I have a 89 rs with the 305 tbi. I am rebuilding my engine and I want to paint everything to make it look clean and I want to clean and paint my valve covers. They are slightly rusty but no holes and I think the best option is to use paint remover and a wire brush to remove all the gunk. Then im going to paint them with high temp paint. Any tips or things I need to know before doing this?

Thanks
-Marcus

 

Use Permatex 4MA gasket remover, at the car wash. Along with a wire brush of course.

I HIGHLY recommend a good marine-grade primer first. You can get the good stuff at your local ship supply place (not pleasure boats; SHIPS... professionals).

Factory color was a sort of "satin" black. Not flat, not gloss.

I'd recommend strongly AGAINST high-temp paint. It tends to be gasoline soluble. Bear in mind, ALL OTHER properties were sacrificed in favor of the high-temp attribute. All you need is regular engine enamel.

 

I soaked mine overnight in degreaser, sanded them with a scotchbrite pad, prep sprayed them, and them painted them with black engine enamel.

 

You can also get a rust remover soak. Wd40 carries one you can get at WM and there is another brand at o'reilly that works even better. Just let the parts soak in it for 24 hours or so. Wash them up with water afterwards and they are almost ready for painting. Won't need to scrub near as much if you use it. It's kind of expensive though.