Polished Valve Covers???

[66 Tiger]

Ok - So I've spent what seems like an eternity stripping of all this ugly-flaking blue paint that was so generously applied by the PO.

The un-painted surfaces were all nice & coroded & required quite a bunch of extra attention as well!

Well now that I finally have them all cleaned up & a good solid 3 - 4 hours in polishing them. ( I'm sure someone else could have done it in half the time & probably gotten much better results, LOL ) I'm wondering what I can do to preserve the finish?

I'm thinking about spraying them with a clear but I'm worried about that yellowing in time. Does anyone have any recomendations or experience in working with polishing valve covers?

Thanks in advance...

View attachment 398138

 

[66forfun]

zoop seal. too pricey for me but you may find it worthwhile. time well spent on the v.c.'s, good job.

 

[66 Tiger]

zoop seal. too pricey for me but you may find it worthwhile. time well spent on the v.c.'s, good job.

Wow! You aren't kidding about it being pricey... Looks like good stuff though - Thanks.

http://www.zoopseal.com/zoopseal.asp

Has anyone ever just tried clearing over the aluminum with a spray-can?

 

[bnickel]

i've used the dupli-color clear with ceramic with excellent results and no yellowing but not on a polished surface. you could always have the clear powder coated as well. hech, get a cheap powder coating kit and do it yourself adn you can use it for all kinds of other stuff as well.

 

[ratio411]

Zoops is expensive, but I imagine those are original VCs and probably worth it.

Clear powder is an interesting idea...
Definately worth checking into.

 

[iskwezm]

I have polished stuff clear powder coated(vic jr manifold) and the clear does not hold up to gas or coolant.It might be ok for valve covers, but i wasnt happy with it will not be doing it again.

 

[66 Tiger]

Unless I hear otherwise in the next day or so I think I'm just going to give clearing them with some "engine enamel clear" a try...

I'll prep by wiping them down with some acetone to remove all the polish residue and then hose em' down with the clear.

The worst thing that could happen is they will yellow in a few months & I'll have to remove and re-do them again...

Thanks for the advice so far & if anyone else want's to chime in before this weekend I'd appreciate it!

 

[68RCodeConv]

I sprayed an aluminum intake manifold with Duplicolor High Heat Ceramic clear and it yellowed within 6 months. Now it's kind of a golden color.

Only clear rattle can paint I have ever used that did not yellow on an engine was the Diamond Clear stuff that Eastwood makes.

 

[iskwezm]

Only clear rattle can paint I have ever used that did not yellow on an engine was the Diamond Clear stuff that Eastwood makes.

Im not sure if i used that one or the Nylac clear they sell, but i used it on my moms ploshed centerlines caps and it yellowed,flaked and just looks nasty after about 6 months.That was with less heat then a engine and outdoor use.

 

[palerider94]

I shot clear on my polished waterpump - after reading this post I'm sorry I did it

 

[66 Restomod]

I had a set of polished valve covers on my 89 5 liter. They looked great. I never cleared the covers yet they stayed shiny for years until I sold the car. (Not chrome-like shiny, but still very shiny.) I must have hand buffed them a bit once or twice in that time but that took maybe ten minutes.

I suggest waiting on the clear. The valve covers definitely get hot and yellowed valve covers may look worse than flaking blue ones. They look great now.