaked off, but there are a lot of crevices where it's still there. I don't want to spend 3 months sanding every nook and cranny. I'll never get out on the water. Engines are a 77' 115 and a 79' 150. Thanks in advance.
 

gm280

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I see you haven't had any suggestions yet. The hard cold facts are unless you remove all the peeling paint off the one engine and then degrease it until it is perfectly clean, and then use either Zinc Chromate primer or a Self Etching primer and then paint it again, the new finish is not going to stay on. And that is only IF you use a quality paint with a hardener added. The only thing I can honestly say is, it is a lot easier to do the job correct the very first time, then to have to deal with again trying to just get by. And that means prep prep prep. JMHO
 

82rude

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gm280 agree 100 percent.90 percent prep and 10 percent painting.
 

ezmobee

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I cleaned and degreased mine as best I could and used Duplicolor etching primer and Rustoleum top coat. Paint still chipped and flaked in a couple areas. So yeah. what gm280 said :(
 
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I see you haven't had any suggestions yet. The hard cold facts are unless you remove all the peeling paint off the one engine and then degrease it until it is perfectly clean, and then use either Zinc Chromate primer or a Self Etching primer and then paint it again, the new finish is not going to stay on. And that is only IF you use a quality paint with a hardener added. The only thing I can honestly say is, it is a lot easier to do the job correct the very first time, then to have to deal with again trying to just get by. And that means prep prep prep. JMHO


Thanks for your suggestions. However, I would like to hear how to go about this with mainly the engine block and heads. Lots of nifty, tight little spaces that I can't even get my little fingers into. I am more than mechanically inclined enough to tear the motor down, but that really isn't the problem, and because I don't have running water, aircraft stripper is out of the question. I plan on using POR-15 self etching primer and two part topcoat followed by 3 coats of Diamond Finish clear coat from KBS Coatings. All urethane based, and the clear will withstand up to 300 degrees. I even thought about bead blasting, but I don't want glass beads in my ports or combustion chambers.
 

gm280

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Thanks for your suggestions. However, I would like to hear how to go about this with mainly the engine block and heads. Lots of nifty, tight little spaces that I can't even get my little fingers into. I am more than mechanically inclined enough to tear the motor down, but that really isn't the problem, and because I don't have running water, aircraft stripper is out of the question. I plan on using POR-15 self etching primer and two part topcoat followed by 3 coats of Diamond Finish clear coat from KBS Coatings. All urethane based, and the clear will withstand up to 300 degrees. I even thought about bead blasting, but I don't want glass beads in my ports or combustion chambers.

WOW without any water to help the situation, you are stuck with either bead blasting or hand sanding. Bead blasting would be my choice because it would get into tinny areas better then sanding. But even then you have to still sand some areas in prep. You can always tape off or block off any area(s) you don't want bead blasting media to get into. I would go that route not having any water to assist. The rest of your painting scenario sound good to me. JMHO
 
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Thanks gm280, looks like blasting is the way to go. I heard walnut shells work just as good, and from reading other people's experience with the beads, they said those things get into everything. One person actually had to rip his motor apart and wash / rinse every part individually. Maybe he ate through some of his seals, just a thought.
 

gm280

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Thanks gm280, looks like blasting is the way to go. I heard walnut shells work just as good, and from reading other people's experience with the beads, they said those things get into everything. One person actually had to rip his motor apart and wash / rinse every part individually. Maybe he ate through some of his seals, just a thought.

hw1975, I actually did a total refinish of a '76 Johnson 40 HP engine. If you can to see it, click on the link below and take a look.
 

Watermann

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Most guys will paint the outer portions of the motor that you can see, add new decals and not paint the power head. If you're totally OCD and everything inside and out has to be painted perfectly then the only way to accomplish that is to tear down the entire motor. You can't sand or do a good paint job with the power head on the motor. That's why most guys don't bother because all paint does for a power head is make it look painted. When was the last time you saw guys hanging out in a boat launch parking lot with the cowl off admiring an outboard motor power head from the 1970's?
 

82rude

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So true Watermann.Blocks etc were painted before assembly during production.Usually when somebody has their cowl off at the ramp and theres a crowd they are looking at the hole in the motor,lol
 
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Thanks for all the responses guys. 82rude you're right. Nobody stares at your engine block at the boat ramp unless it's broke. I just figured if I'm gonna strip everything and make the outside look good, might as well clean up the inside. I'm not completely OCD, but I try to pay attention to detail anywhere I can. Everyone gave me a lot to think about. gm280, that 40 horse looks phenomenal, I wish I had the kind of skill you do with the custom paint job.
 

Baylinerchuck

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+2 on watermann's post. Are you putting the motors in a museum, or running them? I had the same issue as you with my 1978 85hp Johnson. Cracked paint everywhere. I scraped and sanded everything I could reach. The key is getting off the loose paint. I used moeller zinc chromate and outboard engine spray bombs. It ain't museum quality, but it was one of the best looking outboards on the Potomac!
 

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Watermann

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^^^ Hey that's a spiffy looking old V4 Johnny!

I re-painted my little 55 Johnny popper and my Merc 140 TOP. The Merc has 2 coats of industrial tractor paint with catalyst hardener over SE primer and alkyd oil base primer shot with hvlp..No paint job on the power head, just degreased it.

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