Valve cover painting question - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

JoeyTheKid · 09-12-2013, 06:36 PM

So I'm making my chain covers, block and valve cover on my KA look pretty and everything has been all cleaned up and ready for paint except for my calve cover. I took a wire wheel to it and removed the factory paint down to bare metal, and it appears that in some parts the metal looks like it has wrinkles for lack of better words, I would relate it to an old lady's leathered skin. They aren't that deep, but the wire wheel doesn't appear to be taking them down at all. My question is would I be able to spray a couple coats of primer on top and just sand that down to a smooth surface or would it be better just to put the extra elbow grease in and try to get the wrinkles out and have an absolute smooth surface before priming?

blueshark123 · 09-12-2013, 06:51 PM

sand it dont prime to fill it.

JoeyTheKid · 09-12-2013, 07:08 PM

Awesome, that's all I needed to know. Right now all I've got is a drill with a wire wheel and some finer grit sand paper, would there be an inexpensive means to make my life easier in doing so?

ultimateirving · 09-12-2013, 08:27 PM

Um, not if you want it done right. You probably need some metal grade sand paper, along with a few varying grits. If you get to large of grain it will leave scratches in the metal and make it worse

blueshark123 · 10-01-2013, 09:44 AM

final sanding grit before paint is 600 grit

You should have used air craft stripper not a wire wheel to remove that paint

Mikester · 10-01-2013, 10:21 AM

If it looks all wrinkled etc... you could always have it media blasted & powder coated.

sleepyS14se · 10-03-2013, 07:10 AM

or could have it hydro dipped! thats what i want done to mine

oni jake · 10-03-2013, 12:57 PM

Powdercoat the valve cover and don't worry about it ever again. It should be cheap, a shop local to me quoted $25 for the service. That leather appearance could be the way the metal formed when casted. As long as you sand to the proper grit levels, you'll be fine to paint it yourself. The valve cover grabs a lot of attention from tool marks, to better protect the paint from chipping, use a good etching primer.

09-12-2013, 06:36 PM	#1
JoeyTheKid Leaky Injector Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Sofla Age: 30 Posts: 101 Trader Rating: (5) Feedback Score: 5 reviews	Valve cover painting question So I'm making my chain covers, block and valve cover on my KA look pretty and everything has been all cleaned up and ready for paint except for my calve cover. I took a wire wheel to it and removed the factory paint down to bare metal, and it appears that in some parts the metal looks like it has wrinkles for lack of better words, I would relate it to an old lady's leathered skin. They aren't that deep, but the wire wheel doesn't appear to be taking them down at all. My question is would I be able to spray a couple coats of primer on top and just sand that down to a smooth surface or would it be better just to put the extra elbow grease in and try to get the wrinkles out and have an absolute smooth surface before priming?

09-12-2013, 08:27 PM	#4
ultimateirving Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: arizona Age: 33 Posts: 1,519 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	Um, not if you want it done right. You probably need some metal grade sand paper, along with a few varying grits. If you get to large of grain it will leave scratches in the metal and make it worse __________________ Z32 with lq4 swap Desert Street Scene \|\| Dssevents.com

10-01-2013, 10:21 AM	#6
Mikester Nissanaholic! Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Kathleen, GA Age: 50 Posts: 1,941 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	If it looks all wrinkled etc... you could always have it media blasted & powder coated. __________________

10-03-2013, 07:10 AM	#7
sleepyS14se Zilvia Addict Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Georgia Age: 32 Posts: 880 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	or could have it hydro dipped! thats what i want done to mine __________________ 95 S14 se RB25DET 348whp

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09-12-2013, 06:51 PM	#2
blueshark123 Post Whore! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: North Jersey Posts: 5,481 Trader Rating: (55) Feedback Score: 55 reviews	sand it dont prime to fill it.

09-12-2013, 07:08 PM	#3
JoeyTheKid Leaky Injector Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Sofla Age: 30 Posts: 101 Trader Rating: (5) Feedback Score: 5 reviews	Awesome, that's all I needed to know. Right now all I've got is a drill with a wire wheel and some finer grit sand paper, would there be an inexpensive means to make my life easier in doing so?

10-01-2013, 09:44 AM	#5
blueshark123 Post Whore! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: North Jersey Posts: 5,481 Trader Rating: (55) Feedback Score: 55 reviews	final sanding grit before paint is 600 grit You should have used air craft stripper not a wire wheel to remove that paint

10-03-2013, 12:57 PM	#8
oni jake Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Tallahassee FL Posts: 416 Trader Rating: (5) Feedback Score: 5 reviews	Powdercoat the valve cover and don't worry about it ever again. It should be cheap, a shop local to me quoted $25 for the service. That leather appearance could be the way the metal formed when casted. As long as you sand to the proper grit levels, you'll be fine to paint it yourself. The valve cover grabs a lot of attention from tool marks, to better protect the paint from chipping, use a good etching primer.