Re: Need help knowing proper method-Painting flywheel housing

Posted by Fred Murphy on May 08, 1998 at 17:45:47

In Reply to: Need help knowing proper method-Painting flywheel housing
posted by Ken Smith on May 08, 1998 at 10:08:29

: I am having a replacement flywheel cover sandblasted as we speak. After it is done...will I have to use some type of primer on the housing before I spray on my Model A engine paint? I have been advised by one fellow to just spray the engine paint on without anything else. This does not sound right to me. What say ye?
Hi Ken,
I can tell you what I have done,for whatever it's worth! First most parts that I have refinished have been sandblasted prior to finishing,be it powdercoating or painting. One of the few exceptions is the flywheel housing this I chemicaly stripped with aircraft spray can paint remover. I did this for reasons of checking for hairline cracks that will develope usually at the face that bolts to the block.I'm glad I took this means as sandblasting would remove some metal and make it difficult to detect those hairline cracks. I did end up with slight cracks that I had brazed by someone familiar with cast metal.Alaska has a shortage of good used parts and this was worth trying. As for finishing the housing I cleaned the casting many times to neutralize any chemical residue from paint remover or welding flux.I anticipate that the housing will be exposed to above average temps from the block and closeness of manifold so I treated it the same way as block. It is not a question of the primer holding the paint as much as the primer insulates the metal more and doesn't cooldown as quickly,hence no primer on block.I did both the inside and out with engine paint.Why not? Don't forget the use of shims to the upper two bolts.As for paint on the surface to the starter,I masked this area to help with the electrical current flow between the starter and flywheel although the bolts do most of the grounding. I put the large cotter pin in maybe upside down,don't know which is correct,but it won't fall out.
Best of Luck
Fred M

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