Engine color opinions

[Gary Lewis]

Lima Delta wrote

I'm not a true believer in the POR-15 products, but I have had good results with them.

One thing I have noticed often is that when people report negative results, they also describe their prep-work as not being what's prescribed for the product (ie, it's important to follow the manufacturer's instructions - hard as that may be for some who already have it all figured out lol).

Amen, brother!  I've had nothing but good experiences with the POR-15 products, but I follow their guidance on prep religiously.

[Rusty_S85]

Lima Delta wrote

Rusty_S85 wrote

I like POR-15 engine paint but for my truck I am going with Eastwood 2K urethane engine paint.

I would have gone with an Eastwood product too, except that with the border being closed, it wasn't going to be easy or cheap to get. I had been looking it the ceramic engine paint, not sure if it's the same stuff as you're looking at:
https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-ceramic-engine-paint-ford-dark-blue-quart.html

Anyway, I'm quite pleased with how the POR-15 has come out so far. I put a coat of the rust protective coating down under two coats of the enamel, and it has a really thick smooth glossy finish. Prep for the coatings is a bit of a pain however!

I looked at that one, it may be the same paint just without the activator which you can add for added durability.

The one that I bought initially that I will be buying again is this one.  The one I bought is now 2 1/2 years old, half a year older than the recommended shelf life so I dont know if I want to trust it.

https://www.eastwood.com/2k-aerospray-ht-engine-paint-ford-blue-1966-80.html

I also got the 2K primer as well, I think it was something like $80 shipped for 2 cans of 2K engine primer and 2 cans of 2K ford corporate blue.

Machspeed wrote

Rusty_S85 wrote

I like POR-15 engine paint but for my truck I am going with Eastwood 2K urethane engine paint.  Going to be interesting to see how the 2K urethane engine paint stands up to heat and fuel.  I painted my 292 intake manifold with Ford engine red in POR 15 and I didnt block off the exhaust cross overs in the intake, people do that cause its known to burn the paint off in this area.  The POR 15 after a year and a half is still like new.  Even had fuel flood out of the Holley 4000 over this area and it dulled it slightly but didnt change the color.

I'm really curious! If you like the POR15 so much, why go with the Eastwood product? Eastwood has some good products, but typically products made by someone else under the Eastwood at increased price. Not to say the POR15 is the same as 2k urethane, it is not.

As to the POR15 engine paint, I read so many mixed reviews on it, that it is hard to commit to using the product.

I only used POR 15 once and that was on my '56.  I liked how it applied via brush, how well it covered the OE baked on finish and blended in, I liked how well it withstands the heat of the exhaust and all that.  But for my truck I dont want to brush paint a whole engine as I dont have the space to thin and spray POR 15 so my second best option is the 2K.

Not to change the subject but this photo is taken of my intake manifold on my old Ford 292 painted with Ford Engine Red Dec 2018.  Same time I painted and reinstalled it.


This photo is Nov 2020, almost 2 years of dirt/dust and fuel pouring out of the flaming Teapot and it still shines like the day it was painted on via brush.


Thats why I like it cause other spray on paints like duplicolor for engines, they dont handle this kind of abuse and survive.  If it wasnt for the fact I dont have a place to paint via spray gun the Por 15 I would probably use it on my engine build for my truck.

On the flip side I am anxious to try out the 2K engine paint, I have used their 2K satin black for spraying under the hood of a customers truck at work and it was durable just not that great at durability but that is also not engine paint just their plain 2K paint.

Lima Delta wrote

Machspeed wrote

As to the POR15 engine paint, I read so many mixed reviews on it, that it is hard to commit to using the product.

I'm not a true believer in the POR-15 products, but I have had good results with them.

One thing I have noticed often is that when people report negative results, they also describe their prep-work as not being what's prescribed for the product (ie, it's important to follow the manufacturer's instructions - hard as that may be for some who already have it all figured out lol).

Thats one thing I noticed with majority of complaints against a product is just user error.

[Machspeed]

Thanks, you'll have to let us know how the Eastwood product worked out for you?

[Rembrant]

The shop that painted my '84 302 painted it dark blue...and it was supposed to be the Ford dark blue, but I'm not 100% sure what it is...it might be a Chevy blue, or the earlier Ford blue. I had to touch up a small spot after a couple years, and the Ford dark blue was too dark. They left the new timing cover bare aluminum, and I like it like that.

[Rusty_S85]

Machspeed wrote

Thanks, you'll have to let us know how the Eastwood product worked out for you?

I plan on it.  I have a Fuel Injection thread on here that I will be posting once I get my short block.  I dont know when I am going to get it and I wont be bugging Creb Engineering too much cause I know engine parts are a bit hard to get right now so he is most likely waiting on pistons to come in as I doubt he would stock pistons in his shop when he doesnt know how much boring will need to be done.  But I will be posting photos on there of my build as well as the paint, Im going to paint it then let it cure a few days before I do anything else as it states the 2K urethane is fully cured in 48 hours I believe it is.  The paint work I did at work at best had about 18 hours of curing time as I couldnt just let the truck sit as the paint cured.

[Rusty_S85]

Rembrant wrote

The shop that painted my '84 302 painted it dark blue...and it was supposed to be the Ford dark blue, but I'm not 100% sure what it is...it might be a Chevy blue, or the earlier Ford blue. I had to touch up a small spot after a couple years, and the Ford dark blue was too dark. They left the new timing cover bare aluminum, and I like it like that.

Might be early Ford Blue, its possible it could be Chevrolet blue as well, it kind of looks like the blue I used on my 200 V6 in my El Camino.

This is a photo of my Proform valve covers I will be running on my build and they are powder coated in dark Corporate blue which looks exact to the photos posted on eastwood of the 2K urethane dark corporate blue.


This is the blue I painted my valve covers back in 2014 when I did the gaskets, I used old Ford Blue by Duplicolor I think they call it Ford Blue now as the Dark Corporate Ford Blue which would be correct is called Dark Ford Blue.

[cjstaci]

Color is whatever you like. For me, Ford blue just looks right.