Bead Blasting Valve Covers
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Ol Dirty Durham NC
Bead Blasting Valve Covers
Just bought my new blasting cabinet, I am so excited...
I figured I'd start with something easy to do like the valve covers. I took off the drivers side and started looking that it and here is my plan of attack:
-Degrease inside and out
-Steel brush that funky exterior finish off as best as I can
-Blast it
One question about the inside, I am very hesitant to blast the inside b/c of the PCV valve assembly (a lot of nooks and crannies inside valve cover). Does it come off easily? If not I think I am just going to degrease it and screw it down to a piece of wood so no glass beads can get in there. Am I being too cautious?
I can only imagine what those little beads would do to the rotating assembly should they enter the oil flow
I figured I'd start with something easy to do like the valve covers. I took off the drivers side and started looking that it and here is my plan of attack:
-Degrease inside and out
-Steel brush that funky exterior finish off as best as I can
-Blast it
One question about the inside, I am very hesitant to blast the inside b/c of the PCV valve assembly (a lot of nooks and crannies inside valve cover). Does it come off easily? If not I think I am just going to degrease it and screw it down to a piece of wood so no glass beads can get in there. Am I being too cautious?
I can only imagine what those little beads would do to the rotating assembly should they enter the oil flow
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 14,130
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Cruise-In II Veteran
Since your profile says an 86,I wouldnt bead blast it until youve made a good inspection of the covers after theyre stripped off.The casting of the valve covers are sometimes so bad,once you get the coating off of it,youre gonna see all these grooves,pits and etc in the metal.The solution is to sand the heck out of them smooth,if its doable.
Its no wonder the coating they used was so thick,it filled in the imperfections of the valve covers.Not everyones VC's are this bad,but most from here a while back had the same issues with terrible castings after they stripped it down to metal.Im one of them as well.
I also would not bead blast the covers without covering the pcv openings wether ontop of underneath.I know how glass beads are and man they CAN get into everything and be a pita to get it all out.Duct tape usually can keep it out if you put it on right.
Ever drop some glass beads on a smooth garage floor? Man I almost wiped out walking across a spot once!
Its no wonder the coating they used was so thick,it filled in the imperfections of the valve covers.Not everyones VC's are this bad,but most from here a while back had the same issues with terrible castings after they stripped it down to metal.Im one of them as well.
I also would not bead blast the covers without covering the pcv openings wether ontop of underneath.I know how glass beads are and man they CAN get into everything and be a pita to get it all out.Duct tape usually can keep it out if you put it on right.
Ever drop some glass beads on a smooth garage floor? Man I almost wiped out walking across a spot once!
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
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From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
If youre going to blast them,(I woudnt recommend it) rinse, rinse, rinse, and repeat...A lot!
Only takes a couple of those beads to ruin your bearings...
And heck yeah, they are slippery. I blast pool tile a lot and have taken more than one spill down to the bottom of an empty pool. Sucks when theres no broom to sweep your way out...You aint going anywhere!
Only takes a couple of those beads to ruin your bearings...
And heck yeah, they are slippery. I blast pool tile a lot and have taken more than one spill down to the bottom of an empty pool. Sucks when theres no broom to sweep your way out...You aint going anywhere!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Ol Dirty Durham NC
Originally Posted by cuisinartvette
If youre going to blast them,(I woudnt recommend it) rinse, rinse, rinse, and repeat...A lot!
Only takes a couple of those beads to ruin your bearings...
And heck yeah, they are slippery. I blast pool tile a lot and have taken more than one spill down to the bottom of an empty pool. Sucks when theres no broom to sweep your way out...You aint going anywhere!
Only takes a couple of those beads to ruin your bearings...
And heck yeah, they are slippery. I blast pool tile a lot and have taken more than one spill down to the bottom of an empty pool. Sucks when theres no broom to sweep your way out...You aint going anywhere!
I think maybe it might be worthwhile to just buy new ones!
Yeah those beads are slick, can't imagine getting stuck in a pool...
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
Likes: 33
From: The Top of Utah
I don't see any real problem blasting them. The PCV valve and grommets are easily removed, and with a thorough clean up afterward, there should be no problems. I do think you'd be better of to sand them rather than blast them and let the old point act as a filler for all the holes, pits, and scratches in the castings.
RACE ON!!!
RACE ON!!!
