Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 04-03-2015, 12:20 PM   #1
Sparky
Senior Member
 
Sparky's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 649
Default Best primer for painting cast iron parts

Is a primer needed for cast iron parts (like engine castings), and if so, which one is best?
Sparky is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2015, 01:43 PM   #2
1crosscut
Senior Member
 
1crosscut's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Posts: 1,905
Default Re: Best primer for painting cast iron parts

I generally do not prime my cast iron. I like to gently warm cast iron with a torch and paint it warm. If using a brush mix some Penetrol with your paint. It will make it flow well and take out any brush marks. Looks just like you shot it with a paint gun.
__________________
Dave / Lincoln Nebraska
1crosscut is online now   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 04-03-2015, 02:05 PM   #3
Sparky
Senior Member
 
Sparky's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 649
Default Re: Best primer for painting cast iron parts

I am going to use the spray version of the green engine paint I got from a parts supplier.
Sparky is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2015, 04:03 PM   #4
Bill in SoCal
Senior Member
 
Bill in SoCal's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Claremont, CA 91711
Posts: 244
Default Re: Best primer for painting cast iron parts

What cast parts are you going to paint green? Some of the parts may have been originally black. But, in-the-end, it's what every you like. Have fun, Bill
Bill in SoCal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2015, 04:10 PM   #5
Royce P
Senior Member
 
Royce P's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Tulsa OK
Posts: 476
Default Re: Best primer for painting cast iron parts

I use zinc chromate primer on freshly blasted parts.
__________________
1910 Touring
1914 Touring
1915 Touring
1917 Torpedo Runabout
Royce P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2015, 04:29 PM   #6
miff
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 138
Default Re: Best primer for painting cast iron parts

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
I use an epoxy primer ( black in color) its a two part catalyst. it has to be sprayed with a gun, also hard to sand. its also priceeee ( around 115.00 a qt)
miff is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2015, 05:07 PM   #7
Charles Coe
Senior Member
 
Charles Coe's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Pace, FL near Pensacola
Posts: 374
Default Re: Best primer for painting cast iron parts

If you are painting your block, you do not need to prime before painting with engine paint.
Charles Coe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2015, 05:09 PM   #8
Tom Wesenberg
Senior Member
 
Tom Wesenberg's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 27,582
Default Re: Best primer for painting cast iron parts

I don't prime the cast iron. If you warm the cast iron, you're better off to use an electric heat gun or hair drier. A torch produces moisture on cooler parts.
Tom Wesenberg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2015, 05:32 PM   #9
QGolden
Senior Member
 
QGolden's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Alton, NH
Posts: 1,231
Default Re: Best primer for painting cast iron parts

I used that Green Rattle Paint from the Vendors on my engine before I put it all together. Just did a normal wash, dry, then degreased it thoroughly, I did warmed it with heat lamps so the block was warmed first. Not sure if I had too, but the shop was cool. Came out good, no issues at all. Surprised how fast it dried.
__________________
It's not what people think they know that will hurt them, it is what they think they know that aint so! -Mark Twain.

It is the very things that we think we know, that keep us from learning what we should know.- Unknown
QGolden is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2015, 07:39 PM   #10
Sparky
Senior Member
 
Sparky's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 649
Default Re: Best primer for painting cast iron parts

I'll try warming the parts with a hair dryer (or in the oven if my wife isn't looking!). They are the timing gear cover and inspection plate. They have been sandblasted so I think the paint should stick well.
Sparky is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2015, 08:21 PM   #11
Tom Wesenberg
Senior Member
 
Tom Wesenberg's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 27,582
Default Re: Best primer for painting cast iron parts

Cast timing gear cover is green and the stamped steel plate is black.
Tom Wesenberg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2015, 08:24 PM   #12
QGolden
Senior Member
 
QGolden's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Alton, NH
Posts: 1,231
Default Re: Best primer for painting cast iron parts

Sparky, I use infra-red heat lamps. They work great.
__________________
It's not what people think they know that will hurt them, it is what they think they know that aint so! -Mark Twain.

