Repainting Lower unit???

[Bunky]

I want to repaint the lower unit on my Mercury 3.9 is there any special paint I need or any special preperation??

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Repainting Lower unit???

Black lacquer ... if you're down to bare metal before you paint, you'll need to prime it first with chromate primer.

 

[andrewkafp]

Re: Repainting Lower unit???

But it will not stay on ...no matter what you do.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Repainting Lower unit???

Bull ... I've got two 150's with the LU's finished that way (which is what the factory did) and they are holding up fine. Just came baack from 150 mi offshore run and the LU's still look like new!

 

[savasa]

Re: Repainting Lower unit???

Hi!<br /><br />...To WildeOne. Do you talk about spraying paint out of a paint can or is it powder-coating you are talking about?<br /><br />-------<br />Gava

 

[sangerwaker]

Re: Repainting Lower unit???

Spray can stuff is fine. Done it to several motors with great results. I have found the factory Mercury paint to be superior to the other brands, though. Just my opinion, though.

 

[andrewkafp]

Re: Repainting Lower unit???

I'm only trying to save you some money. Factory baked paint stays on the L/U for a while, but the stress on the leading edge and the tips of the prop will soon show metal. I have a brand new Mariner (2hrs old) and it's already showing signs of paint coming off the prop and rudder. Putting Arylic laquer on it is like thowing cream puffs at the town hall.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Repainting Lower unit???

Gava, it's right out of a spray can. Tempo brand for the chromate primer and any hardware store black lacquer for the final finish.<br /><br />Stacer 460, the "rudder" is a torque trim tab and is also a sacrificial zinc. Typically, it should not be painted. Almost impossible to keep any paint on a prop. Mine are polished SS and unpainted. You can keep lacquer on an aluminum prop, but the finish takes a beating from abrasion and needs to be redone every year or two. Primer use is critical, however. Trying to paint directly on bare metal is a waste of time.<br /><br />Spray on a hot, low humidity day for best results.<br /><br />Jim

 

[andrewkafp]

Re: Repainting Lower unit???

Jim<br />I know that the anode needs to be kept unpainted, I am referring to the Outboard fin. I sanded back a 1980 Merc L/U, primed it with Zinc primer and sprayed it with Mercury Outboard laquer and clear on top. In my case, it did not last more than 2 trips. Perhaps I didn't paint it right, but I have had no luck keeping paint on these parts of the L/U.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Repainting Lower unit???

Zinc primer??? Chromate primer (it's a sort of greeninsh yellow stuff) is the stuff to prime with. Any automotive primer I know of won't cut it. By "fin" are you talking about the skeg? That's the piece below the gearcase. That part gets the worst beating, especially if the motor is run thru sand or mud or used to chop rocks (very popular in the SW USA).

 

[dajohnson53]

Re: Repainting Lower unit???

Originally posted by WildeOne:<br /> Black lacquer ... if you're down to bare metal before you paint, you'll need to prime it first with chromate primer.

I think you'll find that most, if not all, marine touch-up paints, including OEMs (I'm familiar with Johnnyrude and Merc) are spray enamel, not lacquer. That's important to know because lacquer and enamel often won't stick to one-another.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Repainting Lower unit???

D., that's not correct. The Tempo paints are all lacquer as far as I know and I've never had a section of old finish bubble up, which is what you would expect of enamel being oversprayed with lacquer. I refinished Mercs, OMC motors, Chrysler (now Merc), and used lacquer on every one. Also, I've never had a refinish job flake, peel, or anything else ugly like that. It's possible the very newest motors have gone to a different type of finish, but it's clearly not the case with any motor a few years old.

 

[dajohnson53]

Re: Repainting Lower unit???

Well, the cans of OEM OMC and Merc paint I just bought and have in hand are both enamel. For what it's worth.

 

[andrewkafp]

Re: Repainting Lower unit???

My point.. exactly. "Running through sand " is hard to avoid where I live,unless you go out at high tide and return at high tide.<br />These are the products I used.<br /> http://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.asp?item=65433&search123=primer&intAbsolutePage=1 <br /> http://www.whitworths.com.au/main_i...04&search123=ourboard+paint&intAbsolutePage=1