I am about to paint my engine tins with High Temp Engine paint (usually for headers) from a rattle can and am curious what everyone uses to clean right before painting.

I have used charcoal lighter fluid then wipe with water and let dry.

I have also used TSP or brake cleaning fluid.

The tins are clean right down to the factory plating and have some light rust starting.

What does everyone suggest?
I have almost any paint thinner: acetone, denatured alcohol, mineral spirits, etc.

I have even witnessed blasting with CO2 snow ;-)


Oh, and since it is high temp, I was planning on NO PRIMER.
Is that correct?

Stu

I use a scotch brite pad and then clean. Alcohol works fine.

That works well, or, the official, "better living through chemicals," way to paint any steel:

1. Clean with phosphoric acid, i.e., naval jelly, to remove rust. H20 rinse.

2. Clean with sodium hydroxide, i.e, oven cleaner, or potassium hydroxide, i.e., lye soap, or detergent to remove animal fat (skin oil). H20 rinse.

3. Clean with your solvent de-jure to remove mineral oil, grease, hydrocarbon contamination.

Paint at once. I find that rattle can spray runs less if you carefully warm the cans (in warm, not scalding hot, water) first. Please don't blow up the can.

I would not use a primer.

any pro paint shop carries cleaner
its really handy to have around
its a dewax... cleaning solvent that is finish safe

I use it on Tons of stuff and you don't have to worry about melting a good finish on things.

also extremely usefull to clean off tire rubber on the race car after every single weekend... you will be amazed at how many black streaks will be on the race car and they will be everywhere.

Thanks for the replies.

I decided to go with denatured alcohol administered with a spray wand:



It worked perfectly and the parts look great.
However, the particular rattle can I chose decided to stick full-on with no way to stop the sprayer from spraying. (no you cannot pull the spray tip from the can).

Good thing I had something laying around that needed paint.
My battery box had just been restored & primered so it now has a flat black High temp coat as well

My son was cracking up as I was yelling ... "Give me something that needs paint!"

Stu

hope you read the back of the can. alot of those high temp paints need a primer! but youd probrobly find that out pretty quick when it doesnt cover. Also if you dont use primer with those it will peal off in notime. For the prep usually i do nothing if im wire wheeling it that cleans it up just fine it seems. but if the parts are greasy ill usually used carb cleaner or brake cleaner sometimes just soap and water in the sink