It is the very things that we think we know, that keep us from learning what we should know.- Unknown
QGolden is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2015, 08:54 PM   #13
BILL WILLIAMSON
Senior Member
 
BILL WILLIAMSON's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: FRESNO, CA
Posts: 12,560
Default Re: Best primer for painting cast iron parts

On ANY parts I paint, I scrub them with T.S.P. first. It etches any old paint, to get a better bond.
Bill W.
__________________
"THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"
BILL WILLIAMSON is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2015, 08:59 PM   #14
Sparky
Senior Member
 
Sparky's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 649
Default Re: Best primer for painting cast iron parts

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg View Post
Cast timing gear cover is green and the stamped steel plate is black.
Oh, I meant the smaller cast cover that attaches to the side of the large one. That should be green also, right?
Sparky is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2015, 10:13 PM   #15
Tom Wesenberg
Senior Member
 
Tom Wesenberg's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 27,582
Default Re: Best primer for painting cast iron parts

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparky View Post
Oh, I meant the smaller cast cover that attaches to the side of the large one. That should be green also, right?
Yes. The general rule is cast iron is green and steel parts are black. The cast iron distributor is one exception to the rule.
Tom Wesenberg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2015, 10:36 PM   #16
Mike V. Florida
Senior Member
 
Mike V. Florida's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: South Florida
Posts: 14,054
Send a message via AIM to Mike V. Florida
Default Re: Best primer for painting cast iron parts

Add me to the tsp and no primer on cast iron parts. TSP to kill the rust and paint as normal.
__________________
What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II
Mike V. Florida is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-04-2015, 01:23 PM   #17
H. L. Chauvin
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 4,179
Default Re: Best primer for painting cast iron parts

Just one (1) Model A Opinion:

1. Just observe a few Model A engines that have been painted recently.

2. The thin paint edges on the rough cast iron vertical surfaces, where the head meets the block on the perimeter of the head gasket, is where paint failure begins above & below the head gasket in a short time period.

3. If you ever want to avoid rust from beginning at this joint, use POR Marine Clean with POR instructions, POR 15 Primer, & POR Engine Paint.

4. Non-Prorated Lifetime Guarantee: Shortly after the Pharaohs return to their pyramids in Egypt to eat the wheat left in their tombs in 5,000 BC, they can drop by your house .......... pick up your Model A .......... & witness an engine block that looks like it was painted yesterday.
H. L. Chauvin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-04-2015, 09:00 PM   #18
glenn in camino
Senior Member
 
glenn in camino's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Camino, CA.
Posts: 3,086
Default Re: Best primer for painting cast iron parts

Rustoleum, rusty metal primer. It's the best
glenn in camino is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-04-2015, 09:03 PM   #19
Curt Campbell
Senior Member
 
Curt Campbell's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Ottumwa, IA
Posts: 308
Default Re: Best primer for painting cast iron parts

H.L. I think i saw a pharaoh in New Orleans last year. Might have been eating Louisiana rice.
:-)
Curt Campbell is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-05-2015, 01:22 AM   #20
H. L. Chauvin
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 4,179
Default Re: Best primer for painting cast iron parts

Hi Curt,

Correct ....... it was rice ............. but, the rice was cooked with meat ...... known as Jambalaya.

After he ate it .......... this Pharaoh then marveled at how much he liked it & wanted more ......... that is, until the cook told him he made the Jambalaya with only the very best lean, Iowa Corn-Fed "Pork".

Poor pharaoh .......... we heard he almost became totally mummified when he found out that he ate Pork .... he did not even try to fulfill his main mission of checking out the POR 15 paint job on the Model A cast iron engine block .............. which really looked great with the very old POR 15.

We heard he just hurriedly grabbed a taxi & booked the very next flight back to Cairo.

If he returns within the next 5,000 years, no doubt the POR will still look good with no rust by the head gasket.

Thanks for the serious reply ............ and, you do have a very good memory!
H. L. Chauvin is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:58 AM.