Stripping powder coat

[Cuda416]

I recently got an Edelbrock Magnum airgap on a trade and want to remove the really fancy blue/purple sparkly powdercoat without destroying it. Is there a decent home shop way to do it or am I better off just bringing it to a pro and having it "dipped"?

 

[Big.J.007]

I recently got an Edelbrock Magnum airgap on a trade and want to remove the really fancy blue/purple sparkly powdercoat without destroying it. Is there a decent home shop way to do it or am I better off just bringing it to a pro and having it "dipped"?

Soak Blue shop towels in Acetone and lay them on the manifold. The acetone will dissolve the powder coat.

 

[Cuda416]

Soak Blue shop towels in Acetone and lay them on the manifold. The acetone will dissolve the powder coat.

Huh, seems easy enough.

I always had it in my head PC is tougher than that but then again acetone will destroy a lot of plastic/paint types. Thanks!

 

[Righty Tighty]

I agree with the acetone statement. When I screw up a part, a quick acetone bath and it comes right off. Wish Leanna was still around to give her input...

@harrisonm Does a lot of powdercoating, maybe he has some different insight?

 

[Cuda416]

Tried to use some acetone last and it only dulled the finish. Not saying it doesn't work but my initial test weren't promising.

Yeah, she's missed around here for sure.

 

[Righty Tighty]

Hmm. I wonder if it has worked for me because my parts are usually fresh out of the oven? Sorry it didn't work.

 

[Cuda416]

Hmm. I wonder if it has worked for me because my parts are usually fresh out of the oven? Sorry it didn't work.

That might account for it, but still, I've seen a lot of people suggest the same thing on the interwebs. I'm wondering if it's a high temp which might just be tougher in general.

 

[Big.J.007]

These are the steps I follow. Yes, it is on a cup.. but it is still powder coat. If it doesn't work after the 1st cycle repeat till removed.

 

[pntastar69]

I bought these valve covers from a member thinking they were painted black. To my surprise, they were powder coated. I spoke to a local powder coater, and he had a guy that has a proprietary process to remove it. I'd call a local powder coater. Here are the images fore and aft.

 

[pntastar69]

I think it costs $30 to remove the coating. Here is the finished product after paint.

 

[Cuda416]

I bought these valve covers from a member thinking they were painted black. To my surprise, they were powder coated. I spoke to a local powder coater, and he had a guy that has a proprietary process to remove it. I'd call a local powder coater. Here are the images fore and aft.

Not sure what a proprietary method might be but it's my understanding there are basically three ways to remove PC.

1. Chemical (acetone, MEK etc)
2. Mechanical (abrasive media)
3. Heat (It's baked on, it can be baked off).

Where I worked as a teenager they had an oven to clean blocks, heads etc. It got to 800 deg and anything non metal was ash. I have a blast cabinet but I'm worried about being too aggressive and damaging the intake itself. If I can get away with chemically stripping it, that's great.

At the end of the day I'm fine having someone do it, but so far I've not gotten a call back.

 

[Cuda416]

I think it costs $30 to remove the coating. Here is the finished product after paint.

View attachment 1716401836

for $30 bucks I'm down, just need to get someone to do it.

 

[harrisonm]

I agree with the acetone statement. When I screw up a part, a quick acetone bath and it comes right off. Wish Leanna was still around to give her input...

@harrisonm Does a lot of powdercoating, maybe he has some different insight?

Eastwood sells a Powder Coat remover that is a gel and is very similar to paint remover. It works pretty well. I have tried it a few times. 99% of the time I just sand blast it off. I use ground glass. I usually use the medium grit. It leaves a good surface. If you don't have access to a blasting cabinet or someone locally, try a quart can of the stuff from Eastwood.

One other thing to consider. The current powder coating on your parts can be sanded like primer. Depending on how the surface is, you can use some 320 dry and then 320 and 400 wet. If you feel you do not need to start with dry paper, just start with 320 wet and then move on to 400 wet. You might want to use a few coats of rattle can primer (the good lacquer based Rustoleum or Duplicolor Automotive primer). Give it 48 hours to outgas and then wet sand lightly and paint. A decent base of powder coating can serve as a good base for paint or primer/paint.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Just take it to a machine shop and have it professionally blasted.

 

[George Jets]

Aircraft Remover and a plastic bondo spreader to scrape it off with. Just like stripping paint.

Let the chemical do the work, multiply coats.


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