How to clean wrinkle painted engines

[Crooz]

I really don't find much Technical Knowledge in this posting... mostly just a bunch of nonsence.

So my question is; is there not more experience out there on the various methods to remove the wrinkle paint. I have noticed that under the wrinkle paint is a black engine paint. So if one were to sandblast the wrinklepaint they would also remove or damage the black engine paint as well.

Therefore we appear to have two options.

One, sandblast everything throughly leaving the engine grey metal, or blast everything and repaint the engine black.

I have alway felt like I would eventually get a smallish sandblasting machine, and use its small handheld blasting tube/attachment to detail & remove the wrinkle paint up to certain points that are accessable on the engine. Then repaint the black in these same areas. Although not completely removed in all areas this would be a vast improvement over what I have now. I don't care to dissassemble the engine components to entirely refinish it.

Just looking for more knowledge and experience that I find currently posted prior in this thread.

[Dan M]

I really don't find much Technical Knowledge in this posting... mostly just a bunch of nonsence.

So my question is; is there not more experience out there on the various methods to remove the wrinkle paint. I have noticed that under the wrinkle paint is a black engine paint. So if one were to sandblast the wrinklepaint they would also remove or damage the black engine paint as well.

Therefore we appear to have two options.

One, sandblast everything throughly leaving the engine grey metal, or blast everything and repaint the engine black.

I have alway felt like I would eventually get a smallish sandblasting machine, and use its small handheld blasting tube/attachment to detail & remove the wrinkle paint up to certain points that are accessable on the engine. Then repaint the black in these same areas. Although not completely removed in all areas this would be a vast improvement over what I have now. I don't care to dissassemble the engine components to entirely refinish it.

Just looking for more knowledge and experience that I find currently posted prior in this thread.

 

 

Crooz,

I'd be careful sand blasting. That stuff always gets where it shouldn't and usually causes trouble. I've read on this board of guys scraping loose stuff off and refinishing with Harley's wrinkle paint. Results are reportedly very good. I need to do mine this winter. I'm thinking a heat gun will aid removal of the factory crap.

 

edit: Jim's original post is about engine cleaning. Just a tip for the rest of us, nothing technical.

[Crooz]

I dropped by the Ole Folks Home (Harley Davidson Dealership) this weekend to possibly get some of their wrinkle paint. A regular sized spraycan was...... $23.00 !!! I told them to keep it.

[Skeeve]

I dropped by the Ole Folks Home (Harley Davidson Dealership) this weekend to possibly get some of their wrinkle paint. A regular sized spraycan was...... $23.00 !!! I told them to keep it.

 

Did you remember to check the label to see who OEM's it for them?

[Crooz]

Now that I have completed my engine refinishing I felt the need to share my experience.

I scraped the block of my engine clean first with a putty knife, then a small flat screwdriver for the hard to get places, then an ice pick for the corners and cracks. As I removed the wrinkle paint I noticed that the black block finish was remaining on the engine. I then started using a dremmel tool and tiny brush, only to find this process non useful. I then got my drill and a larger wire brush. I only glased the surface never hitting any location long enought to damage the black paint underneath. I only spend around 2 hours removing the old bubbling finish. Once I completed the portion of the process, the engine actually looked better than it did before starting the process, as the block retained the black undercoat. I then took and air hose and blew all the debris from the engine & it's cracks.

The next day I spend approx 1 hour tapeing the engine with masking tape.

The next day I sprayed then block with like 6 coats of the Texture Paint, each approx 10 minutes apart. In total I probably used 3/5ths of the can.

Finally the next day I removed the tape and replaced the exhaust header pipes.

Is the job perfect? No... but it's a far cry better than the factory finish, and from 4 ft away it looks great.

I'm pleased with the final product.

Total cost for 1 can of paint and masking tape... $23.00 Total time invested was approx 5 hours. Finished product... PRICELESS !