Re: Valve cover refinishing

[Huw Powell <human@nh.ultranet.com>]

-- [ From: Huw Powell * EMC.Ver #3.1a ] --

>Well, I admit it.  My valve cover has lost all of its black paint and is
beginning to get some rust.  Has anybody had any experience refinishing
these?  Powder coating?  I am still unsure about what color to use.  Maybe a
light blue wouldn't look bad.  Or I could have it painted red, or the
factory black.  Any ideas? 

When my engine was swapped last fall I got "Dukes of Hazard" fever and
painted a few things while I had access to them.  (previously I painted my
radiator shroud blue, the fan motor red and the blades white....)  I already
had a bright yellow oil filler cap.

I didn't have time to go to my buddies the powder coaters and have it
sandblasted and done properly, so I wire brushed the heck out of it, used
some ICG zinc primer and a can of orange high temp (500 deg F) engine paint
on the cam cover and the oil pan.  Then!  I got a little can of black
barbecue paint and highlighted the logo and raised lines on both.  Yum.

The cam cover is holding up pretty well - and looks trashy to boot.  The oil
pan has a few pits and scratches but also is not losing paint.  

At the same time I used supposedly 1000 deg F white on the exhaust manifold
and downpipe, but only had overnight to work on it, about a quarter of that
paint has come off, but I didn't grind the rust off completely.  No time. 
Maybe someday I'll have it Jet Hot-ed?  That white paint wasn't just spray
and forget, either, it was supposed to be cured at something like 180 deg F
before use.  Did I bother?  Of course not.

Huw Powell
HUMAN Speakers
http://www.thebook.com/human-speakers