i want to paint my single cam valve cover so i first want to bead blast it but people have told me that it will affect something is true?

 

The cover is made of aluminum and I dont believe it should be bead blasted.I do know that 99 percent of people usually have them either sand blasted or just use chemical paint removers to strip them down.

 

dont do it. you will never get all the beads out of all the oil splash plates

 

so how does the sand get out when sand blasting it not trying to be a smart *** just asking?I know on the b series covers the baffle inside can be taken out so that you can make sure all of the blasting media can be removed.I dont know about the single cams

 

Buy a couple cans of industrial paint stripper!

 

if you bead blast it soak that mother in water over and over to make sure you get it all out


best way to strip it...9.99 can of air craft stripper avail. at almost all auto parts store.


1.spray VC
2. let is sit for 10-15 mins
3.with gloves scrape paint
4.rinse
5.repeat if all paint didnt come off

 

If you really want it blasted clean get it Soda blasted very good for all engine parts.

 

I sandblasted/media blasted the first valve cover I did, the second one I used aircraft remover on. I was surprised, the stripper was actually faster/easier/cleaner than sandblasting, plus you don't have to worry about sand getting caked inside the small nooks and crannies. Just put a nice thick coat of stripper on the cover, let it sit until it blisters and will come off easily with a scraper, then just spray it with the hose and the paint will slide right off. Sand/media blasting took much longer, and was more difficult. My .02 cents

 

Yeah, man..if ur going back with paint just use the stripper and get some of those brass toothbrushes from harbor freight to burnish out the rough/oxidized areas and u should be good.
Then, after paint dries, I use a file carefully, lightly, in one direction, keeping the file flat on the raised lettering to almost perfectly duplicate the original machining marks..if ur keeping the letters.
Taping, Vaseline on the letters = too hard, fail

Wash it with soap after the stripper, u wanna get all the residue off.

What are u gonna go back with? Color, etc?

 

aircraft remover like mentioned above or you can walnut blast i did mine that was then just air hose and wipe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ctr2CHJFQE

 

way*

 

Just mask the cover. I used duct tape to tape off the spark plug channels, over flow, oil fill and completely covered the underside where the baffle is. I NEVER got any media in ANY of the dozens of covers I coated after I used this method.

Media blasting (with the RIGHT media for aluminum so it doesn't bite the material too much) is the fastest and cleanest way to prep a cover. It's also a great base for painting and powder coating to "bite" on.


Steve

 

I WOULD NOT EVER EVER EVER USE ANY TYPE OF SAND-BEAD-MEDIA/blast TO STRIP A VALVE COVER. Like already mentioned you will never get all the particles out. There is a non removable oil baffle plate and you will destroy a motor this way. Yes masking it off is a good preventative but just buy stripper from any parts store "aircraft" either spray or brush on types. Cheaper and safer