So you have perfectly straight body panels and a clean, smooth engine bay. But if you have a new engine. A detailed engine and engine bay can make a refinished car or truck stand out. Painting the engine block is a tedious task that should be done only once.

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A dirty engine is the most difficult to paint. Painting your engine can be difficult if it has been covered in oil, grease, and grime for a long time. The engine should be disassembled and cleaned inside and out in a solvent bath before it is rebuilt.

Even if your engine is being rebuilt, we recommend removing the heavy grease, grime, and rust by hand first. The heavy stuff is first removed with a stainless wire brush. Then, using a cylindrical wire brush, attack those hard-to-reach crevices. This is going to make your life a whole lot easier right away.

Then use Chassis Kleen to remove any remaining debris, revealing bare metal. Remove any remaining grease and gunk from the block with a wire brush. Once you see clean, bare metal, you can focus on cleaning the hard-to-reach areas. Remember, paint won’t stick to grease, so clean it all up! After cleaning the engine block, it must be prepared for coatings. 

First, mask off any gasket or bearing surfaces that could be painted inside the engine. Masking tape or paper will keep those critical areas safe from paint scraping. Scuff any smooth surfaces to give the primer a good surface to adhere to. Although an engine block does not get as hot as an exhaust system, it is still important to use quality engine coatings to ensure the paint lasts for years. Start with a High-Temp Engine Primer to seal up the engine block and prepare it for color. Most blocks can be sealed with a single coat, but applying additional coats can fill in blemishes and smooth the block’s surface for an incredibly smooth appearance.

Paints can be used from there. Select the color that best compliments your project and apply 2-3 coats for complete coverage. A clear coat isn’t required unless you want the engine to have a high-gloss finish. Now that your engine has been painted and detailed, you can put it together and proudly display it at the show!