Painting an Outdrive<br /><br />This can be a simple project, with so-so results, or complex with great results or something in between. I have a lot of technical knowledge about coating metals, but won't bore you with all that. Here is what I would do:<br /><br />1. Prepare the chipped spots with a small tool (I like a small sanding wheel on a Dremel tool). Make sure you clean any pits to the bottom of their depth. You may need to use a Dremel tip grinder to do this... but failure to clean pits all the way down will ensure their return. Feather to the existing coating surface. Leave the exposed metal surfaces "sandpaper rough" to aid paint adhesion.<br /><br />2. Use a paint dulling compound (available at paint stores, etc) on all remaining painted surfaces. Use fine steel wool to rub this in and very finely scratch the surfaces. Once finished, use a very dilute ammonia solution to wash the entire unit, then rinse thoroughly with water and wipe dry with clean cotton rags.<br /><br />3. Use "metal prep" (like an iron phosphate or zinc phosphate solution... zinc is best if you can find it) on any bare metal spots. Metal prep is an acid, so be careful. Dob it on exposed metal spots (only) and allow it to air dry very slowly to build its crystalline structure (microscopic) on the surface. Do not wash.<br /><br />4. Once everything is clean and dry, spray the entire unit with a good quality zinc-rich primer. I would do two coats on two successive days, if possible.<br /><br />5. Top coat with a high quality enamel or better yet, Dupont Imron polyurethane enamel. I would do two coats of this as well.<br /><br />That's it. The toughest decision is how much stuff to take apart to get at the components. I'll leave that to your judgment. The most important thing is this: paint only sticks well to very clean, very dull surfaces. Good luck!<br /><br />
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