Intake manifold or exhaust manifold? For the engine I use the ceramic stuff you buy at the local autoparts store (Duplicolor?) Lasts a little bit longer if you use primer first. For a radiator you don't want too thick of a paint layer, can affect cooling. I spray on a very light mist coat of Rustoleum flat or satin black.
You can buy "radiator paint" Its very thin for just such a purpose. Check your local paint jobbers for it or call eastwood... Cheap paint wont give you much longevity or a quality appearance...
Paint--try antiseize For that silver gray engine color, try painting on antiseize...Yep, couldn't believe it either until I tried it. It requires, depending on engine use etc, an occasional touch up now and again. Works great, heat of the engine bakes it right in and its cheap. I got the bottle size that has the brush right in the cap--a little goes a long way.
take the radiator by a...radiator shop...and give them a few bucks to paint it...that way it gets painted with...radiator paint..
If you want to go cheap, don't paint anything, it'll look better in the end, once the cheap stuff starts coming off.
dude. that's a good idea if it works.... the antiseize doesn't burn up with the heat? it's the same stuff you use on brakes right?
well nothing is cheap, but I was trying to avoid the 99cents at walmart answers. Also don't need stuff designed by NASA that will outlive God either. I was planning on advanced auto stuff but figured I'd check for opinions. Will probably do it myself with radiator paint based on the responses. As far as engine paint goes I will probably do the same if not the antiseize route - don't suppose anyone knows if it glows under black lights? Longevity is semi-optional. I plan to pull the engine and everything completely out and do it well in a year or two but have more important things to fix and lack the facilities right now. I just don't want the engine compartment to look sooo much like crap. I consider this an improvement project, not a fix
Correct, sort of bakes in. Now and again you might have to touch it up, but it beats the paint route if you just want the gray/silver color.
I like the Plasti-Kote ceramic engine enamels - the 500 degree paints are very good and the Ford blue is a 100% match for color. They have a 500 degree engine ceramic clear coat that is great for anything under the hood like alternators, starters, carburators, ect.
500 degrees doesn't sound like it would be enough... I would think it gets hotter in there. Ideal for this to go all black engine, all black engine compartment and then pinstrip outline the engine and it's components with neon green and black light paint. should have a skeleton look of an engine at night with only the black light on it.... not a big fan of ford blue, sorry guys. do you think the ceramic clear coat is a good idea on top of the paint? - might help protect it or the accent paint.
The clear coat is made to go over the paint if you like. The only thing on an engine that gets anywhere near 500 degrees is the exhaust manifold. Everything else stays well below 300 (think of the oil and coolant temperatures)
that's good to know. never painted an engine and have this idea in my head it's gonna catch on fire or smoke constantly. thnx