Built an Oil Pan what should I Coat/Paint it with?

[oOBounce22Oo]

I built an Oil pan for my Truck out of bare sheet steel. Now the question is what should I paint/coat the oil pan with both inside and out to keep it from rusting?

Thanks in Advance for the info

[RandomTask]

I would imagine just coat the outside with a high temp paint. At least something that can handle up to 300 degrees f. What you can usually do is paint it, then 'bake' the oil pan in the oven at about 400 degrees. This will make it nice and shiny without the use of clear coat that would probably burn off...

[coop7295]

i would have it electroplated or powdercoated

[curtis73]

Both of those are great suggestions. I advise against painting the inside. Eventually the oil will start lifting the paint and then you'll have big flakes of paint floating in your oil. Even if it didn't, a stick or rock that puts the slightest dent in the pan will crack the paint inside and it won't take long. It wouldn't take more than a minute to starve a bearing and destroy the engine. Just coat the inside with oil and it won't rust.

I've had good luck with parts-store engine paint. Clean it really well with acetone, brake parts cleaner, lacquer thinner, or some other solvent that doesn't leave a residue. (that means no carb cleaner). Then give it some "tooth" by sanding it with 1500 grit or at least scuffing it with a wire wheel or scotchbrite pad. There is a high-temp engine primer sold right beside the colored paints. Hit it with a two coats of that, then three coats of the engine paint in your choice of colors. No sanding in between unless you get dust or runs that you want to flatten out. And trust me, follow the directions for re-coating. The brand I used said either re coat within 1 hour or wait 24 hours. I recoated in about 12 hours and it ended up a very matte finish. I kept it that way cause I kinda liked it, but it would be frustrating if I hadn't liked it.

Look in your phone book for other things like powdercoating, electroplating, and other creative ideas. Powdercoating is like a plastic dry coating that cures when its baked, but I'm sure you knew that. You can have it electroplated with anything you wish; chrome, nickel, copper, gold, zinc, the list goes on.

What about something like some spray-on bedliner? That might be fun.

[TheSilentChamber]

If you paint I would suggest Dupli-Color engine enamel. Its the best high temp stuff I'v used and it doesnt require a primer so theres less chance of lift between layers. Spray in bed liner would get hot and catch on fire. prep it like curtis said but I would used 220 grit to scuff it or a course scotch brite, 1500 is way way too fine.

[public]

Yeah, the inside will be full of oil so it won't rust anyway. Like Curtis I have had good luck with Dupli-color / parts store spray paint.

[curtis73]

Now that you all mention it, DupliColor is the parts store brand that I used.

Silent chamber brings up a good point with the coarser grit. Although I personally wouldn't go a coarse as 220, the more "tooth" the better. I typically have trouble with the lighter paints retaining the scratch marks if I go much coarser than about 500 which is why I suggested the 1500. Scotch brite pads work very well and in fact I just used the heavy pads to scuff up my chevy's stamped oil pan just tonight in preparation to paint it tomorrow.