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Painting the engine of a 85 XJ700

Discussion in 'XJ Modifications' started by JerryK, Jun 6, 2014.

  1. JerryK

    JerryK New Member

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    Paint my 85 Maxim XJ750X engine black

    Anything I should watch out for? Cover? etc...

    I know I should cover my carbs. Anything else I need to be concerned with?

    Any tips, suggestions, or comments would be appreciated.

    Jerry
    85' Maxim XJ750X - first bike
     
  2. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

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    if it's not clean enough to lick it's not ready to paint.
    take all but 2 screws out of the covers, paint, shine up the screws, move the 2 painted ones underneath, put the screws back.
    looks a little nicer than painted screws
     
  3. tskaz

    tskaz Active Member

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    Watch the temp range on the can of paint you buy, hi-heat can go anywhere from 300*-2500*. Also some manufacturers have a different process to cure their hi-heat paint, so read the directions and follow them.
     
  4. Krafty

    Krafty Member

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    if you do a matte finish on the engine paint like I did , any little bit of oil that drips onto it from oil change or leaks sticks out like a sore thumb,
     
  5. Bigshankhank

    Bigshankhank Active Member

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    If you INSIST on painting the engine while it is fully assembled, you need to clean it with more than just a can of engine degreaser. Ideally you would use a pressure washer and a diluted cleaning solution like Simple Green or Purple Power and water. Of course, in order to do this type of cleaning, you will need to make blank off plates (w/ gaskets) for the intake and exhaust ports in the head to keep water from getting blasted inside. Of course this assumes that you remove the exhaust and carb bodies, 1st.
    It really is not that difficult to pull the top end and clean/paint the top end properly. The better a job of cleaning, the better the paint will lay and it will last longer. I understand not wanting to tear the engine completely apart to get the cases, so in that case I would paint the cases with the top end and all covers in place, then pull the left and right covers, oil pan and top end off and clean them as best you possibly can removing overspray from the case painting. Then paint them since they show more than the engine cases anyway. Yes this will require new gaskets, but it also comes with the assurance that the engine will be nice and oil tight.
     
  6. JerryK

    JerryK New Member

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    Thanks for the suggestions so far.

    I'm not too keen on removing any screws. But, I will remove the seat and gas tank.

    As for cleaning with a degreaser. What I would like to do is to apply the degreaser in sections with a toothbrush, then use a Dremmel tool with a round tip that I'll cover with a piece of cloth I'll cut to size.

    I think the whole process will take a long time (I plan on doing it in stages). I would like to leave all the pieces that are naturally chrome unpainted and treat them with chrome polish.

    Anyways, high-temp paint, cover everything that is not being painted, degrease well, rinse well, clean dry surface. Got cha!

    On a side note. I absolutely love this bike! I'm about to begin work on a custom sissy bar / back rest and luggage rack.

    Jerry
    85' Maxim XJ750X - first bike
     
  7. autosdafe

    autosdafe Member

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    Do it right the first time so you don't have to do it again.
     
  8. junkmn

    junkmn Member

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    I used Purple Power with various brushes to clean all the grime off the motor. Then I wiped it all down with Naptha to remove anything I may have missed. Then I painted it with a various size brushes using semi gloss barbecue paint. Looks great and hasn't come off yet. Lots of riding and its holding up.
     
  9. Josh phillips

    Josh phillips Member

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    Bumping old threads. Anyone have finished pics?
     
  10. BrosefStalin

    BrosefStalin Member

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    Not yet, but I should by the end of March. In my case, I have already begun polishing all of the covers (Crankcase, Stator, Clutch, etc.). I will also attempt to polish the valve cover if it's possible. Everything else will be painted black, then I'll take a Dremil to the cooling fins.

    Still no idea what paint I'll use, but I will keep everyone posted on the cleaning/curing process.

    I'd like to use some sort of high heat paint that I can essentially spray on, then run the engine to bake it/cure it.
     
  11. Josh phillips

    Josh phillips Member

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    Sounds like a good plan, I think what I'm going to do is keep it real simple because I'm essentially building a rat Rod looking bike and just put a semi gloss black over all motor components. Then I think when I paint the tank and fenders it will be a black base with a bit of chameleon in it. Probably a red fade I'm thinking. I've been looking into plasti dip a lot lately. Looks sharp easy to do and can be changed as often as you'd like sounds like fun.
     

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