Clean and paint MK1/Citi Gearbox

[EX-DOHCTOR]

Hey lads,

I want to clean my engine and gearbox, then prep and paint before I put them back in the 2 door.

I've got black high heat engine enamel for the engine block, I am battling to find silver for the head though.
Gearbox I was going to just use hammerite silver but I did buy a silver Rustoleum paint that is rated as high as 300'c - way overkill for a gearbox I know but wasn't sure what else to use.

What paints are you using for your engines, cylinder heads and gearboxes?

[EX-DOHCTOR]

Is no one restoring their own engines anymore?

[panic-mechanic]

I never paint gearboxes or heads. I actually dislike the look as people paint over stuff that should not be painted etc. Engines yes just with high heat rattle can made for engines. soory could not be of more help.

[chucker02]

Spanjaard makes high heat paint. On the can there is a picture of a branch. Have used it before, both the black and silver. Gave the silver can to a friend who used it on his branch for his midget race car and he says its holding up well. You can rather try and clean the head with aluminium cleaner

[EX-DOHCTOR]

Yeah look I am not trying to make the thing look brand new. Just with a bright and shiny freshly painted engine bay, dropping an old filthy engine just looks makes the whole thing look really ****. The block is rusted to hell though, so I need to at least paint that black again and then refit things like the waterpump etc.

I still need to prepsol and wire wheel the engine and gearbox and then maybe see how they look clean. Maybe if I through in some extra elbow grease with the wire wheels I can get away from having to spray the head and gearbox?

[Jetta2]

You can have the head and 'box bead blasted and they will look like new again.
The block you can also have bead blasted and then shoot it with normal high heat paint.

[EX-DOHCTOR]

You can have the head and 'box bead blasted and they will look like new again.
The block you can also have bead blasted and then shoot it with normal high heat paint.

I'd probably go this route if I was going to strip and rebuild the motor. There's nothing really wrong with it so I was just looking to dress it up a bit.

[EX-DOHCTOR]

OK so I had a look at the motor yesterday and it isn't really as bad as I thought it was. Stripped off the alternator, waterpump, fuel pump etc.
So I reckon a few blasts and a soak with prepsol and then some action with the wire wheel and we should be good. The head also cleaned up nicely with some fuel and some elbow grease, so no need to evel waste time painting that.

[SayedMK1]

2k black >block 2k metalic >geabox (not base coat) . Rust-Oleum silver for the head .

[SayedMK1]

[EX-DOHCTOR]

Looks epic mate! What is the heat rating of the paint you used for the head?
300'c?

[SayedMK1]

Rust-Oleum high heat will confirm . but its built to withstand the heat you wont have an issue .

[SayedMK1]

[ChrisMaxx]

I used high heat rattle cans on my engine block and it never peeled or bubbled,just get high heat one's and you'll be fine

Sent from my ALE-L21 using Tapatalk

[EX-DOHCTOR]

Ok sweet. Thanks for the info guys.

I really need to go through my project thread and clean things up. Fixing all the images has put me off completely, but there are a number of updates I need to post.

At the moment time is my biggest problem.

[markfish888]

What is the best spray on , pressure wash off, product to clean the alu gearbox casing? Gonna do flywhheel and cluch on the B7 this december, want to get box looking new, It has a lot of nooks and cranny's, dont want to use wire wheel & drill, that tends to leave dirty swirl marks.

Bead/soda blasters will be closed, dont want to paint

[EX-DOHCTOR]

What is the best spray on , pressure wash off, product to clean the alu gearbox casing? Gonna do flywhheel and cluch on the B7 this december, want to get box looking new, It has a lot of nooks and cranny's, dont want to use wire wheel & drill, that tends to leave dirty swirl marks.

Bead/soda blasters will be closed, dont want to paint

Prepsol would be my first product of choice. You might need to do some scrubbing with a brush though, use a plastic bristled foot brush while the prepsol is sitting on the box. You need to agitate the deeply caked on dirty.

[Shadows101Fall]

If you're too lazy to do it yourself, go to your local engineering shop and ask them how much they'll charge you to clean it in their acid bath.

My go to to clean any aluminium parts, or any parts for that matter is some heavy duty acidic degreaser and a pressure washer. Leave it to soak, and blast the **** right off.

[ChrisMaxx]

You can also try "Blixem",it comes in a grey container and cleans quite nicely. Just don't get it on rubbers and if you have cuts on your hands wear gloves,it burns like hell lol. Throw some "Blixem" on and scrub a bit,will come straight off

Sent from my ALE-L21 using Tapatalk

[markfish888]

Thanks! heavy duty degreaser it is

[Headstash]

Hi sorry to be putting this yo in your thread , but I'm not to sure where to look for techs/mechanics on the forum

[Donavan]

try here

https://www.vwclub.co.za/forum/viewforum.php?f=3