Rep Power: 194

So a simple upgrade I'm doing to various engine pieces in my bay, is stripping the paint off to expose the metal underneath. Then, I'm going to sand and buff and polish until it shines like a mirror.

The only problem is that they will start rusting due to the exposed metal, and I was wondering how should I combat this. Should I spray on some clear spray paint, buff that, and then wax it?

 
Rep Power: 0

You sand the metal dry, 200 to start off. Then wet, in increasing intervals, 300, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500 etc etc.
So lots of sanding and maintenance. Lots of maintenance. Lots of them...
Rust are not friendly.

 
Rep Power: 194

Won't it still rust because the metal is still exposed?

 
Rep Power: 204

Yes, you would have to seal it with clear or wax. If you seal it with wax it'll only last about 1 year before you would have to rewax. I've never cleared engine parts because I imagine they'll look like hell after about a year and then the clean up would be a nightmare.

 
Rep Power: 353

if you're polishing stuff in/around your engine bay......wax isnt gonna cut it. it gets pretty hot in your engine bay and it'll melt the wax right off.

 
Rep Power: 211

I'm sure if you gave it a few coats of engine enamel clear, it sould shine up fairly nice with a good buffing.

 
Rep Power: 512

Wait, first off, what pieces exactly? Not all metal rusts...

 
Rep Power: 204

... fair enough on the wax melting off.

I did my tappet cover about a year and a half ago. Aluminum not steel so it doesn't rust but it still oxidizes. I have a drill buff/polish kit with compounds and did that as well as I could and then sealed it with turtle wax. The pics are before/after and 1.5 years later.

 
Rep Power: 812

they sell metal sealants where you polish once and then apply it to lock in the shine. they also have rust strippers that restore the original metal finish and keep it like that for months.