Want to refresh the transaxle. Have cleaned and cleaned the exterior but want to maybe paint it to make it look nearly new. Have seen various pix of trans painted with Eastwood paint but search wasn't helpful.
What have people used with decent results?

I just went thru this a few days ago using Eastwood's Alumablast
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Rustoleum, gloss gray enamel. Easy to clean.

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Black is supposed to help shed heat better

Hi temp ceramic engine rattle can spray paint is good. After the paint tacks up, throw it in the oven at 200 degrees for one hour.

I painted mine gloss black with exterior polane paint (I maybe spelling it wrong). Its a Sherwin Williams 2 part paint. I think I should have gone with a silver

Krylon dull aluminum gives a great minimal finish that makes it easy to clean, for under five buck$!

Besides cleaning off the heavy duty oil/dirt deposits, what should you do to prep the case for paint? The aluminum appears to be sort of porous and I would hate to see the paint peeling off after putting in the effort to apply it.

Had mine media blasted.

It's not aluminum, it's a magnesium alloy.

The Cap'n

I used DP-40 epoxy covered with clear coat. The epoxy is tenacious and the magnesium was clean all around.

Gold? Really?

Worn,

Nice looking engine. I have had issues in the past using brass fittings. Almost lost and engine due to the extension to get a VDO multiple oil pressure sensor way from the block. I now us a design by Draft 42 Design, that uses a hose and then a multi tapped adapter. its 8mm and has both 8mm and 1/4" ports.

Just giving you a heads up, hopefully you'll have better success.

Designed a bunch of magnesium parts in m past, and the guy from the magnesium institute recommended an acid "pickle" to keep the parts from corroding, The books that he sent also recommeded a zinc coating as being a sacrificial anode.

Zinc chromate paint is one choice but that material is on the "hazardous material" and hard to find. It's also a little "soft" so I used a thin layer of a Dupont 2 part self etching primer (516S- 615s?) that contained zinc and sets up very hard . Then a thin coat of wheel silver.

Really...? not so sure, if it is, its a special "non-flammable" magnesium, since Ive had one go through as intense a fire as you can imagine and while the fan shroud DID burn up completely the trans while discolored was still intact and after cleaning & resealing it is operating in another car.

Hence the term "alloy".

Really. Aluminum doesn't corrode (much) and magnesium does. Mag goes to an to ugly black color.

Well wadd'a ya know....

Non-combustible magnesium alloys

Adding 2% of calcium (Ca) by mass to magnesium alloy AM60 results in the non-combustible magnesium alloy AMCa602. The higher oxidation reactivity of Ca causes a coat of calcium oxide to form before Mg ignites. The ignition temperature of the alloy is elevated by 200-300K. Oxygen-free atmosphere is not necessary for machining operations.

Dont media blast unless you have the whole thing apart and can clean it out very well. It will get into your bearings.

Yes it is mag, any paint that keeps it sealed is fine.

I suggest that you DO NOT blast with glass bead. If any gets inside and stuck into a small nook or cranny somewhere, it WILL eventually work itself loose and into your lubrication. Unless you're 200% sure that you got it all out (goes for the engine case, heads, etc., too), glass bead WILL destroy internals very quickly.

I have the hose, but haven't installed yet. Thanks for the warning. It will actually simplify things.

Yes it is magnesium - the case is like a feather alone. Zinc chromate paint can be found at aircraft supplies.

The Dr is right you know. Dirt and grease is better than nothing because magnesium has a horrible jones for oxygen. Goes dull within minutes after brushing clean.

I did mine with POR15. So durable. Adhesion was great but might be yellowing slightly? Its been a couple years.

Is the Eastwood alumna last a paint specifically designed for this? Or is it just paint?

Details

Spray-on a protective, durable, aluminum-look finish with AlumaBlast™ Paint AlumaBlast™ Paint is specially formulated to duplicate the original look of freshly cast aluminum car parts, such as intake manifolds and transmission housings. •Protects up to 300 degreesF
•Acrylic lacquer with low 4-15% gloss
•Aerosol can covers 6 sq. ft.

Just wanted to add this additional pic T Collins posted. Eastwood Aluma-blast. Very purty.

Hi-temp clear VHT engine paint on raw mag

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Gibbs spray was recommended. Just a lubricant spray that shines the bare mag and brings out the marbling of the alloy.....Looks factory new

Very nice! How did you prep for the case prior to VHT application?

Hot tanked and media blasted it when it was dis-assembled for rebuilding.

I have had just the opposite experience. I had a hose running multiple senders blow out and spray oil all over the engine. Luckily it was in the garage at the time, so I was able to shut it off immediately.

I now have brass fittings, and I have never had any issue with them. I keep them as short as possible, and I support the senders with a bracket to minimize the vibration.