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Paint quality can fall apart before your first pass if the spray gun, fluid tip, or compressor cannot match the coating. The DeVilbiss 802343 StartingLine HVLP Complete Auto Painting and Priming Kit gives you separate full-size guns for finish coats and primer, plus 1.3 mm, 1.5 mm, and 1.8 mm setup options. That separation reduces changeover work and helps keep primer residue away from your finish gun. This review explains its compressor requirements, spray performance, setup, cleaning needs, safety considerations, and overall value for a home garage or hobby shop.
Quick Verdict
Rating: 8.4/10, Recommended with caveats
Best For: DIY auto painters, hobby restorers, panel repairs, primer work, and occasional small-to-medium refinishing projects
Bottom Line: Separate primer and finish guns, three fluid-tip sizes, and useful setup accessories make this a practical step up from a basic single-gun kit. Its main limitation is the 13 CFM air demand, which rules out many small portable compressors.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Brand | DeVilbiss |
| Model | 802343 StartingLine |
| Product type | HVLP automotive painting and priming kit |
| Design | Two full-size gravity-feed spray guns |
| Gun roles | One finish-coat gun and one primer gun |
| Fluid-tip options | 1.3 mm, 1.5 mm, and 1.8 mm |
| Cup capacity | Two 600 cc, or 20 oz., aluminum cups |
| Air requirement | 13 CFM at 30 PSI inlet pressure, delivering 10 PSI at the air cap |
| Air inlet | 1/4-inch NPS |
| Amazon-listed dimensions | 13.7 x 13 x 4.5 inches |
| Amazon-listed item weight | 7 pounds |
| Included accessories | Air-adjusting valve with gauge, cleaning brushes, maintenance wrench, and blow-molded case |
| Best use | Automotive basecoat, clearcoat, single-stage coatings, primer, and sealer when the coating data sheet supports the selected setup |
| Warranty | Standard one-year manufacturer coverage unless otherwise specified; authorized-distributor and original-user terms apply |
Key Takeaways
- You get separate full-size guns for finish coats and primer instead of repeatedly converting one general-purpose gun.
- The 1.3 mm setup suits many automotive basecoats and clearcoats, while the 1.8 mm setup handles thicker primer materials more effectively.
- The included 1.5 mm needle and nozzle provide a middle option for compatible single-stage coatings, sealers, and lighter primers.
- The kit requires approximately 13 CFM at 30 PSI, so delivered compressor output matters more than tank size alone.
- It offers strong value for occasional DIY refinishing, but it does not replace a premium production gun or a safe, properly ventilated spray area.
What Is the DeVilbiss 802343 StartingLine Kit?
The DeVilbiss 802343 is a two-gun HVLP kit designed for automotive painting and priming. One gun is configured for finish coatings, while the second handles primer and other compatible higher-viscosity materials.
The finish gun includes a 1.3 mm fluid setup and a 600 cc aluminum gravity cup. This nozzle size is commonly suited to basecoat, clearcoat, and other lighter automotive coatings when you follow the paint maker’s mixing and pressure guidance.
The primer gun supports the larger setup, while the included 1.5 mm needle and nozzle give you a middle option. This three-size range makes the kit more flexible than a starter package that includes only one gun and one nozzle.
Before You Buy: Confirm your compressor’s delivered CFM at the required working pressure. A large air tank may provide a short spraying window, but it cannot compensate for a pump that falls well below the gun’s 13 CFM demand.
Two-Gun Design and Included Equipment
The two-gun design is the kit’s most useful feature. You can keep the 1.3 mm gun dedicated to finish materials and reserve the second gun for primer, reducing cleaning time and the chance of primer residue entering a clearcoat or basecoat job.
Both guns use full-size 600 cc aluminum gravity cups. That capacity works well for body panels, bumpers, motorcycle parts, and other small-to-medium jobs without making the gun as bulky as a larger production cup.
The package also includes an air-adjusting valve with a gauge, cleaning brushes, a maintenance wrench, and a molded storage case. You will still need a suitable compressor, air hose, filtration, coating supplies, personal protective equipment, and an appropriate spray area.
Who Should Buy It?
Best For
- DIY painters who want dedicated guns for primer and finish coatings.
- Hobby restorers completing panels, bumpers, motorcycle parts, or occasional vehicle projects.
- Garage users with a compressor that can maintain approximately 13 CFM at 30 PSI.
Skip If
- You rely on a small pancake compressor or another low-CFM portable unit.
- You need a premium finish gun for daily production-shop refinishing.
- You need a compact touch-up gun for tiny spot repairs or confined areas.
Performance and Spray Quality
The StartingLine kit gives you sensible nozzle sizes, but the gun cannot correct poor surface preparation, contaminated air, incorrect viscosity, or inconsistent technique. Your pressure, coating reduction, distance, overlap, and travel speed still determine much of the final result.
