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From: Into the Mystic And yet, despite the look on my face, you're still talking TN
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '25
L82 valve cover repaint
While my engine's out I repainted my valve covers. Bead blasted them down, primed with self etching primer then sprayed them with Dupli Color engine paint in Chevy orange. Sanded off the tops of the fins and them clear coated with the same engine paint and baked them in the oven.
No, Mrs. Shark wasn't home
New emblem, repainted the breather tube and polished the oil cap.
I think they turned out pretty good. The engine is painted black and the contrast looks good.
I just blasted my 87 "magnesium" covers only because I can't find a replacement for them. I also used the green etching primer. It's not holding up all that well on the magnesium.... flaking off. And I used professional cleaning solvents (grease & silicone remover, lacquer thinner etc.). Next time I'll just try the engine enamel primer because it's designed to withstand the heat while the etching primer is not. The magnesium is probably more the culprit than the heat. But the etching primer didn't stick all that well.
Really nice job!...and not meaning to be hyper critical ...but...when painting these type of valve covers with the baffles in them where the PCV and fresh air breather tube go into the valve cover. After removing the grommets... It is wise to plug or tape those holes off so paint does not get into the baffle area. Reason being I have seen paint in engines where that paint was flaking along with other ares like the person painting the engine and painting the rocker arms, push rods and valve springs.
Just 'saying this so introducing a material in the engines oiling system that normally should not be there may be a good idea. Why put more trust in the performance of your oil filter if you do not have to.
I just blasted my 87 "magnesium" covers only because I can't find a replacement for them. I also used the green etching primer. It's not holding up all that well on the magnesium.... flaking off. And I used professional cleaning solvents (grease & silicone remover, lacquer thinner etc.). Next time I'll just try the engine enamel primer because it's designed to withstand the heat while the etching primer is not. The magnesium is probably more the culprit than the heat. But the etching primer didn't stick all that well.
I wish I could find the company that could re-apply that coating on those type of valve covers. It really helps in keep the heat from radiating....or at least I feel that it does a lot to keep the heat down.
From: Into the Mystic And yet, despite the look on my face, you're still talking TN
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '25
Originally Posted by DUB
Really nice job!...and not meaning to be hyper critical ...but...when painting these type of valve covers with the baffles in them where the PCV and fresh air breather tube go into the valve cover. After removing the grommets... It is wise to plug or tape those holes off so paint does not get into the baffle area. Reason being I have seen paint in engines where that paint was flaking along with other ares like the person painting the engine and painting the rocker arms, push rods and valve springs.
Just 'saying this so introducing a material in the engines oiling system that normally should not be there may be a good idea. Why put more trust in the performance of your oil filter if you do not have to.
DUB
The breather tube baffle I had to pry off from underneath because the grommet had turned to cement and the other I did plug with wadded up foil. Whole other topic but I elected not to replace the one baffle. If I start getting oil in the filter I'll do something else but for now no baffle. Two different metals so it can't be tack welded and with all the oil splashing around, I am afraid of JB Weld or similar. Wouldn't be pretty if it didn't hold.
The breather tube baffle I had to pry off from underneath because the grommet had turned to cement and the other I did plug with wadded up foil. Whole other topic but I elected not to replace the one baffle. If I start getting oil in the filter I'll do something else but for now no baffle. Two different metals so it can't be tack welded and with all the oil splashing around, I am afraid of JB Weld or similar. Wouldn't be pretty if it didn't hold.
I guess we'll see.
IF the valve cover you removed the baffle/grommet from is the one in your photos that already has a new grommet and the black tube for your fresh air breather...you DO NOT need a baffle there. Becasue air is being drawn into the valve cover....so...in most normal driving situations...air will be drawn into the crankcase from that black pipe.
The only time I can feel that...if that is the valve cover with no baffle...is when the PCV can not keep up with excessive crankcase pressures due to worn rings, etc....or a bogus PCV valve. Funny thing about PCv valves...they are not always made as good as you might think they are...and depending on the engine and its characteristics...investing in an adjustable PCV may be the way to go.
From: Into the Mystic And yet, despite the look on my face, you're still talking TN
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '25
Originally Posted by DUB
IF the valve cover you removed the baffle/grommet from is the one in your photos that already has a new grommet and the black tube for your fresh air breather...you DO NOT need a baffle there. Becasue air is being drawn into the valve cover....so...in most normal driving situations...air will be drawn into the crankcase from that black pipe.
The only time I can feel that...if that is the valve cover with no baffle...is when the PCV can not keep up with excessive crankcase pressures due to worn rings, etc....or a bogus PCV valve. Funny thing about PCv valves...they are not always made as good as you might think they are...and depending on the engine and its characteristics...investing in an adjustable PCV may be the way to go.
L82 valve cover repaint
