Topic: Painting the engine plastic cover

[Arabas]

i was wondering how someone can paint the plastic valve cover.
what product and what procedure should be followed so that the paint will not melt in the engine bay.
i'd like to paint mine black glossy but i don't know what is the proper procedure.

if someone know the best way to do it, i think it could be a good DIY

[Houstice]

I had mine professionally painted. However there have been threads on this subject on the Solstice Forum and on this Forum.

Here are a couple of threads, I hope it helps!

http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/f11/finished-painting-fuse-box-engine-cover-53307/

http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/f62/painted-my-stock-air-cover-44122/

http://www.kappaperformance.com/forum/index.php/topic,5364.0.html

http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/f62/engine-compartment-painted-gxp-28240/

http://www.kappaperformance.com/forum/index.php/topic,3182.0.html

[Arabas]

Thx Houstice!!

to be honest i don't visit the Sol and Sky forums...
most of the threads look like "what i did to my kappa today" rather than a DIY and most of them are about both valve cover and plastic valve cover.
i will search for Krylon Fusion since i see most people use this.

[Kelu]

Best painting of the engine plastic cover: REMOVE IT

[Houstice]

Thx Houstice!!

to be honest i don't visit the Sol and Sky forums...
most of the threads look like "what i did to my kappa today" rather than a DIY and most of them are about both valve cover and plastic valve cover.
i will search for Krylon Fusion since i see most people use this.

GOOD LUCK!! I'm sure you'll end up with a great looking cover! 

[Arabas]

GOOD LUCK!! I'm sure you'll end up with a great looking cover! 

I don't want to disaapont you Houstice, but i m not so good in DIYs...
especially painting etc..i start making a straight line and it ends up being a cycle.... 

Kelu, have you removed yours?
i've been thinking about it, but i never found a good reason why to do it..

[Houstice]

When you Google for the Krylon paint, I think that you can get it in different colors. Your black glossy paint may be there as well.

[Kelu]

Arabas: look at the engines "worked" by DDM, powder coating of the valve cover, custom coil cover, etc
Still not convinced?

[IBDRINKEN]

Best painting of the engine plastic cover: REMOVE IT

what he said and get a powdercoated DDM one

[IBDRINKEN]

here is mine with a bunch of p/c pieces

[DeepBlueGXP]

To paint your engine cover, you DO NOT need special paint.  Pull it off, clean it, tape off the letters and paint it with a shaker can of what ever color you like. 

[Jebsmith]

Yea, th engine bay isn't going to get hot enough to mss your paint up.  I used regular plastic paint, then an entire can of gloss laquer.  No problems at all after a year.

[Arabas]

Thx for the tips guys!
i will try it out soon!!

[JimVonBaden]

To paint your engine cover, you DO NOT need special paint.  Pull it off, clean it, tape off the letters and paint it with a shaker can of what ever color you like. 

Just be very careful what you clean it with. I use denatured alcohol because it doesn't eat plastic like acetone and some others, and it removes excess oils like Armorall. Make sure you clean it VERY good, several times, or you will have a lot of fish eye.

Post photos of the finished product!

I did it on my Opel GT, old style.

Started like this:


Then clean clean clean.

Then coat with paint:


Then sand and clean again, then paint again:



Then tape and sand:


And polish to a shine:



Jim

[Brazen17]

If you are still worried about the temps you could use a high temp paint. There is not as large a selection of colors but it won't be a problem finding glossy black. I wasn't sure how hot it would get by the turbo so that is what I used over 2 years ago and it still looks great. Like Jim said, go over multiple times with a degreaser are the paint will have trouble bonding to the cover.

[DeepBlueGXP]

Jim,

Since he mentioned the plastic valve cover, he actually meant the cover over top of the engine, not the valve cover itself.

[Arabas]

Jim,

Since he mentioned the plastic valve cover, he actually meant the cover over top of the engine, not the valve cover itself.

correct

[JimVonBaden]

Jim,

Since he mentioned the plastic valve cover, he actually meant the cover over top of the engine, not the valve cover itself.

I know, but the process is still the same, and actually the paint will work as well. I have used the Rustoleum on several plastics. Still need them perfectly clean!

I'm going to do mine, the plastic covers, in the near future, I'll post the process and pics.

Jim

[DeepBlueGXP]

Cool, looking forward to the pics