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Hello all
1987 Corvette coupe 61000 miles automatic black exterior with red interior.
Looking for ideas on what C4 owners are doing with their valve covers. I painted mine a few years ago. They looked fine but only a few years later the paint is cracking and bubbling. I was going to repaint but will now probably just replace them with chrome or other aftermarket ones.
I much prefer the original magnesium valve covers. They are distinctive! Any old Chevy can have cheap chrome valve covers, but only Corvette's get the magnesium covers! If you do a good job of removing all oil residue before you paint them, they will last a long, long time.
I don't disagree at all. I love the way they look. I cleaned them pretty well before I painted them. I did put multiple coats of brush on Rustoleum aluminum paint as well as multiple coats of Rustoleum spray aluminum. Could I have used too much paint causing the crack? If the cover is stripped bare can it be installed that way or does it need paint to protect it?
That sounds like a lot of paint to me! That could very well be your problem.
I stripped mine, then cleaned them thoroughly with paint thinner, then scrubbed with TSP (Tri Sodium Phosphate) a popular "super cleaner". Primed with zinc chromate, then sprayed with "Gun Metal Gray", #98-17, made by Seymour Paints http://seymourpaint.com Right after the second coat, move the spray can about 18" away from the cover, and lay a quick, fine fog over the surface. This will help give you the "hammertone" effect.
Some will recommend baking the covers to "drive the oil out", but I doubt that makes much difference. Mine look good after 15 years!
Yes, magnesium can be polished, but it oxidizes quite rapidly, so keeping them polished could get to be a big job. After the castings are polished, paint won't stick very well!
Valve cover ideas needed
