Hi,
I ended up getting a pair of M/T cast aluminum valve covers (marked Holly M/T 318 340 360 inside) when I bought a MP deep transmission pan for the A904 (A999) in my 1980 Cordoba. The valve covers are structurally fine, but need a serious cleaning on the outside, and what I would like to do with them is paint them Chrysler engine blue for the most part, but polish out the ribs and M/T logo. Having them fully polished would be great, too. I'm a little bit confused with how to do this. Questions are:
1. Can I clean off the existing paint, which is in really bad shape, with lacquer thinner, PVR (Paint Varnish Remover, a paint stripper available all over Canada, don't know if it is in the US) get, aircraft paint stripper, or? Concern with this is the PCV valve gasket getting eaten up. Are PVC gaskets common, and would most auto parts stores have replacements?
2. After all the old pain is gone, do I just clean the metal with sandpaper, steel wool, some sort of metal prep. or what?
3. Both valve covers have breathers on them. I would like to take the breathers off and replace them. Are breathers all the same size, or should I bring the valve covers with me to the auto parts store?
4. I assume that I will be using engine enamel to paint the covers. Will it stick to aluminum, and stay on, or do I need to get the valve covers powder coated?
In either case, I want to paint the valve covers completely, and then polish out the ribs and M/T logo. I wouldn't mind polishing everything out, but can't see any way of properly polishing out the areas between the ribs and around the M/T logo.
Kostas
I ended up getting a pair of M/T cast aluminum valve covers (marked Holly M/T 318 340 360 inside) when I bought a MP deep transmission pan for the A904 (A999) in my 1980 Cordoba. The valve covers are structurally fine, but need a serious cleaning on the outside, and what I would like to do with them is paint them Chrysler engine blue for the most part, but polish out the ribs and M/T logo. Having them fully polished would be great, too. I'm a little bit confused with how to do this. Questions are:
1. Can I clean off the existing paint, which is in really bad shape, with lacquer thinner, PVR (Paint Varnish Remover, a paint stripper available all over Canada, don't know if it is in the US) get, aircraft paint stripper, or? Concern with this is the PCV valve gasket getting eaten up. Are PVC gaskets common, and would most auto parts stores have replacements?
2. After all the old pain is gone, do I just clean the metal with sandpaper, steel wool, some sort of metal prep. or what?
3. Both valve covers have breathers on them. I would like to take the breathers off and replace them. Are breathers all the same size, or should I bring the valve covers with me to the auto parts store?
4. I assume that I will be using engine enamel to paint the covers. Will it stick to aluminum, and stay on, or do I need to get the valve covers powder coated?
In either case, I want to paint the valve covers completely, and then polish out the ribs and M/T logo. I wouldn't mind polishing everything out, but can't see any way of properly polishing out the areas between the ribs and around the M/T logo.
Kostas
