I got a sweet deal on a pair of low-mile SE big bore cylinders and heads. The heads are black and my engine and the big bore cylinders are grey. I would rather they be grey also but I am really not sure how to go about stripping the black paint. I wanted to get some experienced input on whether or not it is even practical to strip the black paint, and if so, how would one go about doing that. Use or not use the blaster? What media be safe to use in a blaster? What chemical will strip high temp paint?

I have run several searches on the forums and interweb on this subject and all I have found so far is a youtube video of someone glass bead blasting a Sporty engine....

 

My guess is that they're not painted, but powdercoated. That being said, you would have to bead blast them. Also, your grey parts are also probably powdercoated grey, not just bare aluminum, so your freshly blasted heads may not match.

Good luck with your project.

 

I hadn't thought of powder coating. Sounds like stripping them will just open another can of worms.

I saw them on the other bike before they were pulled off and the combination didn't look bad, just not what I would prefer. I couldn't pass on the deal no matter what, though.

Thanks. I always plan on doing a photo journal when I get into projects but seem to get so focused on the task that I forget the camera. Maybe this time I will remember.

 

Regular bead blasting or walnut shells depending on the finish you want. Walnut gives a smoother matte finish over bead blasting but I chem strip as much of the old paint as possible first so the blaster outfit won't charge as much.

 

What chemical stripper do you use?

I have unlimited access to a blasting box if I provide my own media but the only thing I can use in it is walnut, soda, or beads. I didn't want go jump right into this and mess up these expensive performance heads without some idea of what will work.

 

You could always degrease them and spray them with https://www.harley-davidson.com/stor...-15-98606by--1 But the cans do say to use over bare metal. I just sprayed over the existing silver powdercoat (about 8-10 years ago).

I've walnut blasted powdercoat off of heads in the past and it's a pain to get all of it out of the fins - can't really get a direct stream of media onto the tops. Took a long time. In truth, powdercoat is superior to paint.

Silver Bead Blast is the color of the silver motors and Texture black is the color of the black ones. If it's CVO grey - that's a different story.

Black heads on silver cylinders looks awesome though. I liked the set I had with black fin edges but here is current.

When I had the cases out I re-sprayed them with silver bead blast. You can see how dull the tranny case looks - years ago an aggressive cleaner damaged the powdercoat.

 

You can't hurt them just don't lean into critical flat sealing surfaces, bead blasted countless shovel & pan heads over the years with no issues bead & walnut media.

Far as stripper I use some stuff called Aircraft Stripper, by by the gallon at a local auto paint supply. Have not tried it on power coating as yet so can't say there.

http://www.kleanstrip.com/product/ai...-paint-remover

 

That looks good with those black rocker covers but my rocker covers are polished. I will need to mock it up and see what it will look like.

 

I have a like new set of black rocker covers on the shelf available for a fair offer....