Hey guys, I've got an '89 IROC-Z 350 TPI with some pretty crappy looking center-bolt valve covers. Now I know I can just get some nice looking center-bolt ones from Moroso for about $100 I think, but I was thinking I could just paint my originals with some high-temp paint and save myself a lot of money. Would the finish come out good if I did this? Since I've never taken the valve covers off of a car, I don't know what to expect- am I going to have an oil spill form under my car or will there just be a little oil to clean up? And what kind of gaskets do I get to replace the old ones? Maybe I should just go to the GM dealer and they will know what kind of gasket I need. And will I need to put like a silicon sealer around the covers w/ the new gaskets? Oh and how many ft/lbs do I torque them down to? I was thinking of going with a polished-aluminum color. Man it's gonna be a bitch to get the pass. side covers off cause of all those damn heater tubes and crap! Tell me what you guys think, thanks. -89IRO

 

You can get valve cover paint from Eckler's that matches the silver Corvette covers. I think it's the same or damn similar to the silver on the camaro covers too. The can is pretty cheap, and from what I've seen, it's very durable.

 

So this paint come close to duplicating the mag color / finish the Vette VC's have?

Durable enough to use on the runners? I just did a quick spray can detail on the front of my engine when I did the water pump, and now it makes the rest of the engine look shabby...serves me right for doing a mod that doesn't make it go faster


I'm putting on some new Taylor cut to fit wires, and some Made4 U centerbolt VC looms in the next week, and planned on cleaning and painting the VC's on my IROC then as well. I was leaning towards using a VHT ceramic alum color and maybe some engine paint clear....



Thanks for any info...

 

A lot of corvette guys do their valve covers, base, runners and plenum with this paint and it looks damn good afterwards.

 

Here is mine. I painted everything...plenum and all. Gave it a good ceramic clear coat after wards and Ta da! Thew paint that I used was a "cough cough"...Ford silver rim paint, right form the dealer. It is a brillliant siver and that is why I used it.

 

SO wait, you painted your engine the colour Ford?

(*just givin you a hard time, it looks sweet*)


But getting back to the topic at hand.. My valve covers looked like crap. I picked up a chrome detail kit at pep boys for like 80 bux. (included valve covers, valve cover gaskets, chrome breather, chrome bolts, chrome dipstick..etc). When i pulled my valve covers off i found they looked nearly as shaty on the inside as they did on the outside. The moral of the story, I'd spend the extra few bux and upgrade the part quality instead of just the appearance.

 

Alright guys, thanks for the ideas on the type of paint/clear coat to use but can anyone please answer my other questions? Thanks. -89IRO

 

Here's mine