Prepping and painting magnesium| Grassroots Motorsports forum |

EvanB GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
11/20/12 2:28 p.m.

I started to change the valve cover gasket on my Peugeot today. I knew the paint was flaking off in some spots but I was just going to leave it. When I got it off the paint started falling off everywhere so I want to repaint it. The only problem is it is magnesium and I haven't tried to paint anything like this before. Any tips for stripping the old paint and refinishing it?

hrdlydangerous HalfDork
11/20/12 2:45 p.m.

Powdercoat it and bake it in the oven on the hottest setting...

I keed.

motomoron Dork
11/20/12 6:00 p.m.

I think the key is a single-component zinc chromate primer - as you've seen, Mg oxidizes like a wicked bastard and goes all fuzzy.

The real deal is to anodize it as a base under primer.

But on a Peugeot? Blast, rattle can zinc chromate, Dupli-color/VHT 500 degree.

fidelity101 Reader
11/20/12 6:00 p.m.

EvanB wrote: I started to change the valve cover gasket on my Peugeot today. I knew the paint was flaking off in some spots but I was just going to leave it. When I got it off the paint started falling off everywhere so I want to repaint it. The only problem is it is magnesium and I haven't tried to paint anything like this before. Any tips for stripping the old paint and refinishing it?

Aren't we fancy now! :)

pirate New Reader
11/20/12 6:04 p.m.

Mag is very porus as a casting. After stripping the existing paint off, wash it with hot soapy water and rinse well. Beter yet wait for you wife/girlfriend to go shopping and run it though a cycle in the dishwasher if it will fit. Then spray with a self etching primer followed by a good heat resistant paint.

44Dwarf SuperDork
11/20/12 7:16 p.m.

No dishwasher soap if you do it will eat the mag bad..BTDT lost a set of vintage husky 4 speed cases that way...

EvanB GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
11/21/12 12:30 a.m.

fidelity101 wrote:
EvanB wrote: I started to change the valve cover gasket on my Peugeot today. I knew the paint was flaking off in some spots but I was just going to leave it. When I got it off the paint started falling off everywhere so I want to repaint it. The only problem is it is magnesium and I haven't tried to paint anything like this before. Any tips for stripping the old paint and refinishing it?
Aren't we fancy now! :)

Very fancy, I even cleaned the carpet.