Painting Without Removing Engine

As others have pointed out, painting the engine compartment with the engine in is a PITA. The guy who painted my Demon did not have a mule to move an inert car around his lot, so I had to bring the car to him in running order.

I mixed up a batch of paint and shot the engine compartment while the engine was out. In the picture below, I focused my effort on the area inside the red line, closest to the engine where runs and other paint flaws are more prevalent. I installed the engine from underneath and was able to give my painter what he needed.

My painter did the area outside the red line where paint was less likely to be flawed. I'm suggesting that the engine compartment be cleaned, cleared, and masked along the red line and paint to the outside of that. Keep some paint materials in reserve for such time that you can spray the remainder of the engine compartment.