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ACCORDICT
01-08-2004, 08:25 PM
This the way I painted my valve cover, intake tube, spark plug cover:
H22 but will work for all….

I post this as an example of how to do it, not instructions:
I would recommend having it sandblasted if possible (at least around letters), I didn't do it that way, and because I'm a perfectionist I'm going to re-do it again because I found it hard to sand in-between the letters. But still looks really good except at the right angle and looking at it closely.
MATERIALS; in order of steps

Gloves: Nitrile are the best. Always have those around.

Sand Paper:
180 girt, 320 grit, 500 grit, and 1000 (wet) grit. Scotch brite ultra fine pad (not sure where to get 1 ea). This will make finish smooth, not "orange peel look" about $.99 a sheet 1 ea.
For spark plug cover use wet sand paper and keep wet, no need to mask. I didn’t paint/care about bottom.

Tape, card board, and razor, to prep and mask off bottom and cover holes. Most have all around the house

Cleaner, not a thinner, or like Pat put it back it the dishwasher

Tack cloth, $.99

Can sprayer, I found it really easy to hold the cans perfect, and mostly spray an even coat $2.99 (optional)

Paint:
Flat black high heat paint, I used BBQ, cheaper @ $2.50
500 deg. Primer $3.49 (didn’t have 1200)
1200 deg. Red flat $4.99 I got 1200 deg. Red because I liked color of red better, and just like auto paint it's flat and w/ clear it makes it glossy.
500 deg. Clear coat. $3.49 (didn’t have 1200)














Prep:

For valve cover sand w/ lowest grit first, work up to 500 grit, for intake tube only use scratch pad, for spark plug cover use only 1000 grit.

Mask off holes, and cardboard off bottom (easy later to prop up).

Blow off dirt, and use cleaner twice, and then wait to dry or put in dishwasher, dry off

Tack cloth twice. The cleaner the better for painting.

Now you're ready to paint

I used the paint can lids under valve cover to prop up so it doesn’t stick to the bottom

Follow directions on the can.

I painted it at about 80 deg, and with each coat of primer, base coat, and clear coat, I sprayed my 1st coat kinda light, and 2nd coat even and a little thicker than a normal coat, you might want to do two light coats than do a third even coat.
Same for spark plug cover.

Then, carefully peel off masking tape and cardboard (or not, if not you cannot put in oven) my oven went to 500 deg. The back of can sugg.650 for 1 hour, I did 1 ½ hour, @ 500 deg DO NOT PUT PLASTIC IN OVEN!!!!!!!!! I didn’t put tube in oven either, way too hard. I used needle nose pliers x2 to pull out of oven put in side spark plug hole and open in-side (reverse tweezers) as for the intake tube I put in front of 80,000 BTU, LP heater, for a couple of hours.

Sand off letters:
I waited for 24 hours to do this, I used a sanding block, but a piece of wood would work fine, and I followed same steps as above to sand, but did not use scotch brite pad

Well I hope this works for you if you decide to use this process, I can tell you it looks bad ass, unfourtnley we have had a bad ice storm and every thisg is backed up, so I don’t have pics yet, and no I don’t have a digitial camera yet.

ACCORDICT
01-09-2004, 09:39 PM
Ok, so I will revise this a little and say that it needs maybe 4 coats of base and atleast one more clear, I say this because I have already chipped it w/ a zipper from coat falling on it, so imagine what it wold do in the bay. So I am going to re-do it very soon, as I am not able to get motor in (waiting on parts). This time I am going to try to have my buddy sandblast it. So I was thinking, since I have my pulled out f22, out of my '92, and enough spray for another valve cover, I will pull mine off and paint it the same color red I have, and trade w/ you but yours has to get here first, Except for a select few...I will trade through mail @ same time. But, you have to pay for shipping here and I will ship @ my cost to you, If you pay for next day, I will do next day. If you want a diffrent color, @ your cost, I dont care. I may not be able to get the correct sand needed till Monday, if closed on Saturday....PM me or e-mail @ htweeler7@hotmail.com

MADMAX
03-21-2005, 09:15 AM
Has anyone else painted there own valve covers? I sandblasted my valvecover 2 weeks ago. I was planning to get it anodized (blue) ,but when I went to bring it to the place they anodize, they said they don't anodize aluminum any more due to the by-products :saad: I'm trying to decide on a color. I don't want to do blue cause all the prelude aftermarket valve covers are blue. Most things in my engine bay are blue so I don't know. I was thinking of a Gunmetal but I don't know if they have that color in hi-temp paint.
:firedevil

2DrAccord
03-21-2005, 10:40 AM
have you thought about powder coating?

MADMAX
03-21-2005, 12:40 PM
Thats an idea I think I'm going to look into that. Can you mask of areas you don't want done I want to keep my letters polished.
:firedevil

2DrAccord
03-21-2005, 06:51 PM
I'm not really sure on how it works. All i know is that they magnatize your valve cover and then powder coat it. Then stick it in an oven. I'll let you know how it looks. I'm about to get mine done.

MADMAX
03-21-2005, 06:53 PM
Can you ask them that question for me THANKS.
:firedevil

2DrAccord
03-21-2005, 07:14 PM
yeah, i'll ask

MADMAX
03-24-2005, 05:22 PM
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y71/MLJNCOMCASTNET/car%20stuff/0160424-R1-026-11A.jpg
Heres what it looks like sandblasted Ipolished the letters now.
:firedevil

MADMAX
03-27-2005, 09:24 PM
Hey 2dr when you gonna send that Valve cover to get powder coated?
:firedevil

MADMAXX
04-09-2005, 04:59 PM
Did you get that powder coated yet? Email me
:firedevil

MADMAX
04-11-2005, 07:51 PM
Thats an idea I think I'm going to look into that. Can you mask of areas you don't want done I want to keep my letters polished.
:firedevil
Did you ever ask them that question?
Where are the pics? We need pics pics pics pics :bounce:
:firedevil

2DrAccord
04-12-2005, 10:38 PM
http://img140.echo.cx/img140/3714/pict01422hw.th.jpg (http://img140.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01422hw.jpg)
http://img140.echo.cx/img140/72/pict01504hs.th.jpg (http://img140.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01504hs.jpg)
http://img140.echo.cx/img140/2851/pict01568vh.th.jpg (http://img140.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01568vh.jpg)
here's a couple pics of my freshly powder coated valve cover. the guy said that because they magnitize the powder too the valve cover you can tape of anypart that you don't want powder coated off.