With compatible basecoat or clearcoat, the 1.3 mm setup provides controlled material flow and finer atomization than the primer setup. It works best after you strain the mixed coating, set pressure at the gun, and confirm the pattern on masking paper or a test panel.
The 1.8 mm setup moves thicker material more easily, making it the better starting point for compatible primer surfacers and build coats. The 1.5 mm components fill the gap when a coating needs more flow than a 1.3 mm tip but less than a 1.8 mm setup.
Air supply remains the main performance limit. As compressor pressure falls, atomization and pattern consistency can suffer, producing dry spray, uneven coverage, excessive texture, or an unstable fan.
Fluid Tip Guide: Which Setup Should You Use?
Your coating’s technical data sheet should always take priority over a general nozzle chart. Paint systems vary in solids, viscosity, reducer choice, temperature range, and recommended gun pressure.
| Tip Size | Typical Use | Buyer Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1.3 mm | Compatible basecoats, clearcoats, and lighter finish materials | The main finish setup in this kit. |
| 1.5 mm | Compatible single-stage coatings, sealers, and lighter primers | A useful middle option when 1.3 mm restricts flow. |
| 1.8 mm | Compatible primers, surfacers, sealers, and higher-viscosity coatings | Better for material build than fine clearcoat work. |
Ease of Use and Maintenance
The gravity-feed design, gun-mounted gauge, and separate primer and finish guns make the kit manageable for a careful beginner. You still need time to learn fan adjustment, fluid control, pressure setting, gun distance, and consistent overlap.
Run a pattern test before spraying the vehicle. Check whether the fan is even from top to bottom, then adjust one setting at a time. Changing air pressure, fluid flow, distance, and travel speed together makes it difficult to identify the cause of a pattern problem.
Clean each gun immediately after use with a cleaner approved for the coating. Empty the cup, flush the fluid passage, clean the tip and air cap, wipe the needle area, and remove residue from the cup lid and vent. Avoid forcing wire or hard metal objects through precision air-cap holes.
Setup Tips Before First Use
Inspect the guns before adding paint. Confirm that the correct needle, nozzle, and air cap are installed together, tighten parts according to the product instructions, and remove any shipping dust or protective residue.
Install suitable moisture and oil filtration in the air line. Contaminated compressed air can cause fisheyes, adhesion problems, color defects, or moisture in the sprayed film. Use fittings and hose sizes that do not create unnecessary airflow restrictions.
Set pressure while air is flowing through the gun, not only at the compressor tank. Strain the mixed coating before filling the cup, then test the fan on masking paper or a prepared sample panel before approaching the final surface.
Pro Tip: Label one gun “Finish” and the other “Primer,” then store their matching needles, nozzles, and air caps together. This simple step reduces accidental part mixing and finish-coat contamination.
Compatibility and Safety Notes
Use each setup only with coatings that the material manufacturer approves for that nozzle range and spray process. Read the product label, technical data sheet, and safety data sheet before mixing or spraying any primer, sealer, basecoat, clearcoat, or single-stage material.
Automotive coatings and cleaning solvents can expose you to hazardous vapors, mist, overspray, and skin contact. Use a compliant spray area with suitable ventilation, protect your skin and eyes, and select respiratory protection for the exact coating and exposure conditions.
Some catalyzed coatings can contain isocyanates and may require supplied-air respiratory protection rather than a basic cartridge mask. Follow the coating maker’s safety instructions, applicable workplace rules, and professional respiratory-protection guidance. Also follow local requirements for overspray control, fire safety, hazardous-waste disposal, and solvent storage.
How It Performs in Real Use
For Basecoat and Clearcoat
The 1.3 mm gun is the kit’s best option for compatible finish coatings. It can produce an even fan when your compressor maintains airflow and you keep the coating mix, gun distance, overlap, and travel speed consistent.
For Primer and Sealer
The larger setup allows compatible primer to flow with less restriction. You can build material for later sanding, but slow passes or excessive fluid adjustment can create runs, heavy texture, and longer drying times.
For Panels and Small Parts
The 600 cc cups offer enough capacity for many doors, fenders, bumpers, motorcycle parts, and repair sections. Separate guns also let you move from surface preparation to finish work without completely rebuilding one spray gun.
For Full-Vehicle or Longer Jobs
The kit can handle larger projects, but compressor recovery and workflow planning become more important. You may need to refill the cup, monitor pressure drop, and plan each section so you do not interrupt a wet edge at the wrong time.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Do not choose the 1.8 mm setup for every coating simply because it delivers more material.
- Do not judge compressor suitability by tank capacity or advertised horsepower alone.
- Do not set pressure only at the compressor when a long hose and multiple fittings create pressure loss.
- Do not spray the final surface before checking the fan pattern on a test panel.
