I am going to paint my TSR block and possibly the head too, in my mk2. Thing is, I don't want to hand paint it, nor do I want to jeff it up by not using the right paint. I've used smooth Hammerite on brake calipers which must reach 200-300C easy!!? and it's been perfect. Engine enamel is rated at around 150C I believe. Forget the exhaust paint which is thin and for stuff that gets red hot! Anyone got experience with the smooth Hammerite? MTIA
I used "Granville Cylinder Black" on my last engine tart-up; brush painted but very thin and dries without leaving stroke marks. I suspect that Hammerite could be a bit of a sh*t on account of it's viscosity; both in terms of tidy application and it's effects should it get anywhere that it shouldn't be..
I did one with the smooth brush on stuff. Wasn't actually that bad and I was pleasantly surprised. It's difficult to get into all the nooks and crannies mind. Finish wise is probably debatable if it's going to be show quality.
I brush-painted a block ages ago and the finish was very smooth without visible brush marks. I can't remember what paint it was exactly, but it was bought from Frost and probably simply called "Engine Enamel" or similar. I'm not a fan of Hammerite. Dunno why. I'd be interested in what you finally do and the finish you get, as I'd like a decent show-quality finish next time I repaint the 16V G60 engine. I must admit it looks quite glossy and shows up the surfaces a little too well. A matt finish would be nice.
Smooth hammerite sprayed on seems to work well for a shiny black finish. The silver hasn't quite got the same lustre (in fact it's very much a matte finish).
I used car plan engine lacquer in a tin, for the last couple. It goes on really nicely, and one coat seems to be enough. Prep is critical though. I used gunk type degreaser, then a pressure washer and alloy wheel cleaner acid to make sure it's properly degreased, then I dried it with a heat gun to get the water out of the textured surface of the block, so I could get the paint on, let it dry a bit, and spray the inside of the block with WD40 before it started to rust.
Pic of the painted block: One coat brush painted on. Tried not to get any excess on the machined faces, but took it off with a scraper where I did, once it was dry but not fully cured. I've done 2 blocks so far, out of the 250ml can, and there might be enough for another.