DIY: Painted valve cover - Honda Forum / Acura Forum

snozepp147 · 12-20-2006, 07:52 PM

I know there's already a couple threads about this but not an official DIY writeup, thought i'd contribute. this is a pretty simple DIY that can make your engine bay look 100 times cleaner.

Materials:

VHT or Krylon Wrinkle paint (I used VHT red wrinkle)

Paint stripper (can be bought from Lowe's, Home Depot, anywhere)

Paint thinner

Sandpaper- I used 150,220,320, and 600 grit

Valve cover (obviously)

Tape

ratchet and socket set

Here's some of the materials I used with my chipping old valve cover:

1. First take off your valve cover, I'm not gonna go through this process and if you don't know how to, consult your Hayne's or Helm's manual...if you don't have one of those then you need to get one now.

2. Make sure you remove the rubber valve cover gasket and rubber spark plug seals on the underside of the valve cover. Also remove all bolts from the valve cover.

3. Clean off all oil and dirt on the valve cover with water/soap.

4. Spray or brush the paint stripper on the painted surface generously and let sit for about 5 minutes (depending on how strong it is.) Then wash it off with a hose or run it under a sink and the old paint should come right off with a little help. CAUTION-avoid getting the paint stripper on your skin, it burns like hell

here's what it should look like after this step:

5. Dry it off and begin the sanding process- start with the 100/150 grit and gradually work your way up to the 600 grit. Make sure you sand out all kinks and scratches. Here's what mine looks like after sanding:

6. Wash it off with water to get the metal dust off and then dry it and start taping off all parts you don't want painted. Look at the picture to see what to mark off, but basically everything that wasn't painted stock. This process takes a while. I used a pen or pencil to press the duct tape down in hard to reach areas lilke the spark plug holes.

7. After you mark everything off, apply the paint thinner to a rag and wipe it all over the metal surface to clean it, try not to touch the valve cover after this.

8. Now you're ready to paint, I didn't use primer on the wrinkle paint but some people will. Mine turned out fine. Shake the can thoroughly and spray 3 or 4 coats with a 3 minute break in between each coat. For the first coat spray it in horizontal lines, then verticle lines, then diagonal to get an even coating. Make sure you get the sides and hard to reach areas.

9. Let the paint dry for at least 12 hours, then remove ALL tape. Next, set the oven to 200 degrees and put the valve cover in for 20 minutes to set the paint. Make sure when you take it out you don't touch the paint with the oven glove as it may be a little wet still (that was my mistake and I had to touch it up)

10. Let the valve cover cool for a couple hours so the paint dries, then mask tape off around the lettering and sand the letters using the same process you sanded the valve cover before. Some people suggest putting chapstick on the lettering before you paint it but i think the sanding process is less messy.

And the finished product:

Now reinstall it, don't forget to put the rubber spark plug seals back on and the valve cover gasket. It might be a good idea to order a new gasket but it's not really necessary if the other one is in good shape.

Congrats you now have a clean looking engine and around 15 more whp

here it is installed in the bay:

MilkyLep · 12-20-2006, 08:35 PM

Wow,real nice write up. I'm definately going to keep this in mind once I get some extra time. Excellent!

TayloMade07 · 12-21-2006, 03:03 PM

really good Write up dude..

+1

rnstein69 · 12-21-2006, 03:17 PM

nice.. a couple of great ideas that i never thought of.

snozepp147 · 12-21-2006, 03:23 PM

thanks guys, yeah and also if you're doing this DIY with regular paint as opposed to wrinkle paint, it might be a good idea to use a couple coats of primer and a couple coats of clearcoat with the regular high temp engine paint.

also i'm not sure if you could bake it with clear coat or not, might want to search to find that.

this writeup is basically just for wrinkle paint, but you can use the ideas (i.e. masking off and sanding the letters) for if you use regular paint

Fatal_Image · 12-21-2006, 04:05 PM

what are the temperature ranges on those two paints?

gurusan · 12-21-2006, 04:34 PM

Always refreshing to see a well written write-up. Excellent.

Looks great!

snozepp147 · 12-21-2006, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fatal_Image

what are the temperature ranges on those two paints?

The VHT can says 350 degree Farenheit wrinkle finish. It was made to withstand heat, the picture on the can even has a valve cover on the front and I'm sure it's safe to use on your valve cover. Don't know about the Krylon wrinkle paint because I didn't use that but I'm sure it's tested to around the same temperature as the VHT paint.

MilkyLep · 12-21-2006, 07:31 PM

When you are spraying the wrinkle paint (horizontally) onto the valve cover should the valve cover be completely covered with paint or is that what the other coats are for. Also do you think there would be any problems if the valvecover was left unpainted? Would it overheat?

snozepp147 · 12-21-2006, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MilkyLep

When you are spraying the wrinkle paint (horizontally) onto the valve cover should the valve cover be completely covered with paint or is that what the other coats are for. Also do you think there would be any problems if the valvecover was left unpainted? Would it overheat?

yes you cover the entire thing with paint on the first coat, the different spray patterns are just to evenly distribute all the paint over three coats. And yes if you left it unpainted it would be fine, most d-series engines come from the factory unpainted. If you were going that route I'd suggest sanding with 800,1000, and 2000 grit sand paper after the sanding recommended in this DIY. Also wetsanding with the higher grit paper would be a good idea. This would make it look shinier and smoother. Then after sanding, a good buffing and some Mother's metal polish or something similar to finish it off would make it look really good.

tegggy · 12-21-2006, 07:44 PM

is it safe to bake it in an oven that you cook in? I wouldn't think so. Is that the only way to get the krinkle effect? Looks damn good btw, like oem.

snozepp147 · 12-21-2006, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tegggy

is it safe to bake it in an oven that you cook in? I wouldn't think so. Is that the only way to get the krinkle effect? Looks damn good btw, like oem.

I think it's safe to cook in an oven you cook in. I did it in my mom's nice oven and it's fine

the only thing is it may smell like the paint for a little, but i don't think it'll do any harm. And no, it's no the only way to get the wrinkle effect, it wrinkles anyways- the baking part just helps set the paint and speeds up the drying process.

MilkyLep · 12-21-2006, 08:37 PM

How long do you think it would take for the paint to dry if I didn't use an oven?

snozepp147 · 12-21-2006, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MilkyLep

How long do you think it would take for the paint to dry if I didn't use an oven?

I'd let it sit at least 24 hours. The valve cover is going to get up to 200 degrees anyways just from being on the car, so that will help set the paint. Putting it in the oven just sets the paint faster and helps to dry it.