In this post, we will demonstrate the process taken to complete a Rattle Can Engine Rebuild.

The engine in your classic truck is working great but looks like you are heavily invested in crude oil.   A Rattle Can Engine Rebuild is in order and trust me you will be amazed by the results.

The first step is to grab the pressure washer and get as much of the dirt and grime off the block and surrounding parts as possible.  A couple cans of engine de-greaser,  a hot engine and HOT HOT water will make the grunge fall right off.  Then remove as many parts as you have time for so you can detail and paint them separately.  Finally when you have done what you can with cleaning and removing small parts MASK MASK and then MASK some more.

I pressure washed the engine compartment three times to try and get as much of the gunk off as possible.    I also used a maroon scuff pad,some serious muscle and wax and grease remover to ensure good paint adhesion.  Make sure to used compressed air to blow the water off.   Then  mask off the rest of the truck to avoid overspray.

I masked off every bit of orange that I could in order to spray the blue engine paint  first.  I am ready for the Blue.  Look at all the masking.  Notice I removed hoses, brackets and the radiator.

After the Blue. We pulled the valve cover off so we could clean it and paint it separately.    The engine paint will be ready to mask in about four hours.

While the blue was drying I took some extra time and used the parts washer to clean the smaller parts like the  hood hinges.

Then I sandblasted them.

I also cleaned, sandblasted and painted the fan and some of the other front engine parts.  This will make the job look a lot better and more detailed.

Here is the clean valve cover with the new gasket glued on.

Wrap the freshly painted engine with painters plastic and some tape.  The plastic is a lot easier to wrap around odd shapes than paper.  Sometimes tin foil can be used and requires no tape.

Go to town with low or semi gloss black paint on the engine compartment and firewall.

Some engine components reinstalled.

Finished product.  This project took me the better part of a day and about $75 worth of paint and materials.  The engine looks like new and now it is not embarrassing to lift the hood.