Painting valve covers

Trash bag will do just fine or some clean rags(Beat the holy shit out of them before you put them in there so no small bits of fabric go in there)

I usually us a high temp heat paint for the valve cover. (But I like the flat black look) I think your local parts store will carry a nice selection of paints for use in high heat applications.

 

Hit your local napa, checkers, or kragen. They usually have a lot of selection, also autozone. I almost never go to autozone because ricers like to hang out in the parking lot... lol

 

that they do..

 

It seems to be the prime place for them to hang out... lol I personally don't consider myself a ricer... I think the classic 4g, 5g's to be more classy...

 

if you want to spray the lettering a different color than the cover try this.

After sanding the cover (600-800 grit) and making sure it is thoroughly degreased, spray the lettering the color you want and let dry a while.

Then sand the oversprayed paint off the cover.

Now get a bottle of translucent silicon grease (it is a lube so it will come out of the tube like silicone but will not set) (I guess it doesn't have to be translucent maybe a darker color might be easier to see the lines but I don't know if it even comes in a different color)

Now apply the grease into the lettering...if you have a steady hand you can make a really nice bead.

Now just spray the valve covers and when that dries wipe off the grease.





Or you could spray the entire thing and then mask off the letters and spray the letters second but it may be difficult if the covers are black and you want the letters red or something

 

Yeah. I am going to grab a can of glossy black soon. I was looking a while back, for my project Caddillac engine, for my 56 f100. You can get them in glossy, or satin finish, and make sure you get the right enamel also! The hgiher the temp, the better. I think they impregnate ceramic into the paint, or something, so that when it heats up, it pretty much bakes it on!

 

I've heard of people getting away with the 500 degree paint... (which has more color options)

or you can just say fuck it and get the 1200 degree paint

 

I think, if you went with the 500 degree paint, it would be cool... I think, that stuff is mainly a top end application anyhow, and the 1200 is for exhaust, and other bottom end stuff... Mainly, the 500 degree paint uses less ceramic in the paint, for areas that don't need it as much... The other paint has more ceramic, for a much more durable coat... You know?

 

Re:

Indeed, this is what I just tried. Ultimately, I left this tape on too long, pulling up some of the base coat that I sprayed first.

I think it would work fine if you pull the masking off just after a second coat gets tacky.

This is how it turned out. New aluminum color base, black for the large "toyota" and "2000" and the same blue as my block for the lines and small print.

I bought a flat foam brush and a small foam roller brush to try to go over the aluminum base coat, without seeping into the letters. Maybe I should go the grease route. Actually in all reality, anything looks a million times better then they did. It would have been a crime to leave them as they were and torque them onto the freshly painted block...
I'll post again when it's clean.

P.S.-I think any paint designed for a high temp and/or engine application is suitable for your cam covers.
regards,
Cody

 

Great job of the cam covers - they look REALLY good!