Prep Work for Painting Engine Compartment
 

I've got a 1990 Cig Top Gun and I'm repainting the engine compartment from its orginal color of Red to either Gray/Silver or White. As you can imagine that old and not throughly cleaned I a while (wasn't always my boat) it just has that grimmy kind of feel to it.

Can anyone recommend a good way/ product to clean and prep for painting??? Don't want to screw this up!!!

Thanks

Re: Prep Work for Painting Engine Compartment
 

I like to use Purple Power for the initial clean-up. It's made by Castrol. I would then sand with 220 grit to remove ALL of the gloss prior prime. As for the paint....Maybe GlassDave will chime in here,..he's a paint wizard..very very good!

Re: Prep Work for Painting Engine Compartment
 

I would sand it with 120 after cleaning all of the grease out with Gastrol and an Acetone wipe. Mask needed.

The look you are looking for is created by gelcoat and clear Duractec 50/ 50. It gives you the preotection and look you want. Paint will fail.

bottomsupboatrepai.com

Re: Prep Work for Painting Engine Compartment
 

If the boat is stripped to the bare hull an effective method is sandblasting. Just be sure to duct-tape any openings where you can't get at with the shop vac.

i have done at least 7 cigarette bilges , not to mention at least 30 others. my process is as follows,,,,

1 clean with a cocktail of spray nine and greez off
2 repeat step 1
3 wipe clean with dupont prep sol
4 wipe clean with acetone
5 d.a entire bilge with 100 grit paper using an 8" orbital d.a
6 scuff all corners and hard to reach area's using red
3m scotch pad
6a (any heavy filling or fairing should be done using 3M
dura glass or equivalent water proof filler, light fairng can
be done with a high quality icng or glazing putty)
7 thoroughly vacume/blow out bilge and inspect(retouch
where necessary)
8 prime with awl grip high build epoxy or awl quick primer
9 sand using 180-220 grit paper on a 6" d.a
10 vacume out/ then blow out again and inspect. touch up
as needed.
11 paint using awl grip urethane paint( apply with low pile
roller or h.v.l.p spray gun with a 2.0 cap/tip).apply 2 coats

at this point if you want you WILL have a high gloss longlasting quality paint job in your bilge.designep for the bilge enviroment. you can even wetsand using 1200 grit and polish to a mirror like finish if you want . there are other ways, but if you care for your boat and want your time spent doing all this to reap for you if you sell, or if you just want it to look like WOW this is the only way to go.

some pics

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a fountain

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