Painting power head. What paint to use?

[Mark42]

Want to paint the power head on the old '85 Force 85 hp. The paint has come off the head bolts and other bolts, and years ago the motor over heated bad enough to brown the white head paint (motor was rebuilt at that time and head was shaved). Now that I am using it in salt water, I notice that there is heavy rusting on the bolts and other unpainted surfaces. I would like to clean and paint the power head, or at least the head, with a hi temp engine paint.

Will regular auto grade engine/exhaust manifold paint work (assuming I can find it in white)? I know the o/b runs a lot cooler than a car motor, so it should be able to handle the heat. Just wondering about the salt water environment, and how well auto paint would hold up.

Thanks!

Mark

 

[Intermediate Mariner]

Re: Painting power head. What paint to use?

I used the Wally World Rustoleum engine paint and worked good (but its black). Here on iboats they have white for $7.22/can.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Painting power head. What paint to use?

Duplicolor High Temp enamel http://www.duplicolor.com/products/engine.html

Comes in universal white

 

[Mark42]

Re: Painting power head. What paint to use?

I looked up the Moeller Marine paints and there is nothing special listed about their engine paints other than exact color match to popular OE colors. The local Advance auto parts store has the Duplicolor brand engine paints for $4.99 so I'll give that a try and see how it holds up. The trick will be to clean off the rust well first. Plan is to wire brush rust, use tub and sink jelly, wash and then paint.

 

[mark1961]

Re: Painting power head. What paint to use?

I looked up the Moeller Marine paints and there is nothing special listed about their engine paints other than exact color match to popular OE colors. The local Advance auto parts store has the Duplicolor brand engine paints for $4.99 so I'll give that a try and see how it holds up. The trick will be to clean off the rust well first. Plan is to wire brush rust, use tub and sink jelly, wash and then paint.

It does say that it is "heat and solvent resistant acrylic lacquer"....

http://www.moellermarine.com/aftermarket/marine_paints/engine_paint/