Painting Valve Cover.




ATTN: It is NOT RECOMMENDED to pry off the valve cover with a flat head screw driver. Damage may result.



This is not as hard as it sounds… I am just telling you in great detail.



1: What you will need



A: Aircraft coating remover: You can pick this up at Wal-Mart where they keep all their sand paper and automotive paints, if I was doing it I would buy 2 cans of it because while your valve is off you aren’t driving your car anywhere to get more supplies. This stuff should be more then $5 a can.



Total: $5



B: 500-Degree Engine paints: I picked this up at my local part store. It will say right on the "High Temperature Engine Paint" most of them will say 500 Degrees. Choose whatever color you want you should have a good selection. Again I don’t think this will be over $5 a can.



Total: $5



C: 500-Degree Engine Grey Primer: Should be in the same can your paint come in, you can try to paint without this but I wouldn’t suggest it. Paint without primer won’t stick very well and you may get "fish eye’s".



Total: $5



D: New Valve Cover Gasket: This is where you get into some money, I just when to my local parts store and went up to the desk and told them what I needed and told them what kinda car, then they ordered it, it took 2 days to get in.



NOTE: you MAY not need this you can try to put your old one back on, but a new one is suggested.



Total: $43* (see additional comments below)



E: High temp gasket glue: Again I picked this up at my local parts store, you might be able to get it at Wal-Mart. My gasket glue was orange.



Total: $3* (see additional comments below)



F: 10.m.m Socket, 12.m.m, socket driver, maybe a few other things but all this should be stuff you have around the house, if you don't have any tools I would not attempt this.



G: Sanding block and an assortment pack of sandpaper.



Total: $5



Total project cost around $68.00



Removing the valve cover.



A: Removing Valve cover



B: Remove all spark plug wires and mark some sort of marking on them so you can remember which ones went where.



C: Remove all the bolts off of the valve cover, there will be between 8-10 holding the valve cover down, just look at it closely you will see them.

Most of the bolts are 10 mm.



D: Remove valve cover.



E: Remove little black "O" rings from the top of the valve cover, they should be under where you removed the nuts and bolts from on top.



F: Pull off valve cover seal, be sure to take off the "O" that are under the spark plugs holes too, this will prevent you from losing them.





2: Removing Factory black finish.* (see additional comments below)



A: Lay valve cover out on the sidewalk or a cement surface where there is a hose around, hose the entire valve cover down with the air craft coating remover, let it soak on for about 10-15 min., then take a small brush over the valve cover to loosen all the paint, then hose it off with water. You may have to repeat the procedure a few times to get all the factory finish off.



WARNING: Try not to get any of the aircraft coating remover on you it BURNS!



3: Cleaning your valve cover



The aircraft coating remover make like a sticky film on the metal which paint does not stick to, there are 2 way of cleaning your valve cover…



1: Run it in a EMPTY dishwasher, make sure it’s ok with the folks first, this is the way I use and it works great, gets off ALL the grease and film,

and it doesn’t hurt your dishwasher. Then allow it to dry for about a half-hour. I know it sounds wired but this is the best way I found… and it

was my old man’s idea.



2: Go buy some Castrol Super Clean or some Mean Green degrease, then soak the valve cover down the take a brush over it then hose it off, repeat this 2 or 3 times. Then towel it off, then allow it to set for about an hour to dry.



4: Primer your valve cover.



A: Find a good place to paint lay some newspapers if needed.



B: Spray your valve cover down with a light coat of primer, then give it another coat of primer about 10 min. later.



C: After 2 coat of primer are on the valve cover let sit for 5 more min. Before starting the next step.



5: Painting you valve cover.* (see additional comments below)



A: Get your chosen color of paint out, and begin by spray light coats on the valve cover just like you were with the primer.



B: Just continue step 4 (b) (just use paint instead of primer) till the entire valve cover is entirely covered with paint.



C: After you are done painting I would suggest letting your valve cover dry for 5-7 hours before trying to but it back together.



6: Putting it all back together.



A: Take a dry rag around where the valve cover seal goes on the valve cover and the engine and remove all access oil.



B: Get the high temp gasket glue out and the valve cover seal (new or used) and place a small dot of gasket glue on the lip where the seal goes on both the valve cover and where the valve cover goes on the head, make a small dot every 1/2 inch (don’t forget about the "0" rings that go under the spark plug holes). Remember I said you may be able to reuse your old one, just good judgment, I recommend replacing it.

After that, place you valve cover down on top of your head, make sure you valve cover seal stay’s in place.



C: Re-install the hard black rings that go under the bolts on top.



D: Re-bolt your valve cover on, re-install spark plug wires, and the spark plug wire holders and anything else you took apart.



E: Wipe off and excess gasket glue that may have came out. It will have cam out between where the valve cover and head meet, just wipe it off with a dry rag.



7: Polishing the "H" emblem.* (see additional comments below)



A: Take the sanding block and a piece of 600 grit sand paper and lightly sand the emblem and what ever else like the letters "VTEC" or whatever. BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL. Sand slowly if your sanding block slides off the letters and on to your valve cover it can screw the paint all up.