> But,
> i've been told that any paint will come right off as soon as the oils that
> are hiding in the pores heats up and comes back out. Supposedly if you want
> to paint an engine, the proper prep involves cycles of heating and
> degreasing.

I have painted several motorcycle engines and never had the paint come
off or chip. I used etching paints:

Brolite Satinetch (satin black)
VHT Case Paint (Black Oxide)

Both go on very nicely and any runs disappear as the paint dries. They
don't need multiple coats, as the pigment density is high, unlike
garbage-quality paints which have hardly any pigment in them. I
haven't been able to find Satinetch since the 80s.

--
Regards
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin
New Zealand
Fossil preparator
Mollusc, Toyota & VW van fan