I need to strip the paint off of my engine. Currently I have the jug and head off for boring and valve work, so no issues there, then I have the sides off for brushing, so that leaves the case...I am not pulling the tranny cover. So what I need to accomplish is stripping the paint from the case without penetrating my center gasket...odviously the engine is not on the bike...

Any ideas, will MKE substitute dissolve the case gasket?

OK. So. I stripped the paint off of the covers, someone had painted them,  do ya think aluminum wheel clear coat would be a good idea, I believe its heat resistance to 600 degrees. I'll just sratch up and paint the case with engine block paint.

Did you paint that case in the photo?

Ive clear coated all my polished aluminum parts. A good 2 part automotive clear is best. 2k rattle can works great.  

Duplicolor or the wheel paint will work also.  Just gas will make it peel and oil overtime will discolor it. It also doesnt stick as well, so it has to be prepped well.  Additionally it will make the polished surface look a bit different, no so polished, but still very nice.

Ive always clear coated my parts like this and it works great. Especially on wheel hubs where its a serious pain to come back and polish. Ive got some dirt bike hubs that look great after 10 years of abuse and minor maintenance.

By the way, after polishing to a nice shine. I do a lacquer thinner scrub to ensure there are no residues before painting.  Thats my solution of choice and has worked great.

On other motors Ive done the cases also. Its come out ok. Ive used paint stripper and gasket remover to remove the paint.  The gasket remover works amazingly well for some finishes.  But obviously it will eat gaskets too.  

My opinion is that if you split the cases it may be worth it, if the case is intact, Im not sure I would do it.  Too much rolling around a heavy case in awkward positions to get it polished out.

Spamy wrote on 08/19/14 at 09:33:00:


Nice to know the two part clear will hold up on aluminum.  I am currently polishing some wheel hubs....and was trying to figure out what to do with the center.  Clear coat.....or powder coat chrome or clear.  The center holds up OK on my bike as it is not outside in foul weather too much - but it does require polishing often.

Dave

rapfohl wrote on 08/19/14 at 14:26:42:


I should do a write up.....but in a nutshell.

1)  Take the parts off the engine.
2)  Strip the clear coat off using a real paint stripper from an auto paint supply store.  Something like Tal Strip or the Aircraft stripper.  The stuff you get at Lowe's and Home Depot won't work.
3)   Wet sand the parts to get rid of the corrosion or nicks and scrapes.  You can start with 360 on the bad spots.....or even 240 if the pitting is bad.  Don't sand the smooth parts with the rough paper as it will make scratches you have to sand out later.  Then go to progressively finer grits.  The paper wears out pretty quick so you will have to change the paper often - I use pieces about half the size of a dollar bill.  If the parts are smooth start with 400 and work down to 600 grit.  At this point you can start buffing if you have a good bench mounted buffing wheel - and it will take about 1 hour each case to do a really good job.  If you are doing this by hand than you keep sanding with finer grits until you get down to 1,000 or more.  Then you can start buffing the aluminum with rags and a metal polish.  Meguires makes one that is a fast cut and it comes in a tube - then a fine grit that is in a little tub.  Flitz, Simi-chrome and similar products work fine for the final polish.

Dave  

Ive used this kit several times and it works pretty dang good for the price.  If you dont have a buffer, but have a drill, its great.

http://www.harborfreight.com/14-piece-aluminum-polishing-kit-98707.html