Newb paint questions. UPDATE W/ PICS

[bwells]

Since my motor's out of my car, and it's going to be a little while before it's back in, I figured I'd take some time and paint my engine bay, since I'm starting a rewire soon anyway.  I'd like to take out the k-member and powder coat that.  The guy that I got the car from repainted th car a green metallic, and sprayed the engine bay flat black, which has started to come off.  I'd like to completely empty the bay, strip it down to bare metal, coat it with eastwood rust converter, rust encapsulator, then paint it.  My questions are, do I need the encapsulator with the converter?  If I use the encapsulator, do I need primer?  And how difficult would it be to get color-matched paint?  I'd rather not just spray it black.


Just came in from the garage.  Started stripping the old black paint, and the green underneath looks really good.  Especially for SW Washington.  There's a few spots where the paint is completely gone, but overall it looks really good.  And whoever repainted the car also sprayed the bay.  I even found this sticker under the black.  So now I'm wondering, should I still completely strip the bay, or can I just strip the rest of the black and any rust that I find, and paint over the good paint?  What would the basic steps be for this?

[sunsetdart]

I would just strip the old black paint off, then get yourself some epoxy primer. When you're done with the epoxy, you can paint over any color to match the car . The epoxy will also give you very good protection against corrosion. Once you get the compartment to bare metal, just give it a good sanding and wire wheel any rust , then you're ready to primer.

[rjsjea]

 ...epoxy.  Take a sample of the body color to a good painter/distributor and they can match it for you.  Use PreKleano liberally to clean the metal before every step.......engine comp's usually oil/greasy

[bwells]

Also, I accidentally wheeled through the paint in a couple of spots.  I don't think it's going to be a problem.  But at least it's clean underneath.

[sunsetdart]

With it as clean the pics show, you can also use a good scotch brite pad and rough up the remaining surfaces. That will give you a good bond for primer. It will also allow you to get into the tighter spots. You don't have to take it to bare metal to get it ready for primer. Primer just needs a good scratch surface.

[loiq]

POR15/rust encapsulator is basically a sealer so if you use the Eastwood stuff then yes, you will need to prime over it.

[bwells]

   I'm going to the store today to get primer and something to mask it off with.  Then I'll start getting it ready to paint tonight.   Thank you.

[bwells]

Well, I just spent about 3 hours with a wire wheel and a scuff pad and got one side almost ready to spray.  All the old black paint is gone on the passenger side, from the front corner back to the firewall.  There's still almost all of the original paint left, but it cleaned up real nice.  I'm planning on using the EW rust encapsulator since I already have it out in the shop, and EW has it listed as a sealer-primer.  So do I really need a primer with it?  Reading the can, it says to apply 3-5 coats of encapsulator, then wait 36 hours and apply the topcoat.  The paint store here in town was closed today, so tomorrow I'll pick up the stuff I need and try to get the first coat on tomorrow.

[loiq]

I would prime over it. Depends what kind of finish you're looking for. If the color of the encapsulator is the color you want the engine compartment to be just clear over it and be done.

[bwells]

I'm planning on painting it to match the body.  What kind of primer should I get to go over the encapsulator?

[68_Val_Sedan]

why are you using rust encapsulator over metal that is not rusty ?    A nice coat of epoxy primer would be better and WAY easier to sand smooth for a top coat

[bwells]

Picked up two cans of spray max 2k epoxy primer today.  Just got finished putting the first coat on the P-Side, and it looks really good so far.  How many coats of primer/topcoat should I use?  I figured I'd go light, but I got it kind of thick in a few spots.  couple drips on the rad. support, but nothing that can't be sanded down.  I put on just enough so that I can't see the base paint anymore. 

I'm not going to piant the firewall now, because this winter I'm going to rewire the car, and figured it would be easier to do then.  I just want to get it looking decent before the motor gets done.

[loiq]

why are you using rust encapsulator over metal that is not rusty ?    A nice coat of epoxy primer would be better and WAY easier to sand smooth for a top coat

Ya, that rust encapsulator is like iron.

[smallbigblock]

I would just strip the old black paint off, then get yourself some epoxy primer. When you're done with the epoxy, you can paint over any color to match the car . The epoxy will also give you very good protection against corrosion. Once you get the compartment to bare metal, just give it a good sanding and wire wheel any rust , then you're ready to primer.

Newb question:  After you clean up the rust as best you can, pits and small pocket left, can you spray over that with just the epoxy primer?  Its confusing because some people say to not use epoxy over rust. I 'm working on the interior of my car and I was going to put down POR over the worst rusted spots, then prime.  I just think that the 2k epoxy will stick to bare metal better that the POR.  I sure don't want the paint to lift in spots later.

[rjsjea]

I would just strip the old black paint off, then get yourself some epoxy primer. When you're done with the epoxy, you can paint over any color to match the car . The epoxy will also give you very good protection against corrosion. Once you get the compartment to bare metal, just give it a good sanding and wire wheel any rust , then you're ready to primer.

Newb question:  After you clean up the rust as best you can, pits and small pocket left, can you spray over that with just the epoxy primer?  Its confusing because some people say to not use epoxy over rust. I 'm working on the interior of my car and I was going to put down POR over the worst rusted spots, then prime.  I just think that the 2k epoxy will stick to bare metal better that the POR.  I sure don't want the paint to lift in spots later.

Remove rust before epoxy primer.    Epoxy primer wont stick to rust......at least for long term