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Engine paint touch up.

Discussion in 'Technical Discussion' started by Danvilletim, Sep 27, 2018.

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  1. Danvilletim

    Danvilletim Senior Member

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    Location:
    isleton, ca
    I want to touch up the paint on the mains and gensets.

    I assume the Cat engines use cat Paint? Where best source in Ft lauderdale?

    Also need to paint Mohler gensets in spots. Suggestions here for wet or spray?
  2. Bill106

    Bill106 Senior Member

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    Beaufort NC
    Up here, Gregory Poole CAT dealership paints them with Imron in their very nice booth after they are assembled to the gears. Unfortunately, after the inevitable work done during startup and PAR testing, any bolts or hardware disturbed gets the CAT branded rattle can touch up. The engine paint holds up very well but the single part lacquer in the can yellows quick!
  3. captholli

    captholli Senior Member

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    Ring Power and Pantropic paint their engines White with what they refer to as the "Yacht Package" upgrade from Cat Yellow enamel. First test what type of coating your engines have, Polyurethane?, Enamel, epoxy etc. Take a corner of a rag with a little bit of Awl Cat reducer and rub the machinery in a non conspicuous area. If the reducer removes paint than you have an enamel or non catalyzed coating. If the surface just cleans up a bit with reducer than you have a urethane or a catalyzed acrylic urethane or a catalyzed epoxy. If you find that the machinery is painted with a "rattle can" touch up paint than it will be an enamel and the surface will have to be converted with a suitable epoxy primer prior to top coating with a polyurethane. For long lasting Snow White high temperature coatings go with a hybrid urethane like Quantum 99 From EMC-2. Very high solids with a higher amount of silica than most so it has a higher temp Yellowing point.
  4. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    I have had very good luck with the Cat spray paint, never had an issue with it yellowing or anything. It covers great, sticks very well, never had an issue with it. I usually source it from Pantropic.
  5. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    I got to tell you kids about my cheap south Georgia paint job on my Detroits. After hand washing with bilge cleaner, Through hand rinsing and two days of drying, My micro spray gun full of Rustolioum Gloss white and acetone thinner job still looks great 14+ years later.

    Josie's company used to manage a boat with C32s. They were rebuilt and painted by Cat with Cat paint last year. Same bright white as my old Detroit paint job.

    IMO, the PlastiCote paints can yellow up and should be avoided.
  6. captholli

    captholli Senior Member

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    Ahhh, the good old days of taking a bucket of sudsy de-greaser and washing your engines and generators... A thing of the past with electronic controlled motors fitted with the so called water proof Molex connectors on the electronics that your so fond of Ralph. The damp cloth motor wipe downs till you drop is the norm now. So your use of Rustolium w/ acetone for a rapid evaporating solvent sounds wildly exotic and chemically incompatible but what the heck, 14 yrs of service life is fantastic.
    Caterpillar sells a line of "Cat Branded" Matterhorn White full chain aliphatic polyurethane
    in quart and gallon cans with the appropriate reducers, flow agents etc. that would be applied by conventional or electrostatic spray method. They also sell a line of "rattle can" or spray bomb cans of enamel touch up paint that is un compatible chemically with the above product.
    There's bright spot on the horizon though for a true two component urethane "rattle can" for touch up compatibility. The automotive sector (Eastwood) has a spray can with an inner sleeve of activator that manually punctures for a true two part hard as nails acrylic or polyurethane. The only marine paint manufacturer that offers this can technology
    at the moment is EMC-2 Quantum 99 in any color that you need for use on top sides touch ups in lieu of a pre-valve set up or conventional rig.
    I know that Alexseal is soon to release this new can design for their product line.
  7. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    "Matterhorn White"

    That's it. Could not remember that yesterday.
  8. saltysenior

    saltysenior Senior Member

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    I don't care if you use Sear's Weatherbeater......just make sure you have plenty of ventilation...
  9. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    When I sprayed with my old trusty (real old trusty) painters mask with fresh cartridges, I still had a white nostrils and was high for a day. Thank goodness the USCG did not call me in for a drug test then. No telling what they would find in my recycled rum.....
  10. Bill106

    Bill106 Senior Member

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    Ha! I got the call the day after a particularly big engine room shoot, even with a full suit and air supply I still felt loopy and had to break it up. Skin absorption of chemicals happens easier than you' think!

    Told the girl taking the sample I was going to light it up and brought msds of all the components, don't know if they just gave up or put that test in the hall of fame but somehow I passed!