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 83,383
Likes: 87
From: Boston, MA
I bead blasted a pair of mine with the intensions of polishing them. Once I got down to the bare magnesium I decided I would just paint a different set instead. The castings of mine were so bad it wasn't even worth trying to polisht them. I would just make sure that you get the baffels inside the covers cleaned out thoroughly before putting them on the car.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 145
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From: Ft.Worth Texas
Originally Posted by C4CBF
Just bought my new blasting cabinet, I am so excited...
I figured I'd start with something easy to do like the valve covers. I took off the drivers side and started looking that it and here is my plan of attack:
-Degrease inside and out
-Steel brush that funky exterior finish off as best as I can
-Blast it
One question about the inside, I am very hesitant to blast the inside b/c of the PCV valve assembly (a lot of nooks and crannies inside valve cover). Does it come off easily? If not I think I am just going to degrease it and screw it down to a piece of wood so no glass beads can get in there. Am I being too cautious?
I can only imagine what those little beads would do to the rotating assembly should they enter the oil flow
I figured I'd start with something easy to do like the valve covers. I took off the drivers side and started looking that it and here is my plan of attack:
-Degrease inside and out
-Steel brush that funky exterior finish off as best as I can
-Blast it
One question about the inside, I am very hesitant to blast the inside b/c of the PCV valve assembly (a lot of nooks and crannies inside valve cover). Does it come off easily? If not I think I am just going to degrease it and screw it down to a piece of wood so no glass beads can get in there. Am I being too cautious?
I can only imagine what those little beads would do to the rotating assembly should they enter the oil flow
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,118
Likes: 0
From: St. Charles, MO Route 66 Corvette Club
C4CBF: I attempted to bead blast the valve covers on my 89 and realized the glass beads were not breaking up the brown paint. I then purchased some Aircraft paint stripper and after about 6 coats, I had the covers down to bare magnesium. This also degreased the covers. I hoped the bead blasted metal would match the runners and plenum.....but this was only a dream. I covered up the holes with tape and washed out the inside of the covers and also blew them out with compressed air. The finish and colors were very different on the covers, runners and plenum. I primed the covers and painted them with Rustoleum Hi Temp aluminum paint. Here is a photo of the engine paint after 3 years.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,118
Likes: 0
From: St. Charles, MO Route 66 Corvette Club
cuisinartvette: Thanks for the "roses" in you thread above 
I guess I was lucky in my valve covers looked good and did not have the casting imperfections mentioned in this thread. I believe the covers are magnesium and this is somewhat more difficult to cast as compared to aluminum.
I guess I was lucky in my valve covers looked good and did not have the casting imperfections mentioned in this thread. I believe the covers are magnesium and this is somewhat more difficult to cast as compared to aluminum.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,118
Likes: 0
From: St. Charles, MO Route 66 Corvette Club
I used the Hi Temp Rustoleum on:
Valve covers
Runners
Plenum
Master cylinder
Air pump castings
Drivers side exhaust heat shield (I could not get the passenger side off)
Note the different color on the valve cover emblem and the plenum plate as compared to stock. Here is a better photo of the plenum plate as the new color is satin black with aluminum lettering:
This is very easy to do. Let me know if you want details
Valve covers
Runners
Plenum
Master cylinder
Air pump castings
Drivers side exhaust heat shield (I could not get the passenger side off)
Note the different color on the valve cover emblem and the plenum plate as compared to stock. Here is a better photo of the plenum plate as the new color is satin black with aluminum lettering:
This is very easy to do. Let me know if you want details
Pro
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 602
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From: North Bay Ontario
Nice refinish job, I have just finished the left bank on mine - my castings were amazingly blemishfree. Will post pics when I have both sides done.
By the way, those aren't holes worn through on the right side of your breather flex pipe just before the TB are they?
By the way, those aren't holes worn through on the right side of your breather flex pipe just before the TB are they?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,118
Likes: 0
From: St. Charles, MO Route 66 Corvette Club
By the way, those aren't holes worn through on the right side of your breather flex pipe just before the TB are they?
pletzvet: I hope not and just went out and checked the "garage queen". All is well
Please post a pic when you can and tell us what you did. We may learn something 
pletzvet: I hope not and just went out and checked the "garage queen". All is well
Please post a pic when you can and tell us what you did. We may learn something
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 230
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From: Ol Dirty Durham NC
Originally Posted by Sam Lam
By the way, those aren't holes worn through on the right side of your breather flex pipe just before the TB are they?
pletzvet: I hope not and just went out and checked the "garage queen". All is well Please post a pic when you can and tell us what you did. We may learn something
pletzvet: I hope not and just went out and checked the "garage queen". All is well
Please post a pic when you can and tell us what you did. We may learn something