I pulled the engine out of my '67 coupe last weekend. I thought the engine bay was nicely painted, but discovered it was painted with the engine in the car. Only the top of the bay was done. So now I have a half-painted engine bay and an engine with overspray splatter.

What do you recommend to use for degreasing/cleaning and what should I use to paint it? Is this a brake cleaner and rustoleum kind of job, or a Marine Clean and POR 15 application?

 

Just use some engine degreaser that you can get from an auto parts store. Not the foamy stuff. Gunk works good. Saturate the grease then wash it off with a water hose. Rough the bay up with a wire brush then sand it with some fine grit sand paper. Blow it off, wipe it down good with acetone or laquor thinner then paint. I used POR-15 on my bay then top coated with satin black engine paint. You do not have to use POR-15 but it is a good idea. Resand before you top coat. The thing about POR-15 is that you have to top coat. Eastwoods rust encapsulator does not need a top coat.

 

unless your bay is rusted, or bare meal, no need for por 15. States right on the can that it is for seasoned (rusted) metal and if using on clean metal, you must pre first with metal prep. Does not adhere well to painted surfaces.
Good luck

 

This may sound like bs, but I've been using George Formans knockout degreaser. It comes in a spray bottle, its non toxic..so its good if you have kids and dogs etc. It worked great on my mustang. It was caked with oil and trans fluid and any other fluid that shouldn't be there. I got it completely clean with just that and rags one afternoon. Then painted with no problems with bubbles or pin holes from oils. Best of all I get it at the dollar store for $1.oo per bottle!

 

Just be sure to sand all surfaces to be painted after degreasing. The paint won't stay if you don't and it will start flaking off. I used black epoxy primer in my engine bay and it turned out great without having to topcoat it.

 

To me it all depends what you wanna do? if you want to take it all the way down to metal and check for rust and such especailly check in and around the battery tray. You can do what I did and use aircraft remover on the compartment and take it all the way down I tburns like junk but it works.

If you just wanna use what you have as a base sand it back or at least scuff it and make sure you have a clean surface. I think Laquer gets it clean pretty good.

After Aircraft


After primar




After Paint -( bad phone pic)

 

Depending on how greasy the bay is, you can also use automotive simple green then sand the paint. Use a primer and a semi-gloss black Krylon spray, or use a paint gun if you have one.