+1
Don't breath that stuff in, it burns your lungs something nasty.

Costs about $25 for 1L from VG Auto Paints

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You're so square
Baby I don't care

Thanks to all.
I’ll get a bit more active with the degreaser and brushing for openers.
I’d overlooked wax and grease remover altogether – thanks for that tip.
Perhaps it was the Chemtech 14/kero mix or POR15 Marine Kleen I was looking for to use after the knife, degreaser and brush, & before the wax & grease remover…
I pretty much decided to paint the power unit blue. It’s a good colour for steel elements in construction so I don’t see why not with an engine & gearbox. There are also some remnants I have found of a metallic blue. Can anyone advise if there was ever such a colour used as standard in the late 1970s please?
Rgds. Wayne

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..still waiting for the Italian Job sequel to see if the bus went down

As previously stated- the last engine I cleaned up I scraped as much of the bulk off with a scraper and flat blade screw driver and gave it an initial degreaser soak and scrub with a coarse scrubbing brush and a pressure wash. I then hit it with a wire brush in a drill to get the stubborn bits off and followed with another degrease and pressure wash. Then a generouse wipe over with wax and grease remover and wiped that off with a dry clean rag.

I've found if you use etch primer first it helps whatever paint you use stick better. My mechanic got me onto that and he has done alot of engines and engine bays and never has his paint burn off. I etched mine generously and then hit it with an engine enamel and it's still holding put great post numerous pressure washes and long trips.

Samm

Thanks Samm

I can recognise good advice when i see it. I had not thought about etch priming, but it makes super sense.

So far, i have picked up:

1. more effort is required
2. two agressive products
3. use wax & grease remover
4. etch prime

Ih the benefits of reaching out to your Mini colleagues! Thanks guys.

Wayne

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..still waiting for the Italian Job sequel to see if the bus went down

Those following this can source the POR15 Product range in Warriewood Sydney from Rob at: http://www.ppc.au.com/directions.htm or 9999 0122.

This is the agressive POR15 "Marine Clean" ($23); then followed by POR15 "Metal Ready" ($23) and engine enamel ($63). They have this too. Courier costs $12.

This could be the way to go.

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..still waiting for the Italian Job sequel to see if the bus went down

After reading all the reply's i have come to a conclusion.

&*(k me you blokes do things the hard way, scrapers, tooth brushes, paint brushes, wire brushes, all to hard!!!!!!

3 cans of supercheap degresser and a $90 high pressure cleaner is all you need, i actually did a motor today, from a oily/dirty/greasey mess to ready to paint in half a hour.

Doogie

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I won Hay once, here's the pic to prove it..


Hay, it's not about the car, it's not about the venue, it's about the people that come here. Peter Dwyer, Mayor of Hay NSW.

Leyland definitely used a few different blues to identify their engines over the years inc on mini engines. Not sure which was used when tho.

Have a look thru Winabbys excellent colour chart collection.

http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=66469

for example.....

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68 Morris Cooper S Mk1 (*ex 78 1275 LS 4th last built, 70 Morris 1500 OHC & 70 MiniMatic)

I'm with you on this Doogie. If Supercheap degreaser and my hot water pressure washer won't remove it I might as well just paint over it.
The hot water pressure washer will even remove the old paint if you are patient enough.

Tips for cleaning an engine while it's still complete, running and in the engine bay?

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Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
[email protected]
www.minisinthegong.com.au

Supercheap degreaser on its own works well but it may take quite a few cans to get it completely clean.
When I got my Morris I used to just degrease the motor every few weeks till it was eventually spotless, just concentrate on the dirtiest bit each time.
I used two cans on it the other day after doing the Rylstone run (and before fixing an oil leak!) I start by spraying underneath the gearbox and then work my way up.

My advice if you want to go super cheap is to buy a $3 sprayer and get the 10lt plastic drum of degreaser, it works better than the spray can stuff!

I bought one of the pesticide sprayers that you pump up and then squirt.
Not the big barrel one, it holds about 2L.

Got one full of WD40 (buy that in bulk, much cheaper)
Rust converter (cheaper in bulk again)
And another with degreaser (You guessed it, cheaper in bulk)

Got them from bunnings, cost about $5 each

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You're so square
Baby I don't care

I suppose etch priming would be good for regular paint, but if you're using engine enamel, there's not much point. Engine enamel has excellent thermal properties which let the engine breath, and the engine heat cycles bake the paint on. I think etch priming and an overcoat might be a bit overkill. I've only ever used engine enamel, and I've never had any issues in the slightest.

Also keep in mind that the engine temperature shouldn't really be a problem, since it shouldn't get over the thermostat temperature.

I did 2 motors with Mini King's Cooper S engine enamel 6 or 7 years ago.
One I brushed straight on.
The other I etch primed then sprayed.
The 1st one (mine) is still fine, the other one (Barney) had poor adhesion, paint started coming off a year or so later.

So these days, I don't use etch primer under it.....

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Yeah I did my engine in situ. I just cleaned with degreaser then I think I used either disc brake cleaner or wax an grease remover. I removed as much of engine as I could eg generator, dissy,

Like dr mini I used mini king met green and no undercoating. The old paint was patchy and I just left what was still well adhered of the old paint.

I used prevel mini sprayer

Still looks good couple of years on.

Before......




After......

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68 Morris Cooper S Mk1 (*ex 78 1275 LS 4th last built, 70 Morris 1500 OHC & 70 MiniMatic)