Polishing?

Ok, so as many of you know, we are rebuilding Mike's engine. One thing that hs been fucked up as long as we've had it is the valve cover. The plug wire cover dealy bolt holes all broke off and the valve cover has a couple hairline cracks and leaks like a mofo. So, thanks to EDMUND65, we have a new valve cover headed our way soon. We are now thinking about what color we want to paint it. We are thinking about painting it blue because eventually the car will be painted blue and we'll have black accents. As we were walking the Wal-Mart isles looking for the high temp paint 97gstspyder (I think thats who it was anyway) had on his valve cover, I got an idea. How cool would it be to have a polished valve cover? Mike and I both think it would be really sweet, but we have no idea how to go about polishing anything metal. Any insight? If we decide to do it, we will practice on the old one first. I think what we are going to do is polish the letters, tape them off, and paint the rest blue then go over with clear high temp engine enamel. Any ideas/feedback? Thanks guys.

there is a How To on polishing valve covers on dsmtuners articals.

There's sweet polished one's on e bay I have seen. I was thinking of buying one after I get some bigger mods done. Maybe you can act like a custumor who wants info on how they polished it and ask them how they did it This way you can see if they actually give you some helpful info back on how you can go about it. g' luck

Cant you just sand blast it with like glass beads or something?

paint it and then polish the letters...it works better that way. i taped off the letters, painted it orange and then clear coated it (don't clear over the polish) and then took and sanded the letters with like 180, 320, 1000, and then 1500. then use polish and make that baby shine. i did the same with my heat shield, they both look fuckin sweet, well....before the fire anyways.

here's a half-ass picture of what they look like.
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/3221/motor3cy.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/4670/untitled3qc1.png (http://imageshack.us)

Rock on, thanks guys. gthomson, that is exactly what we are after except in blue. Mmmmmmm. I love DSMs and AF :).

EDIT: gthompson, what brand of paint did you use? Did it hold up to heat ok before the fire?

i used duplicolor 1200 degree spraypaint. it holds up great to heat, i painted my block with the exact same stuff and the paint still looks brand new, even after the fire!!

F'ing tight. Was it expensive? I am getting excited for this, this valve cover is going to be sweet!

I also painted my valve cover with Dupli color Engine Enamel. Although I used the 500 degree one. I got gloss black and it is holding up just fine.

i think it was like $2-3 a can. it's great stuff. it's made for engines, it has a picture of one on the label.

i think it was like $2-3 a can. it's great stuff. it's made for engines, it has a picture of one on the label.

Word... I'm looking at my can right now. "Dyno HEAT Tested" it claims. It gets the job done. Yeah you can pick that up anywhere btw. I got mine at Wal-Mart; in the paint isle. Haha imagine that.

Word... I'm looking at my can right now. "Dyno HEAT Tested" it claims. It gets the job done. Yeah you can pick that up anywhere btw. I got mine at Wal-Mart; in the paint isle. Haha imagine that.

i wonder how they dyno tested a paint can?? haha :lol:

do u have to sand the vaulve cover down before painting it?

do u have to sand the vaulve cover down before painting it?

It is a good idea. I would deffinatly do it if you have chips or the paint is really crappy. If you don't, the new paint will be bumpy and what not. The only real difference is that it would be shinny and look like new paint of course. If you are just going for a quick fixer upper then I say sand the spots that need it and spray it. If you really want it to look good, then put the extra effort into it and sand the whole thing.

i wonder how they dyno tested a paint can?? haha :lol:

I can't find an AWD dyno anywhere; let alone a paint can dyno. :lol:

xavier...the 420a valve cover "paint" is more like a rubberized coating. it's a BITCH to get off. it took me 4 hours of beadblasting to get it all cleaned off. i'd suggest paint stripper and load the shit on, you'll have to do it a few times but it goes faster than beadblasting....or even sanding. if your gonna sand, you better start now and maybe get it done by summer.

xavier...the 420a valve cover "paint" is more like a rubberized coating.

Gotta love rubbers...paint...rubber paint.

ill just get some paint remover lol

I'm goin to bead blast that vavle cover tonight thor, ill get some pix up hopefully by like 9pm

my valve cover was really nasty looking when I changed the gasket yesteryda. I hit it with some cleaner on the underside. For the top i couldn't get much of the crap off so I got a tub of paint thinner and soaked it in that actually. It cleaned off all the crap from the top and bottom. Worked well.