Valve covers tumbled & Shark Hyde

[911 tweaks]

Just thought I would pass along some info on the valve covers I have been working on of late.

I have pictured what a tired 911 3.oL long block looks like BEFORE any cleaning has been completed.

The valve covers on the engine.

The valve covers on the plywood from left to right:
930 lower covers, mag uppers in tank, tumbled mag upper, mag in tank, tumbled mag upper, tumbled alum upper, tumbled alum upper. ALL covers have Shark Hyde protectant applied and it is great stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What I did & learned:
1. all parts were tumbled in vibrator~tumbler of ceramic cones then corn cob.
2. mag uppers went in clean solution solvent tank to remove any residue for about 1 wk (I forgot/couldn't get to them till today) they will need to be corn cobbed again as they have oxidized again! in the solvent!!
3. notice how the mag covers are alot more shiney than the alum covers.
4. mag valve covers weigh 1/2 of alum covers weight.
5. during this surface treatment process, 2 lower covers broke off corners and will have to be chocked up to experience. My guess is the tumbling process will work on any areas that are weak to begin with, so I am glad to know this now, I guess.
6. The Shark Hyde protectant applied just as the can says. I did notice that during this week of 2 covers in the tank and the others in a box waiting for me to get to them all, that the covers in the box had already started to show a light ghosty film on the surface. I am glad to have caught them now than later and they would need tumbling again.

Clint @ Shark Hyde, great guy and very informative, tel # 618.624.4091, he even answered his phone today and his shop is closed, says that these parts will stay looking as pictured for years. I expect they will be on the shelf for a while so time will tell on that. Then, when put on the engine, they will be easy to maintain by removing oil..., wipe on new Shark Hyde if needed and done! Sometimes the SH will need to be wiped down with solvent and then re-apply SH which takes 2 min. A heck of a lot better than what I have gone through in time and $$ to get them in this shape.

Someone said that SHyde also works great on Fuchs. I think it was a pelican from Hawaii. If you or whomever, thanks for the great tip on this product!!














There you go pelicans!!
Bob

[efhughes3]

Those magnesium covers look great!

I'm not familiar with Shark Hide/Hyde. Is it a sealant or clear coat of some sort?

BTW, the engine DOES look tired...

[cgarr]

Right from their site: Sounds like something that would work on the whole engine case, kind of like what the factory did..


Shark Hide Protectant

Sharkhide is a product line of cleaners, polishers and protectants for the marine industry. Its effects are most noticeable on raw (exposed) aluminum. The cleaner is an acid-based solution that removes oxidation, streaking and water marks from aluminum hulls. The polish can be used to create a mirror-like shine, and the protectant-the original Sharkhide product-will protect the aluminum from oxygen to keep its original manufacturer's luster or to keep the polished shine.

Price: $59.95

[911 tweaks]

Ed: yea the engine does "look" tired, however, it has never been split; orig lower valve covers; ~150K on engine; 1978 engine w/ big port heads... this is the basis for a build I am still cooking up as to what to build. I am vascilating btwn a stroker i.e. 3.2 crank - 10:1 JE wedge tops w/ shims to lower to ~9.5:1 - 78~79 cis - 20/21 cams - ssi - ben 2 in/custom 2 out OR is I go pmo's it could go many different directions. I will see when I split her as to what I am working with.

Craig: I was thinking the same for the SHide, however, petroleum products will disovle the coating. Easy enough to re coat but probably not best for case or areas that are tough to reach. I may go Clear tectyl 846 for the case, trans,... as it is more impevious to cleaners that will be needed sooner or later to clean oil leaks & accumulated crud.

I am still looking for the silver bullet for coating the engine when done to keep shinney and able to, lets say, spray on Simple green and hose off crud and keep the painstakingly created finish in tact.

I am open to any ideas here on coatings, processes to achieve such. Maybe I should start a post as such??

Boy, this stuff can go on for ever. I am close to that point on this project too. I.E. put it together and go from there. Do the minimal and start from there. It is amazing that it is endless in the options to do things. I guess welcome to the info age and internet... ;-)

Bob

[911 tweaks]

oh, sorry, the engine pictured is the 83 long block. the other engine is the 78' w/ on ribs on the lower valve covers and is as described.

[dcriss]

Hi Bob.

Remember.....in your own words....{wink}

"here he goes... great questions... he is on the edge of the slippery slope... is he a lemming or does he have a clear objective... I dont know fans, sounds like the "while you are in there" bug has stung him...
my suggestion, if the p/c are fine, then , clean all up, measure the ring lands on the pistons for in spec. If all in spec, clean all up, new gasket set, new steel head studs, new arp or raceware rod bolts, forget everything else.

You can do a million things as you are suggesting, i.e. ssi for exhaust, sport muffler, 964 cams... save all of these ideas for building a spec motor or when and if yours ever blows up.

Just my 2 cents worth.
Bob
__________________
I live for 911 tweaks... "

Anyway.....Good Luck and ...' have at it'

[911 tweaks]

Hey dan, L O L !!!

this stuff is wicked addictive. I can see clearly what "SHOULD" be done.

It is a totally different thing to "do" the other thing ;-)

You are correct, or was it me?

Perfect reply here Dan!!!!!!!

Bob LOL