LA Blue

[Phil Coopy]

How can I remove the blue finish on an LA engine ....other than buy a different brand 

Phil

[Paul Taylor]

Send it to me and I will remove the blue. Only problem is when you get it back, it may say Fox on the case.


Love dem blue motors.


Just kidding, someone will tell you to soak it in something. I can not remember what it is.

[john e. holliday]

Do the crock pot thing as I did with my LA 40.  It seems now it will hold a needle on successive runs now.  Before it would get hot.  Might have to use scrub brush in some places.  DOC Hollliday

[Dick Fowler]

Phil, not sure about the crock pot answer???  The blue is paint finish, not anodized so a good paint remover works.

[Wynn Robins]

Just be careful with WHICH paint remover you use, some of them react VERY badly with aluminium (Aluminum as you guys call it) and release a toxic gas.

you can buy the LAs is natural finish......FWIW

[Jim Oliver]

One of my buddies works on lots of 4 wheelers, etc. also flies CLPA.  He uses auto carb cleaner to remove the blue paint from the LA engines.  He buys it at NAPA auto parts store---item number 6406.

Jim                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

[Dennis Vander Kuur]

Phil,
I removed the blue paint and a lot of burnt on crud from a well used, 3rd-hand OS .46LA. It normally takes just an overnight stay in the hot antifreeze-filled crock pot to clean the burned on crud off an engine. However, that blue paint is on VERY good and it took me 3 days to get 99% of it off. The last little traces of blue paint in some corners was removed by scraping the now-softened paint out with a toothpick. The engine is now both clean and a pretty aluminum color. Hope this helps.
DennisV

[roger gebhart]

I put a borrowed HP gold cup in carburator cleaner to clean it before I gave it back. I'm glad a natural finish suited the owner. Pretty embar  ass  ing but it was clean. 

[Phil Coopy]

Thanks folks,

I was thinking carb cleaner too..I've still got a 5 gal bucket of it I brought to FL with me........left over from my flathead engine rebuilding days...works great cleaning those 50+ year old parts.

Phil

[Jim Oliver]

Ha! 
How about some 63 year old parts? 
I have some that need refurbishing.

Jim

[Russell Shaffer]

Burn it off with a propane torch?

[Peter Nevai]

soak in Dot3 brake fluid for a day or two. Repeat as necessary

[Frederick Fielder]

So buy a Fox! All of mine run just fine and no blue paint to worry with.
Frederick

[Jim Oliver]

My buddy just told me that the last batch of NAPA 6406 carb cleaner isn't the same as his older batch.  The new 6406 doesn't take the blue off.  He said it doesn't even smell the same as the old stuff.

Big Brother is looking out for us!

Jim

[Bill Little]

Ha! 
How about some 63 year old parts? 
I have some that need refurbishing.

Jim

Hi Jim,

My "parts" ain't quite that old yet, but I wish I could "replace" some of the ones that are "missing'!

Bill <><