Do you paint the head?
- Thread starter ChuckW
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ChuckW said:
No they have never been painted. I have never seen or heard of painted engines from the factory either.
On another note, a friend once had his Honda 4 barrels & head sprayed crackle black, then the paint emeried off the outer edges of the fins. Looked good.
I know that the trans was painted from the factory on mine. I thought the engine cases were also, I could be wrong. Not sure if the head was. Way too long ago since I started this rebuild but looking to finish it this year. Again it is a 75 MK3 roadster. Thanks for the help.
Chuck
Chuck
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"Do you paint the head?"
That sounds a bit risque' for a straight guy.
That sounds a bit risque' for a straight guy.
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If you paint it it will look fine for a while and then discolour eventually and require repainting. If you poklish it with solvol autosol it will develop a nice finish/shine (dependent on how long you spend) that looks more original in my opinion and is easier to upkeep.
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OK there must be a conspiracy. Only the cases and heads I get .....when washed with a methylene cloride stripper , will wipe away a silvery residue. How did the factory know 35 years ago which ones I would get....
I'll take a pix of a 74 commando that has been "professionally" blasted clean of it's protective silver-aluminum paint/wash. This thing is the most white powder corroded aluminum POS I have ever seen. It may not even be salvageable.
Say all you want but you will never convince me these things were not given a wash of sealer.
Try it yourself. If you don't have a butchered bike, try some stripper right next to a corrode patch/silvery spot boundry and see if you don't strip some colored sealer off the area that is still protected and not corroded by showing a darker stain on the surface.
I first learned of this in 88 while working on my combat. I was using methylene cloride stripper to remove the gasket from my gearbox outer cover and when it ran down the inside it was super obvious it was a sealer coming off inside the case. I further looked at all the remaing casting to verify their level of sealing......Since then I've worked on many dozens of norton castings. I dip the whole head in my carb cleaner tank to clean the carbon prior to a valve job and for crack checking (especially common on RH4) ...poof gpoes the paint.
I use a blend of radiator aluminum paint, silver acrylic enamel that is very watered down with reducer to get a super light coating that is not obvious and does not change color when run....seemingly the factory did it, since so many are fooled.
If they are not originally painted then I have no other explaination for what I see.
I'll take a pix of a 74 commando that has been "professionally" blasted clean of it's protective silver-aluminum paint/wash. This thing is the most white powder corroded aluminum POS I have ever seen. It may not even be salvageable.
Say all you want but you will never convince me these things were not given a wash of sealer.
Try it yourself. If you don't have a butchered bike, try some stripper right next to a corrode patch/silvery spot boundry and see if you don't strip some colored sealer off the area that is still protected and not corroded by showing a darker stain on the surface.
I first learned of this in 88 while working on my combat. I was using methylene cloride stripper to remove the gasket from my gearbox outer cover and when it ran down the inside it was super obvious it was a sealer coming off inside the case. I further looked at all the remaing casting to verify their level of sealing......Since then I've worked on many dozens of norton castings. I dip the whole head in my carb cleaner tank to clean the carbon prior to a valve job and for crack checking (especially common on RH4) ...poof gpoes the paint.
I use a blend of radiator aluminum paint, silver acrylic enamel that is very watered down with reducer to get a super light coating that is not obvious and does not change color when run....seemingly the factory did it, since so many are fooled.
If they are not originally painted then I have no other explaination for what I see.
Onder
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Sunday I washed out my inner gearbox cover in gasolene.
You clearly could see the silver paint being lifted on the surface.
The engine cases have traces of paint left on them.
I dont know about the head but the gearbox has it remaining
where protected by oil or location.
Love to hear from somebody who worked at the factory.
You clearly could see the silver paint being lifted on the surface.
The engine cases have traces of paint left on them.
I dont know about the head but the gearbox has it remaining
where protected by oil or location.
Love to hear from somebody who worked at the factory.
Seems we have mixed results. I know that the trans (gearbox) on by bike was painted. The head and engine were taken apart and blasted so long ago I am not sure. It seams most will agree that the engine cases are painted, Fred at Old Britts claims this as well. So IF I were to paint the head, would 500 degree paint be high enough temperature?
batrider
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There is a technique for this. (Not invented by me but used by engine builders.) I use a rag soaked in paint thinner and add a little aluminum paint either dipped in the paint or soaked with spray can. Not too heavy. Rub paint and solvent soaked rag on the head to put on a very very light coat. I used a foam tipped swab to dab a sloppy weak mix into the nooks and crannies.
Looks new and has lasted for a few years. I would try to find higher temp paint like header paint. It smelled for the first 3-4 rides but then fine.
Mine was painted from new (' 72 -- 202093) and I had it blasted once years ago. Nice bare finish at first but lasted maybe a month. The 71's had a much thicker coat of paint.
Russ
Looks new and has lasted for a few years. I would try to find higher temp paint like header paint. It smelled for the first 3-4 rides but then fine.
Mine was painted from new (' 72 -- 202093) and I had it blasted once years ago. Nice bare finish at first but lasted maybe a month. The 71's had a much thicker coat of paint.
Russ
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