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correct engine paint for 1978 304?

6K views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  Shameless Elmer 
#1 ·
I am ready to put my engine back together and was wondering if the brand "Duplicolor" Chrysler blue engine paint at Advance Auto Parts is close enough to original and has anyone used it. Should some type of primer be used and will it stay on with proper preparation. After all the work I am putting into cleaning and building the engine I want it to look good. Has anyone used an AMC blue that they like or had success with. Aerosol can or paint from a paint store. I have all of the spray painting equipment. Better yet does anyone know the paint code or number for a 78 304 engine. Thanks for your help.
 
#2 ·
I actually did the same thing, same store, same aerosol paint. No primer, just clean the engine down real good, sanded it lightly with 80 grit and gave it a quick wipe down with brake clean and let it dry. Don't rush it, spray a coat and walk away for 10 minutes to let it get tacky and come back. It actually took me 3 cans for a I-6, but it shines and does the trick.

I opted for the Old Ford Blue instead, just looked better to me. Ask at the counter if they can come up with the exact paint code or number for a 78 304 engine.

Good luck :wave:
 
#3 ·
I wasn't satisfied with the Chrysler or Ford colors, just didn't look right. I ended up getting AMC blue from Eastwood. It's not the right AMC blue (matches earlier years), but it was way better. After that, I had a local shop get me a case of it.
 
#4 ·
It sounds like you might have done a complete rebuld on the engine? If so, the block should have been boiled out in a caustic bath solution by the machine shop that bored/honed the cylinders, did the valve job, turned the crank etc.
If this is the case, the engine should should be down to bare metal. If it is, you should use a self-etching primer, available at your local automotive paint supply store, and then paint it with whatever you want. I would suggest an automotive quality paint that you can purchase at the same place you get the etching primer.
This method is much more costly than the rattle can method but, like many questions in this forum, the first reply should be "what do you intend to do with this Jeep"? I went with the method suggested above but I don't go off road with mine. I'm a flatlander and the beach or a trip to Galveston/Houston is about as bad as it gets for mine/me. Even at that, it is near impossible to keep the engine looking fresh just from road grime, heat and the fact that it has oils circulating in and around it.
 
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