painting rubber seal - update

[blown motor]

The seal between the hood and the rad support is looking a little aged. Will it accept paint ok or will the paint layer end up cracking when the seal flexes? Maybe I'm better to just replace it. 

[ToxicWolf]

I would have to go with replacing it.  I don't know any good paints for that.  I guess you could try black "Flex Seal".   

[burdar]

I bought a new seal but wasn't impressed.  The original one was real dirty but still had it's U shape and wasn't all deformed.  The brand new seal was all compressed and didn't hold the U shaped profile.  I cleaned up the original one with "Bleach White" and reused it.  I found the same thing with the hood to cowl seal.  The new one was all compressed where the original one still held the U shaped profile.  Unfortunately, the original was destroyed during disassembly.

[Finoke]

I have used a thick tip black marker in the past and it turns out pretty good. Color it with black marker then rub it down good with a clean cloth.

Don't use a sharpie marker as it comes out with a bit of a purple tint. Use a thick black magic marker 

[blown motor]

I actually thought about trying a permanent black marker this afternoon. Glad you replied. 

[blown motor]

I had already cleaned it with soap, water and a scrub brush. Tonight I tried with Dupli-colour Grease and Wax Remover. That stuff is wicked but but my wife didn't like the fumes in the kitchen.    Below are before and after pics.

[ToxicWolf]

Looks good. 

[Giveitawack]

I reused mine. Cleaned it with a car paint solvent. Rubber gets a kind of oxidation that often can be rubbed off. Try different solvents.

[Finoke]

Nice! 

[jimynick]

Murray, the old school way was to take a clean rag, wet it with hot water, wring it out and then splash some thinners into it. Use it to wipe the rubber until it's clean and some black begins to transfer and then wipe it with the rag after you've splashed some auto trans fluid in it. Works well on re-blackening tire sidewalls, too. DON'T try this in the kitchen, or you'll be eating off the hood of the Chally from now on!