Having acquired the correct sized exhaust silencer (1″ BSP), it required painting as it comes unpainted. Firstly I gave it wipe over with a cloth dampened with a little bit of white spirit, as the silencer had been lightly oiled before packaging to prevent it from going rusty. 

The silencer as supplied

A light rub down and a further clean and it was ready for paint. As this is a component that is going to get very hot, a heat resistant paint is preferable. I have chosen a matt black paint in an aerosol can, to give a better finish than using ordinary paint applied with a brush.

The silencer with new paint applied

As I had some paint to spare, I have decided to also paint the governor rod assembly in black as well. I know that a lot of people choose to paint them in the same green colour as the engine itself, but I thought I’d do it differently.

For these smaller parts, I found it easier to tie them to a length of string and then suspend them from hooks in the shed to make the application of paint a little easier.