Whats the best silver paint for barrels?

And don't say black!

I painted my barrels with 'Smoothrite' silver. I've used it before on race motors and its been great. I suspect the formula may have changed though as my Commando barrels have developed a yellowish tint. I painted over them once, and they're doing it again. All this is in only 500 miles.

I plan on stripping the top end anyway over winter, so, what's the consensus on the best paint type?

I'm thinking that powder would be super tough, but I don't like the idea of coating an air cooled barrel with a layer of plastic 'insulation' !

Any comments or advice from folk who have found something good?

I have to re-do my cases and barrels this winter. The PJ1 Y****a silver on the cases has yellowed badly but the 'Halfrauds' high temp aluminum has not changed one bit. However durable it is colourwise it does leave a slightly rough and dusty top layer that can be wiped off initially. After that its fine. Gloss it isn't so a matt finish is what you get. It does seem to be quite petrol proof but not cellulose thinners! which is why mine is being redone after I messed it up removing fresh tar from the cases and barrels this summer. I guess stove enamel is the proper way to go.

My barrels are off the engine an instead of just touching up round the front and rear base nuts (850 barrels) after assembly i was thinking now is the time to paint them.
Mick Hemmings sorted the rebore and advised me that he just uses PJ1 high temperature paint. Due to Euro green laws it is not sold in Britain any more but you can get it easily on Ebay.

I am put off powder coating the barrels by need to have them blasted which may hurt the fresh rebore. Also will it go deep into the bottom of the fins and if it does would it block it small through holes in the lower fins between the cylinders.

Apart from issues of heat loss being affected surly the base nut will need checking more than they otherwise would for loosening as the coating is or maybe is not fretted away from under them over time an use.

Smoothrite has definitely changed as have many other things as the world tries to be greener. So apart from hard tedious work does anyone know of a good way to remove old paint?? Nitromos once could remove anything but like Smoothrite it is not as good as it once was and can't lift remaining areas of factory black (sacrilege i here some folks cry )

I've used Simoniz black engine enamel for barrels many times , it is durable and easy to apply. They make aluminium silver enamel designed for cylinder heads etc, don't see any reason why it wouldn't be as good as the black.

toppy said:

So apart from hard tedious work does anyone know of a good way to remove old paint??

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A common way to do this is to hot tub it at the (car) engine rebuilders.
They use boiling hot caustic - conc sodium hyroxide in water.
Wash off with clean fresh water, dry it and paint it before it begins to rust from all that water.

You may need to poke through any /all small holes and spaces, to make sure there is no paint gunge trapped there,
but usually its pretty good. Can't damage the iron in any way either - apart from that rust tinge if left standing.

Needless to say, protective gloves and goggles and old clothes if you are any way involved in this.
It should all be automated, so they press the button and retreat.

P.S. This process EATS alloy, so no aluminium, ever.

Toppy wrote:

"I am put off powder coating the barrels by need to have them blasted which may hurt the fresh rebore. Also will it go deep into the bottom of the fins and if it does would it block it small through holes in the lower fins between the cylinders. "

Powder coating depends on electrostatic attraction of the powder to the metal. An even application of powder is difficult, if not impossible to achieve because the fins disrupt the electrostatic fields. You should not expect the powder to go to the bottom of the fins, nor evenly coat the fins. Powder can block small holes, but the electrostatic field around a hole may be such that no, or little powder is attracted to the area at all.

I would not p coat cylinder barrels. FWIW....I would not paint them silver either. Color has been discussed in a previous thread.

Slick

texasSlick said:

Toppy wrote:

"I am put off powder coating the barrels by need to have them blasted which may hurt the fresh rebore. Also will it go deep into the bottom of the fins and if it does would it block it small through holes in the lower fins between the cylinders. "

Powder coating depends on electrostatic attraction of the powder to the metal. An even application of powder is difficult, if not impossible to achieve because the fins disrupt the electrostatic fields. You should not expect the powder to go to the bottom of the fins, nor evenly coat the fins. Powder can block small holes, but the electrostatic field around a hole may be such that no, or little powder is attracted to the area at all.

I would not p coat cylinder barrels. FWIW....I would not paint them silver either. Color has been discussed in a previous thread.

Slick

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I recall the debate about colour Slick, I definitely buy the argument about thickness affecting heat dissipation, but I struggle to believe that colour has a noticeable 'real world' impact.

I used VHS Caliper paint in silver in my head and barrels 3 years ago and it is holding up well.

Caliper paint is probably a good bet. Is POR-15 available on your side of the pond? They make a silver, or aluminum engine paint that has held up well for me on other projects. I have not used it on an aircooled engine. The also have a high temp silver that is good to 1200 degrees but they recommend sand blasting for prep.

http://www.por15.com/ENGINE-ENAMEL_p_47.html

http://www.por15.com/HIGH-TEMP_p_104.html

Rustoleum brush on paint in a can is bullet proof. You can paint car stuff with it and if you lay it on thick with a good brush the gloss black looks like enameling. I have a set of Ford valve covers I did 30 years ago that still look great. I recall doing my black Norton barrels with a brush and gloss black many years ago and they are still looking good. We tend to forget the good old brands that have been around for ages. Give it a try, I am sure the silver is just as good. Rustoleum is an enamel paint that takes a beating. My 63 Ford Falcon has it's original Rangoon red enamel paint on it. It has lived outside all it's life and can still be waxed and buffed to look good.

Hey Fast Eddie. Although it is most likely heat that is tarnishing your paint, don't forget to consider the basics of surface preparation. some things will bleed through any paint.

Thanks guys,

It's not 'bleeding' as the barrels were blasted and perfectly clean when I started.

I can't find the rustoleum product easily here, lots of other rustoleum stuff, but not what I'm looking for.

The Por 15 is though. I've used their stuff before with good effect but had forgotten about them! Have ordered some, will keep ya'all posted.