Valve covers - alternative to powder coating?

[Compulsive]

While the motor is out of my car I would like to make the aluminum valve covers and cam housing covers look nicer with a protective coating. On previous builds I have powder coated the parts. This method looks good, although not very trick or high tech, but it also adds a lot of thickness that can make installing fasteners a PITA.

Has anyone found an alternate coating that looks good and is durable? Maybe anodizing or some kind of zinc coating or cad plating? I am not stuck on having a particular color, I just want it to look fresh and special for years to come

[James Brown]

paint

[Geronimo '74]

I've painted mine flat black (heat resistant paint).
Looks great, IMO

[MRD]

Paint, textured paint, ceramic coating .... Lot's of possibilities with beautiful results.

[mschwien]

Cleaned thoroughly, covered the area around the bolt openings, applied Black "wrinkle paint", sanded off the Porsche lettering to highlight, applied some high temp clear for a little extra protection, re-install with new silicon gaskets and nylock nuts and washers - bling!

[Compulsive]

I would consider paint to be more or less the same as powder coat.

Ceramic coating is very nice but might retain more heat inisde the engine.

Are there no high tech coating solutions out there? Has anyone every anodized these parts or used some type of very thin coating?

[David]

I use engine paint. Been using it on engines for years and never had a chip. I believe this is Dupli-Color Universal Red engine piant:

[Targalid]

Another option is KG Gunkote. It comes in many metallic colors, from blue to red to gold, silver and black. Midway has it (Shop Shooting Supplies | Reloading | Gunsmithing | Hunting gear — MidwayUSA). It sprays on with an airbrush and then is baked in an oven at 350 F to bond it permanently to the metal. Some of the more common colors come in aerosol cans. Here's a link to the manufacturer: Leader in Metal Protective Coatings | Protective Coatings & More | KG Coatings

[Bob Ashlock]

I like to use Seymour Alumi-Blast. It's an industrial rattle-can that gives the a finish similar to cast or bead-blasted aluminum. Nice on alternators, fan and rocker covers. It's very natural in appearance, reasonably rugged and easy to touch-up.

[Nine9six]

Bead blast and anodize in any color you desire, or clear anodize for the look above. Some guys like the look of cadium plating. Painting with hi-temp paint is probably the least expensive of all options; I really liked the look of Mike S. krinkle paint finish on his covers.

[si Banker]

Black Wrinkle Paint will wear like iron. The best way to use is to heat the part before and after you paint it. I use a old toaster oven or a heat lamp. It takes about two hours to dry but it will not reach full hardness for about a week.

When it has cured you can not get it off with a sand blaster.

[James Brown]

Ok David, tell us about the engine, looks turbocharged, dual plug, EFI (megasquirt), 3.6?. Looks great, and the paint on the covers is good also!!!

[carslutt]

I cleaned mine in a parts washer, then hit them gently w/ an soda blaster to finish getting them good and clean. then had them milled totally flat. after all this, i used high temp motor paint, put down 3 even coats let air dry for about 12hrs then i tossed them in the oven for 25mins at 200 deg. seems to be holding up great. the paint is hard to the touch and doesn't flake off while installing hard wear.

[Laneco]

I painted mine - Cummins Beige (my car is Bamboo Beige - looks kinda cool).

Guess I'm the only one who uses the oven in this process - lol?

angela

[tcar]

Originally Posted by James Brown

Ok David, tell us about the engine, looks turbocharged, dual plug, EFI (megasquirt), 3.6?. Looks great, and the paint on the covers is good also!!!

Look in his 'GARAGE'.

'79 930 w/ 3.4... assume that's what it is.

[David]

Originally Posted by James Brown

Ok David, tell us about the engine, looks turbocharged, dual plug, EFI (megasquirt), 3.6?. Looks great, and the paint on the covers is good also!!!

3.4 JE pistons and Mahle full fin cylinders
Pauter rods
964 cams with EBS springs
Heads ported to Carrera intake
K27HF2 turbo
B&B headers w/custom 3.5" straight through muffler
custom full bay intercooler
dual plug with six M&W waste spark coils
M&W 4 channel CDI (using 3 channels, now they make a 6-channel)
Motec M600 ECU

[James Brown]

Oh yeah, me like!!!!

And speaking of paint (and turbo's), what do you think of painting the whole engine like that flat black wrinkle?

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by Laneco

I painted mine - Cummins Beige (my car is Bamboo Beige - looks kinda cool).

Guess I'm the only one who uses the oven in this process - lol?

angela

No - but you may be the only one who doesn't sneak around behind the wife's back to do it...

[James Brown]

Doh!!

[carslutt]

Originally Posted by RWebb

No - but you may be the only one who doesn't sneak around behind the wife's back to do it...

true!..... i have to do mine basically the min my wife leaves the house so i can make sure things are 110% aired out before she comes home.

also, i head my spray paint up in a bucket of as hot as i can get water right out of the water heater befog i spray it. really seems to help the paint lay down more even.