Engine bay: Liner or paint?

[thiswildbronco]

I get a few conflicting opinions on this but… I need to make a decision here pretty dang soon.

I see a lot of engine bays finished with a Linex or similar type of bedliner material, but some have mentioned that a liner on the firewall can present some tolerance issues with re-mounting fire-wall bits (hydro-boost, column mount, fuel pressure regulator, etc.).

I like the idea of long-term protection, but I also can appreciate the clean aesthetic of the bay finished in either body-color or matte-finish black paint.

I'm also hoping to maximize noise and heat control from engine bay to cab interior (Yes, I'll be spraying bedliner onto interior firewall and installing sound-deadener into panels, etc.).

I'll be bed-lining (probably Linex) the entire under-carriage, inner fenders and tub floor, etc. But I'm torn how best to treat the engine bay.

Thoughts from those who have gone before me (Gurus, I'm talking to you...)???

I've attached a few pics of different executions for reference.

Opinions and advice are much appreciated,

Doug

 

[Wrightracing]

Use paint. The bed liner is flammable with fuel and oil on it and will become a fuel source in the engine compartment if there is an engine fire.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[markw]

That’s correct. And it really does nothing for heat and sound. Very hard as in impossible to keep clean. Hard to beat a nicely prepped and shiny painted engine bay in body color.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[73azbronco]

Paint, I did liner, I think paint would have been better. But, it did reduce some noise, and did reduce heat through firewall.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Bedliner melts, drips, burns.

Paint. Body color. Noting says "I'm trying to hide crap in my engine bay" like painting it black. If you don't know much about cars it looks good. Anyone who has spent time around cars knows it is a sign of crap work (even if there isn't any crap work).

 

[Rustytruck]

A good industrial polyurethane paint will do and easy to clean up. I used rubberized under coating easy to touch up but looks dirty all the time. I never had a naked engine compartment to properly paint. so i had to work around everything. rubberized undercoating and aluminium foil lets you do that. the cans spray pretty much in all directions except upside down.

 

[Timmy390]

Use paint. The bed liner is flammable with fuel and oil on it and will become a fuel source in the engine compartment if there is an engine fire.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

That's why I didn't Raptor line my engine bay on the Samurai. FIRE BAD....

Tim

 

[EricLar80]

That's why I didn't Raptor line my engine bay on the Samurai. FIRE BAD....

Tim

And they do burn! I once ran across a Samurai that burnt up. Parked in tall, dry grass and the catalytic converters did the rest.

 

[reamer]

But how do you deal with a leak on the master cylinder and paint on the inner fender? Paint curls up real fast with a few drips from the master cylinder...

 

[Broncobowsher]

If all you are concerned about is the looks, convert the whole brake system to DOT5.

Or just get a good master cylinder.

 

[trailerjack]

I did raptor liner on the very finest setting and it looks ok. It always looks dusty though. I would recommend painting which is what I am doing the next time.

 

[MonsterBIlly]

I did bed liner and It was a mistake. Always looks like shit

 

[ngsd]

I like the look of paint better but did mine in liner. I did have a mishap replacing my master cylinder and leaked fluid everywhere plus I did a lot of work after I installed the engine and probably would have scratched the paint. That is when I was glad to have the liner. Pro's and cons but in the end it I am not unhappy with the liner, just doesnt look as good. If I have a fire, I have bigger issues to worry about.

 

[Rustytruck]

But how do you deal with a leak on the master cylinder and paint on the inner fender? Paint curls up real fast with a few drips from the master cylinder...

when working on the master put down some aluminium foil easy to lay down conforms to anything and stays in place.

 

[thiswildbronco]

Use paint. The bed liner is flammable with fuel and oil on it and will become a fuel source in the engine compartment if there is an engine fire.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Very good point I hadn't thought of... thanks!

 

[thiswildbronco]

That’s correct. And it really does nothing for heat and sound. Very hard as in impossible to keep clean. Hard to beat a nicely prepped and shiny painted engine bay in body color.

My original feeling was that a lined engine bay was a nice presentation for motor, plus protection, etc. I'm beginning to warm to the clean finish of paint.

I will be lining the interior side of the firewall (along with sound/heat deadening layer), so I plan on realizing some vibration and heat control there.

Thanks!

 

[thiswildbronco]

I appreciate that. Although I consider myself a "car guy", until this build I can't say i've been accumulating much knowledge. It's good to know that there is a "tell" to a painted engine bay that implies a certain amount of attention paid in the right places.

Bedliner melts, drips, burns.

Paint. Body color. Noting says "I'm trying to hide crap in my engine bay" like painting it black. If you don't know much about cars it looks good. Anyone who has spent time around cars knows it is a sign of crap work (even if there isn't any crap work).

 

[thiswildbronco]

Yup... all new quality components, and I'm inclined to be keeping it relatively clean (in between periods of getting it ridiculously dirty..)

Can you tell me more about DOT5?

Thanks!

If all you are concerned about is the looks, convert the whole brake system to DOT5.

Or just get a good master cylinder.

 

[thiswildbronco]

I'm quickly becoming convinced of this!!

I did raptor liner on the very finest setting and it looks ok. It always looks dusty though. I would recommend painting which is what I am doing the next time.

 

[EricLar80]

Paint. Body color. Noting says "I'm trying to hide crap in my engine bay" like painting it black. If you don't know much about cars it looks good. Anyone who has spent time around cars knows it is a sign of crap work (even if there isn't any crap work).

Wait, I'm not sure this is true. Weren't all Chevy's black under the hood? 'm not sure a lot of 'car guys' would make the connection of black under the hood with shoddy work. I can see Ford fanboys being worried about it, but black does sometimes look better, and it sure is easier to repair if damaged.