[200q20v] valve cover gasket ...questions along the way

[WARATAP at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/10/00 5:22:16 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
pjrose at frontiernet.net writes:

> (2) Is there a safe,  painless, non-abrasive aluminum cleaner that will
>  brighten up the valve cover? I've sprayed the outside of it pretty
>  thoroughly with brake cleaner and scrubbed with a cloth. The excess oil and
>  dirt are gone, but the cover still has a somewhat dingy look, which I
>  suppose is probably unavoidable--given the oxidizing tendency of aluminum
>  and the roughness of that casting.
>  
Hmmm...isn't the valve cover actually painted and not exposed aluminum?  If 
so, your options would be to clean it up as best you can (I've found Esprit 
wheel cleaner and a wheel brush or equivalent work very well).  Or you could 
have it sandblasted and polished (if you really wanted to go that route), and 
then you'd probably want to dress up this and that and before you know it, 
you'll want to drive around without the hood ;-).

-Ingo
'91 200q20v with a few mods...
http://members.aol.com/Quattringo/index.html