Harley Davidson Engine Block Paint

How many times have you wondered how to paint, repair or touch up the engine of your Harley Davidson, your custom bike or café racer?

Many times — yet the sprays available on the market are simply not up to the task. They may look good, but the moment you touch them with hands dirty with oil or petrol, the paint comes off or stains irreparably.

But I bet the worst part is when you paint a component with a spray that is guaranteed to be resistant to petrol, oil and grease — and then the engine loses a little oil, or the petrol station attendant drops a splash of fuel on the cylinder head and you go to wipe it off... BANG! You take the black colour right off, or after drying it you notice that whitish stain on the matte black finish.

And then the frustration sets in and you ask yourself why there is no product that lets you do a clean, professional job without being forced to spend a fortune at the bodyshop.

Of course we all know a professional would do a better job — but the truth is that sometimes you just need a touch-up, or the engine simply is not damaged enough to justify calling in a specialist.

And that is exactly where I want to help you today. Want to know how?

Simply by explaining what to use to do a great job — a job that lasts. Because it is your bike, and with the right tools at the right price, you will do outstanding work. I would even bet it will be better than what a mechanic who only cares about the bill would do. I am not talking about serious and professional mechanics, of course — but those who are always ready to promise the world and then take advantage of you without mercy.

So let's get to work.

PHASE 1 — PROTECTING THE ENGINE COMPONENTS

First of all, if we decide not to disassemble the engine, we need to carefully wrap everything that should not be painted. This can be done with standard automotive masking tape and newspaper. If you want to be meticulous, head to an automotive supply shop and buy protective masking paper for painting — but trust me, it is not necessary. A newspaper will work perfectly fine.

PHASE 2 — CLEANING THE METAL PARTS

Now, using a specific Kustom Service product called Degreaser Strong, we clean all the metal components. However, if there are painted areas where the paint is flaking off, those areas must be sanded down first and then degreased.

Regardless of the situation, if the engine is already painted it must be sanded with dry SOFT abrasive paper starting at grit 400, then 500 and finally 600. Respecting all three grits will give a very precise and clean result.

In areas where the paint is lifting and peeling, it must be removed as far as it naturally comes away. Where it does not lift and remains firmly attached, only the edge should be sanded down to thin it out, so that after painting the transition between bare metal and old paint is as invisible as possible.

At this point, blow away all dust with compressed air and clean with Degreaser Strong, available at this link:

DEGREASER STRONG

PHASE 3 — APPLYING THE PAINT

The painting process will take little time whether using the liquid or spray version.

For our work we will use Kustom Service spray paints, which dry without the need for an oven or external heat — at room temperature only.

In this case, let's assume we want the engine to become textured matte black, just like the original finish.

We will use two products:

BLACK SPRAY PRIMER TEXTURED MATTE BLACK SPRAY PAINT

One very important point: primer must always be used. Engine paint on motorcycles is powder-coated, so even after sanding it is extremely resistant and tends to repel anything applied over it. Investing a little extra in primer will ensure the work truly lasts for a very long time.

Begin applying the primer after shaking the can for one minute. Apply a light coat first, then within less than 5 minutes apply a heavier coat. Wait another 5 minutes and apply a second coat.

Now wait a further 10 minutes and apply the first coat of textured paint — a full, direct and even coat. Wait 10 minutes, then apply another full coat and wait a further 30 minutes.

Once the paint is dry to the touch, apply misted coats from a greater distance to achieve the rough, characteristic texture of the original Harley Davidson engine finish.

Apply a light coat from a distance, wait one minute, repeat the process, and continue until the texture effect is exactly as you want it.

Please note: after the second full coat, the misted coats are not mandatory — they serve only to increase the rough texture effect. If you are happy with the result as it is, you can stop there.

Once everything is complete, allow the paint to rest for 12 hours — although Kustom Service sprays are dry to the touch within 1 hour at most and petrol-resistant in just two hours.

After 12 hours, reassemble the parts or begin using the bike, but it is better to wait 72 hours before washing the engine.

If desired, a matte or gloss clear coat can also be applied to provide additional protection. The clear coat can be applied 30 minutes after the last coat of coloured paint.

That's all for today — I hope this article has been helpful.

If you have any questions or curiosities, write to us at [email protected] or via WhatsApp at 3342272665.

To purchase Kustom Service engine paints, find them here:

ENGINE PAINT LINK — PRIMER LINK — HD TEXTURED PAINT

Anyone who wishes can also watch the video on the application of our Textured paint for reproducing the original Harley
Davidson engine finish.