Autocycler
New Member
The finish on the Happy 2 stroke engines can be greatly enhanced with a little polishing. Here is what you will need:
-Sandpaper, one sheet of each of the following (wet or dry sandpaper works best)
60 grit
220 grit
500 grit
1000 grit
1200 grit
-one can of clear coat (Rust-Oleum gloss clear works well)
Here's how to polish the engine parts:
Begin with the easiest parts....
Remove the right side clutch cover, magneto cover, and small sprocket cover
Beginning with the coarsest sandpaper (60 grit), gently sand the surface and sides of each part in one direction until all of the oxidized aluminum is removed and surface is smooth.
Repeat with the 220 grit sandpaper, sanding perpendicular to the direction you previously sanded. This will help to remove the scratches made by the course sandpaper.
Do the same with the 500 grit sandpaper, again changing direction of your sanding to progressively remove the scratches.
Now gently sand the surfaces with the 1000 grit sandpaper until the parts begin to really shine. You may choose to sand under running water to remove the aluminum dust and to polish out any rough spots.
Finally, go over the parts with the 1200 grit sandpaper until all of the scratches are satisfactorily removed. I like to leave some scratches to give the parts a brushed aluminum look.
Wash and dry the parts thoroughly. They should be silky smooth and shiny.
To preserve the shine and prevent oxidation, apply two coats of gloss clear coat to the front and sides of each part.
TaDa! These parts should look terrific.
Now, you can either paint the remainder of the engine black or silver. If you are really good at this, you can try sanding the entire engine.
Here's the best part. If your engine dies, you can remove these polished parts and put them on your next engine
I'll post some before and after pics soon.
BY the way, use a face mask if you have one...inhaling aluminum dust isn't very good for you.
-Sandpaper, one sheet of each of the following (wet or dry sandpaper works best)
60 grit
220 grit
500 grit
1000 grit
1200 grit
-one can of clear coat (Rust-Oleum gloss clear works well)
Here's how to polish the engine parts:
Begin with the easiest parts....
Remove the right side clutch cover, magneto cover, and small sprocket cover
Beginning with the coarsest sandpaper (60 grit), gently sand the surface and sides of each part in one direction until all of the oxidized aluminum is removed and surface is smooth.
Repeat with the 220 grit sandpaper, sanding perpendicular to the direction you previously sanded. This will help to remove the scratches made by the course sandpaper.
Do the same with the 500 grit sandpaper, again changing direction of your sanding to progressively remove the scratches.
Now gently sand the surfaces with the 1000 grit sandpaper until the parts begin to really shine. You may choose to sand under running water to remove the aluminum dust and to polish out any rough spots.
Finally, go over the parts with the 1200 grit sandpaper until all of the scratches are satisfactorily removed. I like to leave some scratches to give the parts a brushed aluminum look.
Wash and dry the parts thoroughly. They should be silky smooth and shiny.
To preserve the shine and prevent oxidation, apply two coats of gloss clear coat to the front and sides of each part.
TaDa! These parts should look terrific.
Now, you can either paint the remainder of the engine black or silver. If you are really good at this, you can try sanding the entire engine.
Here's the best part. If your engine dies, you can remove these polished parts and put them on your next engine
I'll post some before and after pics soon.
BY the way, use a face mask if you have one...inhaling aluminum dust isn't very good for you.
...Kelly