Valve cover paint after soda blasting

[4gfun]

I went to harbor freight and got a soda blaster yesterday after reading that is the best way to get the valve cover cleaned up.

I read a post which says that paint will not adhere to the valve cover unless you use vinegar to neutralize the baking soda.

Two questions:

1) Is this correct?

2) I was wondering what paint will hold up on the VC. Function over fashion for me. I don't want to go with a paint like VHT that you will have to bake and take a risk that you didn't bake it correctly. I want low cost available paint that will take the heat.

Thoughts?

Thanks

 

[Achelea]

As far as the baking soda/vinegar thing, It makes sense. A whole acid/base chemistry experiment waiting to happen.

As for the paint sticking, do a bit of research into thermal paints, like what paints hold up well to temperature. Look on paint sites to see what people use to paint the blocks with and see how they ensure the paint adhering to the surface. In aviation we have to clean, treat, and prime the surface for paint to stick, otherwise you get blemishes.

 

[lowboost13]

I went to harbor freight and got a soda blaster yesterday after reading that is the best way to get the valve cover cleaned up.

I read a post which says that paint will not adhere to the valve cover unless you use vinegar to neutralize the baking soda.

Two questions:

1) Is this correct?

2) I was wondering what paint will hold up on the VC. Function over fashion for me. I don't want to go with a paint like VHT that you will have to bake and take a risk that you didn't bake it correctly. I want low cost available paint that will take the heat.

Thoughts?

Thanks

Actually the best way of cleaning valve covers is sand blasting, followed by a light sanding to get it smooth, then wased in warm water to remove all of the media, then paint it with high temp paint you get at advanced auto, or any other parts store. It works well! As long as you take the time to prep it, and start with light dusty coats working your way up to the final spray. I did atleast 5 coats on my VC and it looks good till this day, and it has been sitting on my engine getting oil spilled on it, wrenches hitting it, getting covered in dust, and it always cleans up nice and shinny goodluck

 

[snowborder714]

Actually the best way of cleaning valve covers is sand blasting, followed by a light sanding to get it smooth, then wased in warm water to remove all of the media, then paint it with high temp paint you get at advanced auto, or any other parts store. It works well! As long as you take the time to prep it, and start with light dusty coats working your way up to the final spray. I did atleast 5 coats on my VC and it looks good till this day, and it has been sitting on my engine getting oil spilled on it, wrenches hitting it, getting covered in dust, and it always cleans up nice and shinny goodluck

Sorry, but the OP is correct as long as he doesn't plan to remove the baffles and replace them with an aftermarket aluminum set. The media can (and will) get stuck in the oil that is caked between the baffles and the valve cover. Rinsing will not get it all out and this could come out in the future and ruin your engine.

When using soda, you can blast the whole thing without worry as the soda will just dissolve in water when you rinse it. Nothing to get stuck and nothing to come out at a later time and ruin your engine.

 

[Achelea]

As he said, The quality of the paint job relies heavily on the prep work. If you took two cars, with identical paint and damages, and sent 1 to Maaco for the 200 dollar paint job, and then repaired, sanded, prepped, taped off, and basically did the prep work, and sent it in for the exact same 200 dollar paint job, the second one would look a lot more professional than the first. You can shoot old paint with new, but you end up with new paint that has dents bubbling, and such from the paint underneath, as well as overspray etc etc. The other part is if you took the second one and wet sanded, and prepped and painted again with clear coat, you would have a paint job that would last a long time. Go to a paint store and ask for gloss engine paint. They would be able to point you in the right direction.

On a note, with enough time, you could essentially paint a car with cans of spray paint and make it look like it was done in a paint booth, but that's wandering off topic.

 

[lowboost13]

Sorry, but the OP is correct as long as he doesn't plan to remove the baffles and replace them with an aftermarket aluminum set. The media can (and will) get stuck in the oil that is caked between the baffles and the valve cover. Rinsing will not get it all out and this could come out in the future and ruin your engine.

