great info. I'll tear into the water pump tonight.
Can you give a more specific link to the "paint" you are using? I can't seem to find it. Is it good for high temps on the block, etc.?
What coating do you like for the exhaust manifold?
This is a link directly to the aervoe product:
insulating epoxy - aervoe industries incorporated
The inside of all engine castings I work with gets coated with this stuff. You must wear a respirator and ventilate the area extremely well when working with it. I do not use it for a topcoat on anything external.
As for exterior engine paint...I use whatever I can find at my local parts house that they have on "special" (they deal in alotta bankrupt stock/salvage/etc.). In fact, many times I use wallyworld housebrand rattlecan stuff that is $1.06 a can! No need for "high temp" on the engine!
On the high end Ford fe motor Todd and I built this past winter we used the aervoe engine paint which is very highdollar. I was not impressed with it vs. Wallyworld rattlecan and will not ever use that stuff again...waste of cash!
The only thing that will stay on an exhaust manifold is to have it done in ceramic after it's properly prepped. And about the time you go to that expense, when ya install the head pipe one of the mounting ears will break off or it will crack! I put nothing on the exhaust manifolds, just clean 'em up and install.
For any external engine work that requires the use of "red" paint, I now use only van sickle implement paint from the local farm supply in "case/IH red, p/n 455 70". Extremely high in solids...while it takes more than 48 hours to cure, once it's kicked it's indistinguishable from powdercoat. Same for their general purpose black or other colors.
This pic is a "reclaimed" valve cover that had been under water for some time and was really rotten. The baffle was totally clogged and grunged. Took about an hour of labor to make it useable again since I needed one with the baffle and an oil filler port along with the threaded boss. This is glyptaled inside...the exterior was shot with van sickle rattlecan.