Painting valve cover

Hello all. I have the valve cover off on my XJ and I want to repaint the black on it. I have the valve clearances all adjusted properly, the old paint stripped off, and 500 degree paint in black and primer.

I would like to have the black color on most of it, but would like the ribs to be polished aluminum. How can I do this?

I thought maybe paint it all black, then sand the ribs with wet/dry and polish them, but I am afraid it will mess up the black I want to keep. Mask off the ribs with pinstripe before painting? Polish the ribs first, then mask and paint?

I will tear into and fix just about anything, but I am clueless when it comes to painting. So many of you have done such beautiful work on your machines, that I know someone will know exactly what to do.

Thanks for any help you may be able to offer. Mike

 

i would polish the ribs first mask them and shoot the paint.

 

What are you using for paint?

 

It's much easier to mask and then sand off any mistakes, then it is to try and sand away whole areas.

 

Mask the Ribs with VINYL Tape.
Vinyl.
3M Store-bought Blanking widths (available at AutoBody Supply)
-Or-
Get some Vinyl Electrical Tape.
Put it down. Stretch it and Mask the Rib.
USE >> BRAND NEW Razor Blades to trim the Vinyl.

Get the Ribs Masked and the tape seated GOOD.
Shoot the Cover.
Multiple thin Coats -- 15 Minute intervals.

While the Last coat is still tacky ... peel-off the Vinyl.
Why Vinyl?
Vinyl don't bleed at the edge like Masking Tape.
The "Line" is going to be clean and sharp.

Any line you need to paint ... mask with Vinyl for the line.
"Paper and Tape TO the Vinyl for a sharp line.
Vinyl bends and does corners and circles ...
Try doing flames with Paper tape.
You cant.

 

I've done a couple now, and masking off the "YICS" was just too tedious.

I masked off the outer ribs, and just went ahead and painted over the rest, then went back and wet-sanded it off.

On this cover, I used gloss black between the ribs and lettering;




Then masked that whole area and painted the rest of the cover with "low gloss" black:




Or, you could get the cover REALLY clean (lime juice boil on this one) and just do highlights:



I think it gives it a '60s "hot rod" look.

I used Duplicolor 500 degree engine enamel (NOT VHT 1200 deg header paint.) I'm a big fan of their "low gloss" black, it's a dead ringer for Yamaha's low gloss black like the valve cover and wheels. I didn't use a primer on either, I was worried about long-term adhesion. I always let the paint cure fully (if you stick your nose against the part and it still smells like paint it's not cured yet) before handling and haven't had a problem yet.

+1 on Rick's advice about using vinyl for masking to get sharp edges, lots of THIN coats and peeling your masking off while the last coat is still tacky.

 

Classy work, that, Mr Fitz.

 

Thank you sir.

I really love the red highlights on the otherwise stock '81. With the little splash of red on the head and the red welt on the seat to go with the stripes, the bike looks "finished."

 

FItz, have you found the original valve covers to be painted entirely in low-gloss black or entirely in a high-gloss black, or a combo of the both (as you illustrated on that black cover)?

 

That red looks awesome! I think I'm going to have to copy that Fitz but then do the rest of it in black. Very nice work man.

 

This is a great how to video from Duplicolor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7EkuGBugdQ

 

I painted my valve cover with a water based enamel (used an air brush to apply it) and covered that with Duplicolor High Heat clear. It hasn't discolored yet. I don't think the valve covers get all that hot. I let the bike sit idling for quite a while to make sure that paint got good and hot, and so far, so good! That was over a year ago, so I don't see any problem with it now.

 

No, the "combo" is my own touch. Every stock XJ I've seen with a black cover (including my own and an eBay spare cover) was just overall low-gloss black, with the lettering rudely ground back to silver.

I'm thinking of re-doing the one that came off the '83 (having extrys is cool) in low-gloss black with dark maroon between the ribs and lettering, and then doing the lettering in a satin or brushed finish instead of polishing it all the way up. (The maroon to match the darker stripe on the '83 graphics, wait'll you see the seat...)

Yamaha really gave us something cool to work with in that YICS valve cover; think about all the different hot rod car motors you've seen. A myriad of possibilities...

 

Thank you all for your replies and advice. The second pic. in Fitz's reply is the exact result that I am looking to replicate. The paint I have is the Duplcolor 500 degreee ceramic and matching primer. I will probably try it with the primer, as I already have it. I'll try to post some pics, good or bad, on my "handywork".

Thanks again, Mike

 

If you decide to go my route and not mask all the raised portions, be prepared for quite a bit of sanding. I used a block and 400 wet just until the paint started to wear away, then switched to 800 and then started working my way up from there. Notice in the first pic the valve cover is hanging over the edge of the kitchen sink.

You also will need to wait a couple of days for the paint to harden enough to be sandable without "balling up."

It's not a "quick-n-easy" process, admittedly rather labor-intensive and time consuming but for me well worth the results.

 

Fitz,I am thinking I will go your route, as the end result is exactly what I hope to achieve. You don't think the primer is neccessary?

On a related issue, is there a way to fill in scratches on the cover ribs? Or engine covers for that matter. Some sort of lead based product that will blend in and polish up nicely. My covers are not flawless like yours. I am pretty sure that is due to your skill and labor.

Thanks for all that you share on this site. Mike