# Painting The Valve Cover



## pimpride (Mar 28, 2005)

How would I do this? I saw a link on how to do it when it is still installed on the engine and was in the car, but I think it would be easier to do with it off. Would I have to sandblast it? I want to paint it a racing red color. What type of paint should I use? Do I just paint the top?


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## ICP Sux0rZ! (Jan 10, 2005)

search button is your friend, theres several different ways, all of which can be found with one button


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## pimpride (Mar 28, 2005)

Thanks for you absolutely useless post. I am not a noob, and I did use the search button. Please post something of value.


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## ICP Sux0rZ! (Jan 10, 2005)

sand it down and paint it


that better?



oh high temp paint, the 500* stuff work good on my plenum cover, i'm not sure how hot valve covers get but they a variety of colors in 500* and 1200*


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## pete? (Jul 6, 2004)

it really depends on how hot it gets. i wish i knew. ill roll threw the process of simply painting any cast metal (any metal that is not smooth and contains pits and rough surfaces like that of the valve cover)

-first you want to clean the hell out of it. get all that caked on oil off (so sand blasting would be a very good idea) if you cant blast it, use ALOT of degreaser and make sure its very strong stuff (brake cleaner would be good)

- once it is clean use high build sandable primer and sand, spray, sand, spray untill the surface is completly smooth.

- use a primer sealer.

- use paint of choice.

i will be useing a silver base coat with a candy red over top. the paint i use will be house of kolour spray paint found at wal mart. they have many many cany colors to choose from and the paint looks like it will be very nice. hope this helps.......and icp's post wasnt useless. searching is always good and this has been coverd before. im going to get the paint and spray a dab on my VC be fore i paint it, let it run for awile and see if it bubbles. if it bubbles, its powder coating time.


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## ICP Sux0rZ! (Jan 10, 2005)

pete? said:


> it really depends on how hot it gets. i wish i knew. ill roll threw the process of simply painting any cast metal (any metal that is not smooth and contains pits and rough surfaces like that of the valve cover)
> 
> -first you want to clean the hell out of it. get all that caked on oil off (so sand blasting would be a very good idea) if you cant blast it, use ALOT of degreaser and make sure its very strong stuff (brake cleaner would be good)
> 
> ...



once i start airbrush i'm stocking HOK paints....... :thumbup:


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## pete? (Jul 6, 2004)

ICP Sux0rZ! said:


> once i start airbrush i'm stocking HOK paints....... :thumbup:


i just hope this HOK stuff in a can is true HOK quality.

also, duplicolor "metal cast" <candy colors) are a 500* temp paint. so if you use a silver high temp paint with red metal cast over top you will have a nice red candy effect with a temp rateing up to 500* or more <my therory is that the higher temp primer and silver base coat will act as a temp barrier to the metal cast)


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## ICP Sux0rZ! (Jan 10, 2005)

pete? said:


> i just hope this HOK stuff in a can is true HOK quality.
> 
> also, duplicolor "metal cast" <candy colors) are a 500* temp paint. so if you use a silver high temp paint with red metal cast over top you will have a nice red candy effect with a temp rateing up to 500* or more <my therory is that the higher temp primer and silver base coat will act as a temp barrier to the metal cast)


i'm using the metal cast to paint my light bulbs in the interior :thumbup: and my reverse lights


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## Token Moron (Mar 28, 2003)

pimpride said:


> Thanks for you absolutely useless post. I am not a noob, and I did use the search button. Please post something of value.



u registered in march and you have 50 some posts.....you are a N00B! quit flooding the forum with over abundant questions and search next time. Do you really think youre the first person EVER in the history of this forum to inquire about painting a valve cover?


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## ICP Sux0rZ! (Jan 10, 2005)

dude i think you suck at the interent i found at least 20 threads about painting valve covers

http://www.nissanforums.com/showthread.php?t=75613&highlight=painting+valve+cover

http://www.nissanforums.com/showthread.php?t=67819&highlight=painting+valve+cover

http://www.nissanforums.com/showthread.php?t=49267&highlight=painting+valve+cover

http://www.nissanforums.com/showthread.php?t=29266&highlight=painting+valve+cover

http://www.nissanforums.com/showthread.php?t=14393&highlight=painting+valve+cover


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## pimpride (Mar 28, 2005)

Interesting, that is the exact same search I did and all I found was a chromed valve cover. And I am not flooding the forum. I post very few threads.

Also, powder coating looks like a better idea, what ballpark figure would I be looking at for that?

Ahh nvm somewhere around $50.


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## ICP Sux0rZ! (Jan 10, 2005)

more then a do it yourself ceramic paint

i priced out some powder work for my exhaust and it was way more then the price i'm paying for a strip and rechrome of my exhaust parts and muffler


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## pimpride (Mar 28, 2005)

ICP Sux0rZ! said:


> more then a do it yourself ceramic paint
> 
> i priced out some powder work for my exhaust and it was was more then the price i'm paying for a strip and rechrome of my exhaust parts and muffler



Okay thanks, from now on I will search harder.


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## ICP Sux0rZ! (Jan 10, 2005)

glad to hear, sry for busting your chops earlier


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## pimpride (Mar 28, 2005)

It's okay, but I do have one last question, it's kind of dumb but do I just paint the top? Or do I paint the entire thing inside and out?


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## ICP Sux0rZ! (Jan 10, 2005)

pimpride said:


> It's okay, but I do have one last question, it's kind of dumb but do I just paint the top? Or do I paint the entire thing inside and out?


jsut the outside, the inside get hit with oil and shit so theres no point in painting, so get the outside and the sides of the flanges


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## Token Moron (Mar 28, 2003)

ICP Sux0rZ! said:


> glad to hear, sry for busting your *chops* earlier



why u gotta bring me into it?


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## ICP Sux0rZ! (Jan 10, 2005)

you brought yourself in this earlier :thumbup:


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## pimpride (Mar 28, 2005)

I just thought of something, I have engine degreaser, but I also have Easy off oven cleaner, it gets rid of lot's of stuff like anodizing and rust, would that work better as a cleaner? And also do I clean the inside part of the cover?


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## ICP Sux0rZ! (Jan 10, 2005)

use anything that removes grease, yeah i would clean the inside out jsut for the hell of it


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## pete? (Jul 6, 2004)

that easy off shit is nuts. spray the easy off on and let it sit for a few minutes. brush with a wire brush. hose off, your good.


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## pimpride (Mar 28, 2005)

Okay I have the whole day tomorrow to paint my valve cover and exhoust manifold shroud. I bought 1200 degree paint for both. I am painting the letters on the valve cover white, and that is rated at 1300-1400 degrees. That should be plenty of heat resistance.

I do have a question, how hard am I supposed to screw the screws on the valve cover on? I have a socket phillips head, but I don't wan't it to be too tight, or not tight enough.


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