Want to paint valve covers, need help. QUICK!

[astronut1885]

Hey guys. I just bought a set of tall FRPP valve covers used on Corral. I got them in, and they are pretty tarnished. They are chromed, but I want to paint them black to match my black and red upper intake. Will the high heat Rustoleum spray paint be good enough to stand up to engine bay temps? It's rated to 2000* F. What can I use that will not flake off the VCs? I plan on going to Home Depot ASAP to get what I need, so a quick reply would be helpful. Thanks!

 

[FOOT2DFLOOR]

Hey man i would just take them and hit'em with some 1500 grit sandpaper (coarser or finer depending on how tarnisher they are) and clean them with some rubbing alchol before you spray them cause if you spray over dirt and stuff itll flake off and look crappy. And personally i used Duplicolor's high temp engine enamel that you can get at any Auto Zone. But if you already have the paint i dont see why it wouldnt work, as long as the covers are clean!

 

[astronut1885]

Once I get the chrome off them, they look fine, but it's a bare metal look and it doesn't jive with my engine bay. I'm gonna do them black, and I was told that the Rustoleum high temp would be fine. Thanks for the reply though, I'm gonna do the alcohol thing you mentioned.

 

[BlackFox5.0]

Alcohol leaves a residue behind, wash them throughly with soapy water, and let them air dry. make sure you really get the chrome roughed up, you need somehting for the paint to stick to.

 

[Michael Yount]

Wipe down with acetone before painting - any parts store has it. True chrome is almost impossible to sand off - it has to be chemically stripped or blasted; and getting paint to stick to it is next to impossible. You sure they weren't just polished aluminum? In any event, to get the paint to adhere to aluminum it's best if you can find a temperature resistant either epoxy or zinc-based primer. Then, any engine enamel will work - it doesn't have to be the high temp exhaust type paints to hold up to the temps the valve cover will see.

 

[astronut1885]

maybe they were just polished aluminum. They sanded right down with no problem.

 

[FOOT2DFLOOR]

Yeah Michael is right use the acetone its good stuff I didnt know if you knew what it was though.

 

[muh'stang]

yeah i just painted my stock valve covers two days ago, the cast aluminum was looking pretty raggedy so I took some 40 then 80 then 120, 220, then 320 grit sand paper. The aluminum shined up nice with the 320...but I wiped em down with acetone and let the sun dry and warm em up and I coated them with semi gloss black, I clear coated them with some high temp clear to help seal.

 

[astronut1885]

acetone is paint thinner, right? I have a lot of that around the house.

 

[FOOT2DFLOOR]

yeah acetone is a milder version of laquer thinner but thinner would work though.

 

[bumblebee03]

Hey guys. I just bought a set of tall FRPP valve covers used on Corral. I got them in, and they are pretty tarnished. They are chromed, but I want to paint them black to match my black and red upper intake. Will the high heat Rustoleum spray paint be good enough to stand up to engine bay temps? It's rated to 2000* F. What can I use that will not flake off the VCs? I plan on going to Home Depot ASAP to get what I need, so a quick reply would be helpful. Thanks!

If you want I can powder coat them for $50.00. I own my own coating business in Colorado,, check out my site www.pristinepc.com.. Lee

 

[25thmustang]

Did one of mine not too long ago. I merely used high temp silver for them...

As far as the sanding went the pre 1991 (maybe even pre 1990) were cast aluminum and not painted, so they need to be sanded a lot. Mine have MANY hours of sanding at different grots, and even started with a sand blaster (didnt help much besides cleaning them off).

Here are two pics I have of the finished Valve Covers.

 

[astronut1885]

I'd take you up on that, but they are being installed in a week when I do my H/C/I and other stuff. Thanks though.

 

[Michael Yount]

If you have time/money - powder coating is the way to go - they stand up to abuse much better. I painted my stamped steel Cobra covers - wet sanded with 220, then 400, then 600, then 1200 - they were smooth as silk. Came out real nice. Just used Ford gray engine enamel so they'd match the block.

 

[zenboy99]

Just to make a correction from above. Alcohol will not leave a residue, it will evaporate off the cover. Its a good idea to clean things with alcohol's before painting to remove the water soluble debri. Acetone should take care of the organic debri.

 

[payupsucka]

Hey guys. I just bought a set of tall FRPP valve covers used on Corral. I got them in, and they are pretty tarnished. They are chromed, but I want to paint them black to match my black and red upper intake. Will the high heat Rustoleum spray paint be good enough to stand up to engine bay temps? It's rated to 2000* F. What can I use that will not flake off the VCs? I plan on going to Home Depot ASAP to get what I need, so a quick reply would be helpful. Thanks!

astronut if you live near fall river ma i can powdercoat them black or silver where i work i powdercoated my valve covers and they came out awesome

 

[astronut1885]

Fall River? I live right across the river... But they're painted up already. Check the link in the sig to see them. They're on the motor, which will be finished tomorrow.