Valve Cover Gaskets should be fine, did you already torque them down?

Should be O.K unless it sticks.

But how do you plan to paint the valve cover? Im curoius because ive never painted an engine component before so i dont know tthe proper procedure.

i just had mine powder coated black and had the letters trimmed and powder coated the heat shield too. heres a pic of it:

If you paint it, use a high temp paint and make sure you cure it properly as the directions say. Powder-coating usually turns out better on valve covers.

looks great DSM! Nice to see such a great built 2WD I bet it pulls like a raped ape on the hwy!

I've tried painting and it bubbled after about 2 weeks and it never looked good. I was at AMS, a local DSM shop, and they had a valve cover powdercoated blue and it was absolutely beautiful. I would either powdercoat or polish it if you want it bling bling.

well i will be using high temp engine paint since powder coating is too expensive, torque them down?

Not really sure, all i know is i replaced the valve cover seal, half moon plug and spark plug seals.

So i just unbolt, take out the spark plugs(are these just plug and play?) and go paint my valve cover?

Best thing to do with the high temp paint is do about 10 thin coats. Dont just hold the nozzle down and go back and forth. Hold it about 1.5 ft from the surface to be painted. Do 1 coat at a time, let it dry, do another, let it dry etc.

Ive done this with 2 valve covers on my other cars with the paint sold at advance auto parts. I used the canned paint stripper they sell there (rocks by the way, just dont get the shit on your hands) I forget what the name of it was, talstrip or something like that. It will peel the paint off any engine in about 10-15 minutes.

never had a problem with bubbling. It was 1500 degree paint, maybe the lower stuff (Ive seen like 500 degree) just dont hold up well. Either that or it wasnt painted right.

Paint while its dry out. Or in a dry area.

Will the recently replaced valve cover seal, half moon plug and spark plug seals work after i take them out.

So i just unbolt, take out the spark plug wires(are these just plug and play?) and go paint my valve cover?

Basically.

not trying to butt in or anything but I'm planning on polishing my valve cover AGAIN and I want to know if they make a high temp clear coat or something besides zoop that wont let the metal rust...?

Originally posted by Race94
Will the recently replaced valve cover seal, half moon plug and spark plug seals work after i take them out.

So i just unbolt, take out the spark plug wires(are these just plug and play?) and go paint my valve cover?

Click to expand...

All you have to do is unbolt the valve cover bolts, remove the valve cover (you might have to pry it off a little, but be careful) pop off the spark plug wires (plug & play as you say,) paint the valve cover as described in this thread, and then put it all back together.

The valve cover bolts need to be torqued down to 2.5 ft-lbs, if you over-torque these bolts the valve cover WILL crack.

Originally posted by hurleypunk3269
not trying to butt in or anything but I'm planning on polishing my valve cover AGAIN and I want to know if they make a high temp clear coat or something besides zoop that wont let the metal rust...?

Click to expand...

if the valve cover is aluminum it won't rust. just hit it up with some polish every now, and then.

a clear coat is so you don't have to polish all the time.