- Do not leave primer or catalyzed coating inside the gun after the job.
- Do not mix needles, nozzles, and air caps from different setups unless the manufacturer identifies them as a matched combination.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Separate full-size guns keep primer and finish-coat workflows apart.
- Includes 1.3 mm, 1.5 mm, and 1.8 mm options for several coating viscosities.
- Two 600 cc aluminum cups suit many panel and hobby-restoration projects.
- Includes an air-adjusting valve with gauge, cleaning tools, wrench, and storage case.
- Offers more flexibility than a basic one-gun, one-tip starter package.
Cons
- The 13 CFM requirement exceeds the sustained output of many portable compressors.
- The kit does not include the compressor, hose, filtration, paint supplies, or safety equipment.
- It requires immediate and careful cleaning, particularly after primer or catalyzed materials.
Warranty, Parts, and Support
Carlisle Fluid Technologies lists standard warranty coverage of one year unless a product specifies different terms. Coverage generally applies from an authorized distributor to the original end user, so keep your receipt and review the current warranty conditions before buying.
StartingLine cleaning tools, cups, and repair components are available through spray-equipment suppliers. Confirm the exact part number and gun compatibility before ordering a replacement needle, nozzle, air cap, seal, cup, or adapter.
Is It Worth the Price?
The DeVilbiss 802343 sits in a practical mid-range position for DIY automotive refinishing. You are paying for two dedicated full-size guns, three tip choices, aluminum cups, an air-control gauge, maintenance tools, and a case rather than a bare single-gun package.
You get the most value when you regularly spray both primer and finish materials. Keeping those jobs on separate guns can save changeover time and reduce contamination risks across several projects.
It is not the best value if you only need one small primer repair, own an undersized compressor, or expect premium production-gun performance. In those situations, a lower-air-demand gun, touch-up model, or higher-end finish gun may fit your work better.
How It Compares to Alternatives
Compared with a basic single-gun HVLP kit, the DeVilbiss 802343 gives you a cleaner primer-to-finish workflow and more nozzle flexibility. A single-gun package may cost less, but you will spend more time changing setups and cleaning between incompatible materials.
A premium DeVilbiss DV1 or comparable professional Iwata or SATA finish gun is better suited to painters who need higher-end atomization and daily production use. A low-air-demand LVLP gun may be the smarter choice when compressor capacity is your main restriction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size compressor do you need for the DeVilbiss 802343?
The gun setup requires approximately 13 CFM at 30 PSI inlet pressure. Compare that requirement with your compressor’s delivered CFM at the working pressure, not only its tank size, peak horsepower, or displacement rating.
Can you use the 1.3 mm tip for clearcoat?
The 1.3 mm setup is intended for many basecoats, clearcoats, and other lighter finish materials. Confirm the nozzle range, reduction ratio, pressure, and application instructions in the clearcoat maker’s technical data sheet.
Which tip should you use for primer?
The 1.8 mm setup is the normal starting point for compatible primer surfacers and other higher-viscosity coatings. The 1.5 mm setup may suit a lighter primer or sealer when its technical data sheet approves that nozzle range.
Does the kit include everything you need to start painting?
No. You still need a compressor with enough delivered airflow, an appropriate air hose, moisture and oil filtration, paint-mixing supplies, coating materials, cleaning products, suitable protective equipment, and a compliant spray area.
How should you clean the StartingLine guns?
Empty and flush the cup and fluid passage immediately after spraying with a cleaner approved for the coating. Clean the nozzle, needle area, air cap, cup lid, and vent without damaging the precision holes or soaking parts that the manual says to keep dry.
Is the DeVilbiss 802343 suitable for beginners?
It is suitable for a patient beginner who will practice pattern adjustment, distance, overlap, pressure control, and cleaning. It will not compensate for poor paint preparation, an undersized compressor, unsafe ventilation, or incorrect material mixing.
Can it spray waterborne automotive basecoat?
The 1.3 mm setup may suit some waterborne basecoat systems, but compatibility depends on the coating and gun-component requirements. Follow the paint manufacturer’s technical data, cleaning guidance, airflow requirements, and drying procedure.
Who should skip the DeVilbiss 802343 kit?
Skip it if your compressor cannot sustain the required airflow, your work is limited to tiny touch-ups, or you need a premium production gun for daily professional refinishing. A lower-air-demand or smaller-format gun may fit those situations better.
The Bottom Line
The DeVilbiss 802343 is a strong choice for DIY painters and hobby restorers who want dedicated full-size guns for primer and finish coatings. Its two-gun workflow, three tip sizes, and included accessories provide useful flexibility, but you need a compressor that can sustain 13 CFM and a safe, well-planned spraying process.
Buy it for occasional panel work, restorations, and small-to-medium refinishing projects. Skip it if your air supply is undersized or you need premium daily production performance.
