Hey guys. I am beginning to spruce up the engine bay on my one cars and had a question. Which lasts longer (holds its luster)when exposed to engine heat? Does powdercoating require being redone? What are the drawbacks to each?

 

Well it really depends on what piece you are looking at.
Steel brackets...powdercoat. Alum housings (alt, etc) polish. Lines...swap in stainless steel lines and polish. Bolts etc...black oxide coating.

 

So it depends on the material in question?

Cast iron and steel = powdercoat

Aluminum = polish

Is this correct?

 

I would go with polishing because it is brighter

 

I say polish. Are you wanting to polish a steel block or a alluminum one? I've polished 16 oil pans while I was in the polishing shop at S & P. Polishing steel is a real pita.Especially since you will need to get into corners. Another good I deal to do if you have a steel block is slick it "remove all rough casting" and then paint it with high temp paint many custom rodders have this done to their blocks at S & P. I have polished a alluminum block before it isnt bad as long as you have a die grinder with 120,320 sanding drums and tapered drums, and a hand held polisher with polishing wheels.

 

Actually its an aluminum block. I just want to get this thing to look like chrome (without the cost), and not have to worry about removing the engine from the car to re-do it. How long does the shine last?

 

polishing a block while its still in the car. I hope your a contorsionist, it will be really hard to do that while its in the engine compartment. The heads are easy to polish, just make sure not to let any alluminum dust get into the engine. Depending on how you take care of the alluminum after you polish will determine how long the shine lasts. Like me I live down a 4 mile dirt road and I can keep my polished parts looking good. But while I had my car in the shop for 3 month working on the body and int fixing all the damage, I didnt keep up the matianence on my plenum,alt,and throttle body and they oxidized but I just need to buff them back out to restore their great shine. I would clean all your polished parts regulary. I put some aluminum polish on them every weekend when I cleaned my car.

 

Maybe I should have worded it better. I will polish the block when its out of the car. After the install I don't want it going bad and have to remove the engine again to polish it.

How did you keep it shiney after you did it?

 

to me. I keep my stuff clean and shiney by cleaning my polished parts once a week and putting eagle one aluminum polish with a cotton towel on the parts.