painting cylinders and heads

[cscott]

looking for opinions on how to paint cylinders and heads, i have heard you should heat them up then spray the paint while they are hot?? also to use silicon on base gaskets or not ,and should i use anything on the head gaskets??, i am building a 1932 chief motor.......Thanks Chris

[charlie frey]

I heat parts on top of a paint-splattered, old electric heater and paint them right there with VHT high heat paint.
I use silicone on base gaskets...sometimes even instead of base gaskets (careful with Indians...the cylinders don't go so far into the case like HD, so it is possible for too much silicone to ooze into lower end).
There will be varying opinions on the above, but you'll be hard pressed to find somebody who approves of any sealer on head gaskets.

[swall]

I used black VHT engine enamel I got from Caswell Plating. It is good to 550F.I sand blasted my cylinders, blew them off and sprayed them. Then I baked them in my shop oven per VHT's recommendations.

[indianut]

If your Indian is going to leak oil it will be at the base gaskets. If you use Honda-Bond or Yama-Bond they WILL NOT LEAK. I personally would not use silicone in any engine. The only other place to use a sealer on your Indian is between the case halves. Same as base gaskets.

[cscott]

which # hondabond or yamabond do you mean and do you still put the gaskets in or just the bond? thanks chris

[indianut]

I am not sure of the #. I get it from the Honda shop and it is grey. Put it on both sides of the gasket. I know that goes against most of what we are taught about gaskets, but the extra hour or so of cleanup time every 20,000 miles or so is worth it for NO LEAKS!