Painting LNF valve cover questions.
07-26-2012, 01:04 AM
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Painting LNF valve cover questions.
I'm thinking about pulling my valve cover off and painting it. I know it won't be the quality of powder coating but honestly I'm just bored and I've all ready got all the paint supplies. My question is how can I mask the ecotec off. I've seen the powder coated ones black with white lettering and thats exactly what I want to do. The only way I see of doing it is painting it and then going over it with something like a touch up paint brush. If anybody has any ideas on how to tape it off I'd appreciate it.
07-26-2012, 01:08 AM
#2
I would suggest painting over it then using a orbital sander or something similar to take the paint off the raised portion of the Ecotec part. or i had a friend put chapstick on the ecotec part, then paint over everything and once its dry you whipe away the chapstick part...although i dont recommend that last one.
i would think you would have more control with the flat sander and sandpaper to remove the paint once hardened
i would think you would have more control with the flat sander and sandpaper to remove the paint once hardened
07-26-2012, 01:12 AM
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the easiest way to do two colors is to just tape off the embossed (aka raised) sections of the valve cover. If you want that section a certain color, paint it and let it dry before taping over it. Once you have your tape over it roughly, you should be able to take a very sharp edge and cut along the edges of the raised portions without messing up your paint underneath.
if you just wanted the raised portions the aluminum color then I'd just paint the whole cover, let it dry, then take a fine grit sandpaper and sand off the paint on the raised sections and clear after..
this is just how I would attempt it anyways.. in to see if somebody thinks of something easier
if you just wanted the raised portions the aluminum color then I'd just paint the whole cover, let it dry, then take a fine grit sandpaper and sand off the paint on the raised sections and clear after..
this is just how I would attempt it anyways.. in to see if somebody thinks of something easier
07-26-2012, 12:32 PM
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I've got another question. I've been searching around about removing the valve cover and I've seen people having to cut lines, I've seen people saying you just unbolt it, I've seen needing a special tool. Can someone tell me exactly what it is people are having so much trouble with? I know its 2 lines but looking at the pictures I just don't see as to what would be so hard. I've all ready ordered a new gasket in case I need it but if I'm definately going to need some kind of tool whats the part number or where can I get it?
07-26-2012, 12:44 PM
#10
the lines arent very easy to remove.
you need a 10mm socket for the valve cover itself to unbolt it... a 10mm flex head wrench to unbolt one of the lines from the turbo and then the other line that goes to the intake just disconnect it.
they are a royal pain to get off. what i have found works good is to take 4 tiny phillips throw away screw drivers to angle back all the fins insideto pull the lines out. one of them you can use a disconnect tool(the one that has the angled piece on it but the other one is not so easy.
you need a 10mm socket for the valve cover itself to unbolt it... a 10mm flex head wrench to unbolt one of the lines from the turbo and then the other line that goes to the intake just disconnect it.
they are a royal pain to get off. what i have found works good is to take 4 tiny phillips throw away screw drivers to angle back all the fins insideto pull the lines out. one of them you can use a disconnect tool(the one that has the angled piece on it but the other one is not so easy.
07-26-2012, 06:07 PM
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i've done two valve covers with regular high temp spray paint and they have been holding up strong for 2 years now... powdercoating can get the most durable results, im not doubting that... but well done paint can look just as good..
my two valve covers I've done (ignore the fact the engine bay is dirty otherwise)
I have yet to start on my LNF valve cover, but I'll use the same process.. just trying to figure out the best way to remove those breather lines without the dremel way of doing things first
07-26-2012, 06:57 PM
#14
false
i've done two valve covers with regular high temp spray paint and they have been holding up strong for 2 years now... powdercoating can get the most durable results, im not doubting that... but well done paint can look just as good..
