I can not even begin to understand how you are breaking bolts. I have had my cover off a bunch of times. There just aren't any high torque amounts going on in there.

Why did you leave the part sticker on your cover? That's just a part label, take that off.

You don't want to use rubbing/polishing compound on bare aluminum. You need to use rouge. It comes is three abrasive amounts identified by their colors; Black, red, white, in that order. And yes, you need to use a drill to get the speed. I started by using a dremel to to grind off the rough casting parts. Then used Nylox brushes with the drill to do the first step. Then the rouge in order. I used the dremel there too to get into the nooks and cranys. And I didn't clear coat it afterward. I'll get a picture up here for ya. Wikky wants to see my car too since I put the springs on.

 

dude, the bolts have a spacer in them and when they are just snug and you feel contact with the spacer STOP they are very soft and brittle! I believe I read they are that way to keep from overtightening...but hey crap happens!

 

Cover looks great, now to do something about that bracket. BTW, what's a new valve cover cost?

 

You don't want to use rubbing/polishing compound on bare aluminum. You need to use rouge. It comes is three abrasive amounts identified by their colors; Black, red, white, in that order. And yes, you need to use a drill to get the speed

100% correct but i used Die grinder then wheel buffer with tipoli & white rouge

 

About $105

 

w/e thanx for the input but theres diff ways of polishing it, i used my method, idk how i broke them eather, i bearly tightened them and i was using a fking nut driver, not even a ratchet..... i showed the GM guy and he said i got crappy screws.... my reply

"i didnt expect anything more when i bought a economy GM" he just laughed and said

"Dont worry, even my Vette can be a POS at times" lol

all is better im tapping the screws out after i get home form mexico...the sticker? im going to do it later this was a test and it turned out 100% better than i thought it would so itll be like this for a while

 

Thanks.

 

ya about the bracket... the SRI one right? well im ganna make something im ganna make a dragon filter fit because im supposed toi get a discount because my secret wepon keeps falling off, i replace the clamp and everything, found out the bottom of the filter should be perfectlyu round... sounds stupid but mine had a groove in it which i thought the bracket went into, well turns out it dosent and the suction keeps poping my filter off but they cant replace it

 

Okay, here are the pics of mine as promised...





I use Mothers Aluminum polish and their sponge ball buffer every now and then to keep it shiny. I also have the MPX billet oil cap as you can plainly see.

 

Now Thats Better, Nice Job Halfcent

Ill Post pics of my in about 2 weeks i ordered 3 new 1s to do. Just like i did my calipers.

 

Halfcent.. wanna do mine

 

Halfcent, can i buy your Valve Cover?
It's Immaculate!

 

halfcent i think im going to redomine.... mine lookd just like that before i clear coated it and now i miss it, how hard is the upkeep?

 

you sure got a pertty valve cover boy

 

please tell us how you did that

 

There are many write-up and how-tos on polishing aluminum here in the forum. It's not too hard really, but it is very time consuming.

Take the part to be polished off of whatever it's mounted to and clean it up well. With regard to this valve cover, there is a gasket glued to it that you can leave attached. Start with a regular drill or die grinder and get out the wire wheels. I use Nylox wheels on aluminum, they work great. Then go to the Dremel and smaller wheels to get into the corners. Then switch up to grinding stones to take off any burrs or casting marks. That much alone will already make it start looking pretty good.

Then you use Rouge. You can get it at Home Depot. Black is course, red is medium, white is fine. Use a different rouge wheel for each grit. Don't forget to work the corners with the dremel. Work a good hard coat of black, then red, then white. Wash it off in between coats with stoddard solvent or some other wax-removing cleaner. Then give it the Mothers polish and it'll be like a mirror.