valve cover question, can i paint it.......... Options

[celicaGT96]

I wanted to know if i could paint the valve cover the same kandy color as my car without any problems.
also if anybody has valve cover painted pics would be nice.......thanks

[Bigmeanbulldog55]

You can paint it. I like the stock look. You really haff to do it right, or it'll look like crap.

[celicaGT96]

no but will it like, fade or have a foggy look after a while ???

[lagos]

take it off, clean the crap out of it, sand it, do 3 light coats on 500deg engine pain, then 3 coats of 500deg clear coat.

i painted mine and it came out ok. i didnt have the clear coat at the time tho, so ill probably redo it at some point.

[Phat_99CeliGT]

get it Powder coated.
i paintd mine about 3 years ago. flat black. still holds pretty good, but my friend powder coats, so im gonna hae him PC mine.

[dabbill]

I took mine off cleaned it with paint thiner. Then just painted it with some gun metal paint. Came out really nice.

[FallenHero]

I took mine off cleaned it with paint thiner. Then just painted it with some gun metal paint. Came out really nice.
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little hint here, after you have cleaned it like this (or with a wire brush and an angle grinder preferably) place it in a dish washer for one cycle. It does wonders.

[TrdPnoy]

Sup guys I wanted to paint mine to but how do u take off the valve cover, it's not easy to take it out like honda engines...

[Bigmeanbulldog55]

Sup guys I wanted to paint mine to but how do u take off the valve cover,  it's not easy to take it out like honda engines...
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Is too easy. Have you looked at it much man? The 4 nuts around the sparkplugs are what holds it on. Well, I'm not sure about ST, it could be harder.

[97GTinKC]

I wanted to know if i could paint the valve cover the same kandy color as my car without any problems.
also if anybody has valve cover painted pics would be nice.......thanks
[right][snapback]343230[/snapback][/right]

What everyone else said (although I never thought of using the dishwasher to de-grease it!) After its cleaned and/or sanded, I use a can of good quality NON-flammable brake cleaner like CRC brand, 100% carrier so it all evaporates, wash the heck out of it, let it dry, then use a propane torch to lightly heat the metal, just enough to boil out the rest of the oil film in the metal, keep the torch moving slowly, you can see it evaporate as you move the torch, then paint it while its still warm, I've done bracket, oilpans and valve covers this way and they stay painted for years with no peeling or flaking...
probably not a bad idea to prep it this way b4 powdercoating either, the difference between a good paint job and a bad one is usually in the prep work. And follow the instructions on the paint regarding time between coats.

[yungazzdriver]

well i had some 4age cam covers and what i did was that i polished them first and left it relly chrome looking(they was pretty nice) but i wasnt satisfied so i painted it with the 500 degree paint (flat black) and then just 1500 grit the letters and man did it come out sexy with the chrome letters i bet you can do the same for st and gt's man just be creative and dont forget to degrease the under of it too cuz it be gettin dirty when you have it off the head