my two valve covers I've done (ignore the fact the engine bay is dirty otherwise)
I have yet to start on my LNF valve cover, but I'll use the same process.. just trying to figure out the best way to remove those breather lines without the dremel way of doing things first
i've done two valve covers with regular high temp spray paint and they have been holding up strong for 2 years now... powdercoating can get the most durable results, im not doubting that... but well done paint can look just as good..
my two valve covers I've done (ignore the fact the engine bay is dirty otherwise)
I have yet to start on my LNF valve cover, but I'll use the same process.. just trying to figure out the best way to remove those breather lines without the dremel way of doing things first
and also le5 covers are a lot easier to prep due to not having the crevices by the bolt holes that the lnf valve covers which is what i was referring to since it was the thread title.
07-26-2012, 07:55 PM
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im not saying it cant look good. theres just some areas that are extremely hard to prep correctly. i forget which bolt holes they are but the ones where they hav elike a crevice right by them. most of its easy and will last. i just look at for time spent, money on paint and durability powdercoating is the easiest and cheapest method.
and also le5 covers are a lot easier to prep due to not having the crevices by the bolt holes that the lnf valve covers which is what i was referring to since it was the thread title.
and also le5 covers are a lot easier to prep due to not having the crevices by the bolt holes that the lnf valve covers which is what i was referring to since it was the thread title.
)like I said, not hating against PC in any way because it does look very nice and is durable as heck, but saying its "easiest and cheapest" is kinda up for debate. It's just easiest cuz your handing off all the prep work to someone else you're paying, so either way prep needs to be done for a good finish.
07-27-2012, 02:45 AM
#18
this... I'll get to it eventually... as well as the intake manifold
i think you're assuming prepping is too hard? yeah its not the most fun in the world, but you make it seem impossible.. the L61 and LNF and LE5 all have hard spots to get at (i've seen all of them up close and realized this), but its not like its THAT hard. sanding prep takes maybe at most 30-45 minutes with the proper material, then the finish all depends on which primer, base, and clear you use. Once you find a good combination you can get very nice results for like 10% of what powdercoating would cost. not to mention you can have the whole project done, start to finish in less than 5 hours (given you can get the breather lines off the LNF cover off in that amount of time, which is debatable)
like I said, not hating against PC in any way because it does look very nice and is durable as heck, but saying its "easiest and cheapest" is kinda up for debate. It's just easiest cuz your handing off all the prep work to someone else you're paying, so either way prep needs to be done for a good finish.
i think you're assuming prepping is too hard? yeah its not the most fun in the world, but you make it seem impossible.. the L61 and LNF and LE5 all have hard spots to get at (i've seen all of them up close and realized this), but its not like its THAT hard. sanding prep takes maybe at most 30-45 minutes with the proper material, then the finish all depends on which primer, base, and clear you use. Once you find a good combination you can get very nice results for like 10% of what powdercoating would cost. not to mention you can have the whole project done, start to finish in less than 5 hours (given you can get the breather lines off the LNF cover off in that amount of time, which is debatable
)like I said, not hating against PC in any way because it does look very nice and is durable as heck, but saying its "easiest and cheapest" is kinda up for debate. It's just easiest cuz your handing off all the prep work to someone else you're paying, so either way prep needs to be done for a good finish.
heres a valve cover i did... by the time i stripped the junk powdercoating from nissan off and prepped it i had nearly 3 hours into it. things been holding up great for 4 years now. unbuffed as it came out really clean and the coil cover is reversed. letters are purple even though its hard to see.
07-27-2012, 12:11 PM
#19
Whatever you do, do NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT media blast it. There are baffles and filtering plates on the underside that are impossible to mask off. Many Evo engines have been ruined due to powder coating. The sand sticks in the nooks and crannies, and when the oil starts getting to it, it comes off in chunks.
Use polyurethane paint, or get it powder coated by someone familiar with this issue, and is willing to hand prep the VC.
Use polyurethane paint, or get it powder coated by someone familiar with this issue, and is willing to hand prep the VC.
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