When using soda, you can blast the whole thing without worry as the soda will just dissolve in water when you rinse it. Nothing to get stuck and nothing to come out at a later time and ruin your engine.

Yes if you blast the bottom of the cover u will get media in there, but as long as you take the time to prep it (tape it, and thread a bolt into the pcv valve hole, cap off the air filter breather hole, and tape the bottom of the cover with ducktape you wont get any media on the inside. When you take a valve cover to a powder coating shop they will usually blast it with glass, because its easier, and takes less time.

 

[snowborder714]

Yes, it is easier and takes less time, but they don't know about the baffle issues as most of them don't have it or you can remove it. I ordered a valve cover from a company when I first got into these cars and a lot of crap came out when I rinsed it. I'm not sure if I want to know what all was actually under the baffle.

You can also prep all you want, but there's always that chance, especially how media likes to float around all over the place while blasting. If you want to go that route, that's up to you. But to have the knowledge that it doesn't have any media in it, the best way is to drill out the baffles, blast, and replace them.

 

[alphamythos]

Ive been sand blasting my parts for years and doing valve covers. the media will get stuck in the baffles . i have tried multiple ways of taping and blocking with silicone plugs , media will always get in their. especially as it breaks up in fine dust. the only way i have been able to clean it was with a high psi pressure washer and degreaser mix. my psi is 2000, aside from that expect something to be left up in their . and yes i have seen the story from other powder coating shops knowing nothing and dont clean . brand new built block , turns into scarred crank and bearings .

My suggestion for painting would be this , clean the surface well , use the
VHT SP118 FlameProof Coating Flat White Primer Can - 11 oz.

to two to three coats , then vht color coat , then a vht clear to keep the color from fading . the primer is very important to keep from flash fading .

 

[Anthony95TSiAWD]

Why are you set on paint rather then powder coating? Wouldn't the paint be weaker and easier damaged?

 

[alphamythos]

Yes powder coating is way better .

 

[4gfun]

Thanks for all of the thoughts.

I have already soda blasted the valve cover and I am VERY happy with the results. I just wanted to make sure that I didn't waste my time painting if I was going to have problems not due to neutralizing the baking soda.

I went out and bought some vinegar just in case and sprayed it down then hosed it all off.

As far as the VHT goes and as per my first post, I don't want to chance VHT on the valve cover since it is very visible and it looks like 50% of the people have had bad luck with it peeling. Whether or not they prepped correctly and followed the procedures for curing I'd rather not take a chance. I used it on my turbo hot side, my exhaust manifold, and O2 housing. Those are parts that are hidden so if it peels in those areas I won't be that pissed off.

Need something besides VHT. Will Rustoleum high heat work? BBQ paint? I don't care if it is all shiny as long as it beat the way it looked in the first place with the red Galant VR4 paint peeling off of it.

I don't mind priming, painting, and clearing. I just won't do the VHT Flameproof.

As far as powder coating goes. Is that a DIY project for around the same price as painting it yourself? If not, I like to limit anything that is not DIY on my vehicle that is just me.

 

[WES_393]

Need something besides VHT. Will Rustoleum high heat work? BBQ paint? I don't care if it is all shiny as long as it beat the way it looked in the first place with the red Galant VR4 paint peeling off of it.

I don't mind priming, painting, and clearing. I just won't do the VHT Flameproof

No need for Flameproof or anything that heavy duty. I used regular Enamel (Purple Metallic) and cleared over it with high-heat enamel, or "engine paint". It has held up great for about 200-300 heat cycles. So long as you use the clear engine enamel, you can use basically anything you want.

 

[4gfun]

No need for Flameproof or anything that heavy duty. I used regular Enamel (Purple Metallic) and cleared over it with high-heat enamel, or "engine paint". It has held up great for about 200-300 heat cycles. So long as you use the clear engine enamel, you can use basically anything you want.

Interesting....so it's all in the clear huh? Wow, well with that said I'll just use my 500 degree rustoleum engine enamel with the rustoleum 500 degree engine clear.