# How to spruce up your engine bay before a swap? **URL:** \ **Category:** SON240sx Automotive\ **Created:** [April 16, 2012, 11:06am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-spruce-up-your-engine-bay-before-a-swap/222192 "2012-04-16T11:06:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Prabu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f1d935/32.png) [@Prabu](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Prabu)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 11:06am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-spruce-up-your-engine-bay-before-a-swap/222192/1 "2012-04-16T11:06:41Z")
Hey guys, I just picked up a 1/2 cut kouki and I am about to do the swap next week but I have a small problem. I am pretty sure there is someone on this forum that has the knowledge to know the proper solution to this. So basically I want to spruce up the engine bay with a new coat of paint while the engine is out and save my self some $ by buying some paint at Canadian Tire and spraying it my self instead of taking it to a body shop. Right now there are a few small rust spots, and overall the paint in there is not that great. So I was wondering if there is a special type of paint that I should use, or if there was a primer that I should apply that will stop the rust and hold the paint. I basically want to stop the rust from spreading and make my engine bay look a little nicer. Thanks guys, I will post a video of my 1/2 cut being started for the first time since it arrived in Canada and a pic of my current engine bay as it sits today. ---
**Author:** ![Steve660](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Steve660](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Steve660)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 11:16am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-spruce-up-your-engine-bay-before-a-swap/222192/2 "2012-04-16T11:16:06Z")
I just did this over the winter. As for painting over rust there is no good solution but to cut it out and repair it properly. The primer you will want is called self etching primper. You can pick it up at most autobody supply stores, I got mine from circuit paint, 2 cans 9 bucks each. I used good paint from a spary gun though. I’m not sure what you mean by spraying it your self and picking up paint from CT? If your just using spray bombs then just keep it budget and use rust check. If your spraying from a gun then you need to deal with the rust first and get a good primer. good luck ---
**Author:** ![k.man](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/k.man/32/5790_2.png) [@k.man](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/k.man)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 11:43am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-spruce-up-your-engine-bay-before-a-swap/222192/3 "2012-04-16T11:43:20Z")
I just POR-15. look into it. coat the engine bay and paint over that. ---
**Author:** ![m\_wolfenden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@m\_wolfenden](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/m_wolfenden)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 1:30pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-spruce-up-your-engine-bay-before-a-swap/222192/4 "2012-04-16T13:30:06Z")
i put my stripped chassis on a trailer and brought to one of those do it yourself car washes…cleaned the crap out of it and painted it…i dont think the owner appreciated it though ---
**Author:** ![Prabu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f1d935/32.png) [@Prabu](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Prabu)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 2:00pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-spruce-up-your-engine-bay-before-a-swap/222192/5 "2012-04-16T14:00:47Z")
> [@Steve660](#): > > I just did this over the winter. As for painting over rust there is no good solution but to cut it out and repair it properly. The primer you will want is called self etching primper. You can pick it up at most autobody supply stores, I got mine from circuit paint, 2 cans 9 bucks each. I used good paint from a spary gun though. I’m not sure what you mean by spraying it your self and picking up paint from CT? If your just using spray bombs then just keep it budget and use rust check. If your spraying from a gun then you need to deal with the rust first and get a good primer. good luck I wish I had access to a paint shop with a nice spray gun, but honestly I just wanted to stop the rust and freshen up the paint with out spending hundreds of dollars so I think I am going to look at the Rust Check stuff as one of the options. > [@k.man](#): > > I just POR-15. look into it. coat the engine bay and paint over that. But I am really liking what I read about the POR-15 stuff, k.man just curious what type did you use? Did you use the high temp paint [http://www.por15canada.com/instructions/hightemp.htm](http://www.por15canada.com/instructions/hightemp.htm) or the Glisten PC [http://www.por15canada.com/instructions/glisten.htm](http://www.por15canada.com/instructions/glisten.htm). Also how difficult is the process? ---------- Post added at 03:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:56 PM ---------- So I was messing around with my mac and made this short video of my 1/2 cut being started for the first time since it got here. [video][http://youtu.be/QWWbffmPxoY[/video]](http://youtu.be/QWWbffmPxoY%5B/video%5D) ---
**Author:** ![k.man](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/k.man/32/5790_2.png) [@k.man](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/k.man)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 2:47pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-spruce-up-your-engine-bay-before-a-swap/222192/6 "2012-04-16T14:47:43Z")
some of my friends from the domestic side uses that por-15 stuff. I have no personal experience with it, but I want to use EVERYWHERE on the car lol just checked out your video. good job buying it from riad. good guy to deal with. ---
**Author:** ![Dolph\_KYAS13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@Dolph\_KYAS13](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Dolph_KYAS13)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 3:10pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-spruce-up-your-engine-bay-before-a-swap/222192/7 "2012-04-16T15:10:14Z")
I Rhino lined the engine bay in my s13. it worked pretty good ---
**Author:** ![Steve660](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Steve660](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Steve660)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-spruce-up-your-engine-bay-before-a-swap/222192/8 "2012-04-16T15:31:10Z")
I used por-15 on my trucks frame. I don’t know about painting it though… it would leave a nasty finish. Plus its heavy, imo its over kill and not needed in an engine bay specially if your trying to spruce it up. If your doing this for under a 100 just sand all the rust, patch the holes with fiber glass hit it with rust check, prime it and get some dupli colour, done deal. ---
**Author:** ![XenoVibe](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/xenovibe/32/5739_2.png) [@XenoVibe](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/XenoVibe)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 10:24pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-spruce-up-your-engine-bay-before-a-swap/222192/9 "2012-04-16T22:24:27Z")
Clean out the bay with brake cleaner then spray it off with water. Sand down the rust spots, get a can of oil gard rust proof classic, spray the spots or bay (requires a few cans if you do that), wait a few hours then use mixed paint and primer brand. Awesome Idea with the rhino liner dolph but doesn’t it crust and break off from the constant heat cycles? If you half ass it now, it will be worth alot less later when that rust through the other side. ---
**Author:** ![nickpavlyukh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@nickpavlyukh](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/nickpavlyukh)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 10:44pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-spruce-up-your-engine-bay-before-a-swap/222192/10 "2012-04-16T22:44:32Z")
I used POR-15 on my car and i would say its the best thing to use for under a $100 for a quart. The finish looks really nice and shiny even if you want to do the whole engine bay or just do some hidden spots that tend to rust. ![http://i.imgur.com/1ZmIc.jpg](http://i.imgur.com/1ZmIc.jpg) ![http://i.imgur.com/MwBp8.jpg](http://i.imgur.com/MwBp8.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Prabu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f1d935/32.png) [@Prabu](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Prabu)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 1:15pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-spruce-up-your-engine-bay-before-a-swap/222192/11 "2012-04-27T13:15:31Z")
Thanks for all the feed back guys, I will post some pics after I finish the swap.