Valve Cover Paint
- Thread starter mjmendoza
- Start date
I would sand them down with a decent coarse sandpaper and move onto a fine sandpaper. You will want to use a hight temp paint for them, if you take your time and don't rush you can get a few nice thick coat that wont flake off.
Don't expect to finish it in one day, I would say take three to five days, putting a few coats on every day, until you have covered the entire valve cover.
Hope this helps.
Don't expect to finish it in one day, I would say take three to five days, putting a few coats on every day, until you have covered the entire valve cover.
Hope this helps.
here we have a handy guide for this job. some good tips
http://mkiiisupra.net/bbs/showthread.php?t=14686&highlight=guide+cam
http://mkiiisupra.net/bbs/showthread.php?t=14686&highlight=guide+cam
I don't mean to stir up a problem, but I've painted several valve covers with great results. If you go to any autoparts store and get they're hight temperature engine enamel spray paint, this shouldn't take more than 3-4 hours tops. The link above is a good walkthrough. However wet sanding isn't necessary to achieve a nice smooth finish. One might also note that although getting the grime off the valve covers is helpful, it isn't necessary to spot clean them to perfection because they're going to be filthy as soon as you start sanding them down and scratching the red paint out of the letters and lines. I too used a flat head screw driver(as mentioned in the walkthrough) to remove the red paint. Also, make sure you sand every part of the outside of the valve covers. Where you don't sand is where the paint will either bubble up and try not to adhere, or later on down the road start peeling. After you finish sanding, then clean them with a rag or some compressed air... whatever works best for you.
The rest of this is totally opinionated(my opinion) but I'd use a high heat primer, high heat paint, and high heat clear coat(if you want them glossy). The thicker the paint and clear coat are, the less likely your going to scratch through the paint when reinstalling them. I've painted many valve covers and other "under the hood" items like this with no problems. Just make sure you sand well, apply several THIN coats of primer, paint, clear as opposed to caking the paint. If you cake the coats of paint on, it will be peeling back off in no time.
Have fun with it man. Post pics when you get them done. I'll post some pics of my Supra's valve covers when I get a chance.
The rest of this is totally opinionated(my opinion) but I'd use a high heat primer, high heat paint, and high heat clear coat(if you want them glossy). The thicker the paint and clear coat are, the less likely your going to scratch through the paint when reinstalling them. I've painted many valve covers and other "under the hood" items like this with no problems. Just make sure you sand well, apply several THIN coats of primer, paint, clear as opposed to caking the paint. If you cake the coats of paint on, it will be peeling back off in no time.
Have fun with it man. Post pics when you get them done. I'll post some pics of my Supra's valve covers when I get a chance.
i plan on doing this job myself as mine are all dirty and flaking. Plus i need to remove them anyway as im suffering from the oil in spark plug wells problem. new seals etc are already sitting in the car.
theres also a lot of other guides on that site if you guys didnt notice them. mainly for a turbo car but helpfull anyway
theres also a lot of other guides on that site if you guys didnt notice them. mainly for a turbo car but helpfull anyway
Why go through so much effort sanding down to a glassy smooth finish when you are only gonna look at them once in a blue moon? I mean it's not like when you actually do show them off, people are gonna get all up on them to see how smooth they are. Plus if you coat them correctly, the primer, paint, and clear coat fill in most of the imperfections anyway.
KongGMC;995023 said:
Your opening statement is a reflection of how you do things.
Simply put. It's not the right way. Why go through the effort of messing with it if you aren't going to make it something else to be proud of.
I'm not saying you aren't on the right track. Cause you are in a backyard garage sort of way. It sounds like you could incorporate some rubbing alcohol and tac clothes.
LOL, okay man. Well like I said, I've painted many valve covers as well as other under the hood items and they came out great. As long as it puts a smile on my face and other people who look at it, that's all that counts. But if you feel you need to go Chip Foose with it, you go right ahead.
Naw man, that's not what I'm saying I feel where you're coming from.
Alot of us do the same things. I wasn't trying to dis you.
Alot of us do the same things. I wasn't trying to dis you.
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Well I just got my head back from the machine shop and I thought this was a good time to show off my shady tree mechanic paint job. Not so bad for skipping a few "necessary" steps aye?
You haven't put any high rpm heat cycles to them yet.
Everytime I reply to your posts I feel as though I just took a shit :naughty:.
So you tell me. Looks pretty good though. What type of paint did you use?
Despite what you may think Kong. I don't have near the problem with you as you may think I do.
Everytime I reply to your posts I feel as though I just took a shit :naughty:.
So you tell me. Looks pretty good though. What type of paint did you use?
Despite what you may think Kong. I don't have near the problem with you as you may think I do.
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<3 Bronze.
I did it to my KA24DE 240sx and it came out like pure sex. I plan on doing this to my 7m before I convert to NA-T.
I did it to my KA24DE 240sx and it came out like pure sex. I plan on doing this to my 7m before I convert to NA-T.