Engine cosmetics.

[shereen]

Has anyone sent their engine off to one of those companies who send it back looking all pretty and polished? If so how much is this likely to cost and can anyone recommend a company?

Thanks.
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"The Internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn't understand, the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever had"

[Ja7]

Would it not be worth doing yourself, a drill, metal polish, polishing discs, and some elbow grease, personal opinion I wouldn't do it if your a all year round biker, but you may have a few bikes, or want one for shows, who knows, I would still do it myself more satisfaction.

[shereen]

[Walloper]

The blocks are aluminium so once you start polishing you have to keep doing it as it will oxidize just sitting in air.
There may be some protection using a clear laquer but the hot part will discolour whether or not they are painted with clear.
Why not buy a Harley Dae-Anything chopper, grow a beard (or minimum Pancho Tash) and have a big fat belly.
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[shereen]

[Benno]

The ACF-50 I applied a few hours ago has made my engine all lovely and shiny.

Getting it professionally cleaned at this time of year?
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I'm autistic. That means I'm smarter than you.

[Knightsy]

Nah. I'm afraid it would fall apart if I did. It's being held together by dirt right now
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09' Versys 650 | 07' FJR1300A

[shereen]

[Drake]

powder coating needs to be baked on, spray the powder on then put it in an oven hung up. not sure if this bit is right but pretty sure the powder is attracted to the job through static.

polishing, wouldn't bother with an engine, castings are to rough on the crank cases and barrels, so would need sanding then alot of wet and dry sanding.

best bet is a good quality high temp paint.
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was: derbi senda, aprilia sx125, nsr250 mc16, cagiva mito, cb600 hornet now: mk1 bandit, KR1S, landrover series 3 light weight 2.5 petrol, 5speed box

[DrDonnyBrago]

To powder coat it, it would probably need to be dismantled - it gets baked to cure. Polishing would be hard work.


Engines can be painted, Pj1 engine paint is commonly used.

[Benno]

[shereen]

[MarJay]

Bloke in one of the mags did this. He sent his engine off to be shotblasted and polished in one piece.

He got it back all shiney and that, but when he fired it up it lunched itself because the shot/sand/media from the blasting got inside the engine, even though it was masked.

The ONLY way to get an engine to look all shiney is to strip it down and rebuild it.

Steam cleaning might work a bit, but it's never going to be perfect.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[MarJay]

Shereen,

Can I just ask... Why would you commit to a project like this if you didn't want to do the work yourself?

Paying someone to do the work to build a special out of a VFR750 engine and a VFR400 frame is like hiring Gordon Ramsey to heat up a tin of tomato soup.

If you don't do the work yourself, you might as well spend the money on a bike that is already built, such as... Oh... A VFR750 perhaps?
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[nowhere.elysium]

[Drake]

Strip engine. Get every casing vapour blasted then get them enameled
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was: derbi senda, aprilia sx125, nsr250 mc16, cagiva mito, cb600 hornet now: mk1 bandit, KR1S, landrover series 3 light weight 2.5 petrol, 5speed box

[Benno]