Engine Paint – What's Important for Best Performance?
KBS Coatings Motor Coater in Thunderbird Red
Whether you are restoring your car or truck, detailing it for shows, or you just want it to look its best, making sure the engine looks great is important, and engine paint is a big part of that. It's one of the first things you see when you pop the hood. If you are planning to paint your engine, have you considered what's important for paint appearance, performance, and long-term durability? Experts agree that the main qualities to pay attention to are heat resistance, gloss retention, and resistance to chipping and flaking. The paint must be formulated to meet these criteria, and standard automotive paints just aren't designed to handle harsh under-hood environments.
Heat Resistance
Most good quality engine paints use an acrylic enamel formulation that provides an attractive hard glossy finish and superior heat resistance, with the ability to handle temperatures up to 500°F. Acrylic enamel engine paints come in variations that can be applied by spraying, rolling, or brushing, which makes them easy to work with even if the engine is still mounted in the vehicle.
Engine Paint vs. Exhaust Paint Engine paint is different from high-temperature exhaust paint like KBS XTC, which is designed for headers, exhaust manifolds, and exhaust systems and can withstand temperatures up to 1,500°F. |
Gloss Retention
Acrylic enamel provides a glossy finish, and its hardness helps avoid small scratches and scuffing that could dull the finish over time. Acrylic enamel also has excellent color retention properties.
Chipping and Flaking
Acrylic enamel paint works well on engines because it is not affected by the expansion and contraction of metal during temperature swings, like when an engine goes from cold to hot on startup. This helps keep the paint from cracking and flaking. The hardness of acrylic enamel engine paint also helps it resist chipping caused by things like accidental tool strikes.
Other Considerations
Engine paint also functions to protect metal from rust and corrosion. Another consideration is that the paint must be able to resist damage from gasoline, oils, additives, degreasers, and other chemicals.
KBS Coatings Motor Coater
KBS Coatings offers Motor Coater, which meets and exceeds the above criteria and has features and benefits that make it a better choice than other engine paint brands.
KBS Coatings Motor Coater in Oldsmobile Bronze
Motor Coater is a high-gloss acrylic enamel engine paint that can withstand temperatures up to 500°F. Motor Coater engine enamels provide deep, rich pigmented colors for excellent coverage. The paint meets OEM standards, will not blister, flake, crack, or peel, and is impervious to oil, transmission fluid, gasoline, and other chemicals.
Motor Coater has excellent coverage and self-leveling properties. It flows out well without leaving brush marks and provides a beautiful finish. Motor Coater is designed to be user-friendly so that excellent results can be achieved by do-it-yourself and professional users alike.
"Motor Coater is a fantastic product that lays down thick and smooth." — Steve C., KBS Customer "I have been using KBS Motor Coater for a few years now. I first painted an engine block with it with professional results. I used the rest of the container to paint associated parts. I have been using it ever since. I prefer KBS Products to any of the store brands." — M. Moran, KBS Customer "I recently finished a complete engine bay restoration on my 1968 Oldsmobile 442 convertible. I decided to use Motor Coater because I really did not want to completely remove the engine and thought having the ability to brush the block would alleviate the overspray issue. The results exceeded my expectation." — Steve C., KBS Customer |
Motor Coater is available in aerosol cans and in paint cans for rolling, brushing, or application with spray equipment. Keep in mind brush-on engine enamels take longer to apply and more care is required, but in general they offer excellent coverage.
KBS Coatings Motor Coater in Ford Corporate Blue
OEM-Matched Color Options
Motor Coater is available in 40+ colors for automotive and diesel applications, including many historically correct OEM engine colors covering Chevy, Ford, Chrysler, Buick, Cadillac, Pontiac, AMC, MG, Austin Healey, and diesel brands like Cummins, Detroit Diesel, and Caterpillar. See the full current color list and historical application notes on the Motor Coater product page.
"I love this paint! Has great coverage and easy to apply! Engine looks better than it came from the factory! It's great the correct colors are offered for AMC! This is the only type of paint I will ever use on engines! Highly recommended!" — Logan S., KBS Customer "Perfect match, covers excellently and nice price!" — Alan L. |
KBS Coatings Motor Coater in AMC Blue
Motor Coater Kit
Motor Coater can be purchased separately or as part of the Motor Coater Kit, which includes KBS Klean to clean and degrease the engine, RustBlast to remove rust and corrosion and etch the surface for best adhesion, and KBS #1 Thinner for spray equipment application.
Want to see how the Motor Coater Kit is applied? Check out this episode of Sam's Garage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I look for in a good engine paint?
The main qualities to look for are heat resistance, gloss retention, and resistance to chipping and flaking. Standard automotive paints aren't formulated to handle harsh under-hood conditions, so a dedicated engine enamel is recommended for the best appearance and longest-lasting durability.
What temperature can engine paint withstand?
Most quality acrylic enamel engine paints, including KBS Motor Coater, are rated up to 500°F intermittently. This is different from high-temperature exhaust paint like KBS XTC, which is designed for headers, manifolds, and exhaust systems and can withstand temperatures up to 1,500°F.
Can engine paint be brushed on with the engine still in the vehicle?
Yes. Acrylic enamel engine paints like Motor Coater can be applied by spraying, rolling, or brushing, which makes them practical to use even when the engine is still mounted in the vehicle. Brush application takes more time and care but generally offers excellent coverage.
Does Motor Coater match OEM engine colors?
Yes. Motor Coater is available in 40+ OEM-matched automotive and diesel colors, including historically correct colors for many classic makes and engine families.
Ready to Give Your Engine a Show-Quality Finish? Motor Coater withstands temperatures up to 500°F, resists chips and chemicals, and matches 40+ OEM colors. Order direct and we ship same day. |