should I or should I not have the engine block powder coated?

[kooter]

I am reading too many yes's and no's that just don't add up.

So any one with any fact's that would be very helpful

 

[turbowop]

I'm not sure why you'd want to? Once it's installed in the car with everything mounted to it, you can barely see any part of it. I would just paint it.

 

[Romanova]

Would it retain too much heat?

 

[kooter]

Only thing I can say is just a personal preferance.
but I don't want my wants to bring about damage or problem's.
I am looking for perfection and longevity.

 

[89Mirageman]

Get a $6 can of engine paint and be done with it.

 

[chrisfullwood]

I would agree with the other guys, clean the block really good, and do the best you can with engine block paint. Well i would say you wont see your block at all, but it is a 4G63... so you will probably see it more than you think...lol

Ive thought about the idea of getting it powder coated, but really, if you get a good super high heat engine primer and paint, it will look decent, and help make it easier to clean. Just my 2 cents worth.
That is exactly what ill be doing when i pull my engine block to check it over thoroughly here in a few weeks.

 

[kooter]

ok I understand paint is cheaper and easier and way less complicated.

the plan as of right now.
the engine and trans are out of the car.
in a week or two the engine is going to a machine shop. Opel Engineering click I have dealt with them for almost ten years. from working at bmw, and now throuh hyundai.
mostly for us they just do head work.

anyway. they are getting the engine. complete inspection, disection, hot tank/ acid bath/ what ever the proccess they will use to clean the block.
when it is all clean and new like. I will get it back and A. have it sent or taken to be powder coated.
once that is all done it will go back to them to be reassembled. checked and inspected again. during this whole process anything that is not right will be fixed.

I am not so much interested in the cost, or the extra work.
my interest is more effective coating of the block, longer lasting, and in my personal opinion better looking. But yes I understand it isn't as though it is going to be sticking out of the front seat for all to see. But I will know, O yes I will always know.


I really just need to know for sure that as long as I have the powder coating done by a professional. I won't have any problem's/ warpage from 400 degree bakeing, or heat retention because of the powder coating to cause the coolant to boil and the engine to burst into a fiery ball of death and destruction.

 

[89Mirageman]

I guess as long as they mask it properly, especially the freeze plug holes and all threads it will be OK. Powder coat really isn't any thicker than paint, just more durable. I don't see how it would hold heat in if paint doesn't. When they bake the block to make the powder flow I doubt it will get any hotter than it would running during the summer on a long trip.

I think you'll be fine. Be sure to post up some pics if you decide to get it done.

 

[kooter]

as long as I don't hear any real reason not too I will be doing it. Will have lots of pics coming.

 

[rdomeck]

I run a fabrication shop and I do many restorations as well as working as a Porsche mechanic in the past building engines and transmission......Do NOT power coat. The problem isn't with the powder coating, it's with the sandblasting that has to be done in order for the powder to stick. It only takes a grain or two of sand to destroy a freshly built engine! Masking it off and paint as soon as you get it back from the machine shop is your best bet! Powder is also thicker than paint and it chips easily because it's so thick!

 

[GSX_TC]

What's normal prepping when powder coating a valve cover then? Not sand blasting right?

 

[AnotherNewb]

The best prep for a vc is to remove the baffles and have it hot tanked and sandblasted. Its almost impossible to remove all the oil from inside the baffles. If you don't remove it all it will burn and smoke inside your oven and it will show up in the powder coating. Been there and did that once already. I pc'd a vc white and the burning oil left pink streaks in it.

 

[89Mirageman]

I have gotten many 4G63 blocks back from the machine shop that looked brand new and they were down to bare metal. Not sure how they got it that clean but I am positive they didn't sand blast it.

 

[Launch]

After the inspection process, its submerged in a chem vat, then high temp cleaning via hot-tankd many times.... few machine strokes and squared up for that nice luster on the final edges, wire brush everywhere else at high speeds to make it have a nice sheer to it.... personally I coat it in a clear high temp epoxy just to keep the nice finish right after its machined. no temp change noticeable... Im sure using a heavy paint/acrylic would lock in some more heat, and longer. But hot-tanking with all the coolant caps and jacket exposed will promote more heat transfer and help keep it cooler, esp if you've already bored/honed and make the Cyl more sepetable to heat.