Well while the RK engine is in pieces, waiting for new camshaft and bearings, I thought I may as well spruce up the rest of the old girl a bit. So off with the heads, barrels and pistons, new rings and gaskets going in and a clean up and reseat of the valves. That's straight forward enough, however the black finish on the barrels is in a right state, loose and flaking off all over the place. Any suggestions or recommendations based on passed experience, on the best way to renovate them.

Ride safe.

LJ

 

Personally I like powdercoating, the new stuff is darned near bullet proof.... ok not really bullet proof but it is tough!

 

I use wrinkle black engine paint and file the edges of the fins, Ironhead riders swear by BBQ paint.

 

Funny, the last BBQ smoker I built I went up to Autozone and got a few cans of engine paint....

 

That is what riding in Crocs does to you

 

I used BBQ spray paint on my barrels. Two years on and the paint still looks like new. Matt black, of course.

Don`t forget to heat the barrels up before spraying, then heat them up again. I did it in kitchen oven while my wife was away.

Heat them up for 30 minutes, spray it over, wait a minute or two, spray over again, put back to the oven for 20-30mins and then let them cool down slowly. Sand paper is OK for the fin edges.

Anyway, here`s a little article on that.
http://www.american-v.co.uk/ORIGINAL...ack/index.html

 

If you was any kinda man you would have done them while your wife was home...put them in next to the sunday roast...I dunno, Harley Riders are getting soft these days

 

She wouldn`t understand it. It`s not about arguing with her. It`s more like I don`t want her to think my head is messed up....
Keeping half of my bike at home every winter, with cylinders, heads, lightbars and other stuff as home decor elements isn`t a problem, but baking cylinders inside our nearly-new oven would be a bit too much. When she got back home, she asked "What`s that smell in the kitchen?". I said "Yeah. This new oven-spray smells kinda wierd..."

PS. Washing powder + hot water is a great cleaning mixture for aluminum. Remember when I had an old skool washing machine at home which looked like a barrel, open at the top, flat rotor spinning the water on the bottom. She didn`t say a word when she spotted a crankcase and wheel hubs inside it...She looked like -

Sorry for OT.

 

I like my cylinders well done. It gives me that warm fuzzy feeling. LOL

 

I get good BBQ and buzzed at the same time, best of both worlds.