Polishing Valve Cover (i searched)

[Texican]

My efforts on the engine i'm fitting to my 40.[/IMG]

OK I gotta ask, what is the engine???

 

[Coolerman]

Some parts like the water necks have air pockets in the aluminum which means that no matter how much polishing you do, they will always be present. These pits mean that you can't powder coat them without winding up with bubbles over these holes when you bake the parts. I know from experience.

As long as the part is smooth you can clear powder coat it without an issue.

With aluminum you have to bake the part for up to an hour at high temps like 500-600 degrees. This causes any trapped gases to expand and escape. Let the part cool, wipe it down with xylene, coat it, and bake. I have done several thermostat housings, two alternator housings and of course my valve cover. The only part I have ever had bubble on me was a early glass fuel filter top. I thought it was aluminum but turned out it was pot metal. No amount of baking would make it out gas sufficiently to prevent bubbles...

On the thermostat housings I'm more concerned about the powder coat coming off inside the engine due to reaction with the anti-freeze. Any thoughts or experience on that?

 

[BDSeff1fitty]

Oh it only cost me about 400 to get a bunch of aluminum stuff polished. Well worth it considering the time, effort, and mess that comes with doing it yourself.

what kind of place does polishing?

i got a little bit done, its getting there just slowly. this is probly the only polished piece i will have done. everything else will be either black or aluminum color paint on the engine

 

[Trollhole]

Might try a demel with a conical felt wheel and some polish for the letters.

Has anyone ever tried one of those Mothers polishers?

Also might look into just having it chromed.

 

[BDSeff1fitty]

will chrome handle the heat? i dont want it to turn into a rainbow like headers do.

and wouldn't i have to worry about the chrome flaking off into the engine?

 

[uted]

OK I gotta ask, what is the engine???

ford
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]4.1L Alloy Head EFI 6 cyl
Bore and stroke: 93 x 99 mm
Power: 120kW at 4000rpm
Torque: 333Nm at 3000rpm
Pushrod overhead valve, 2 valves per cylinder
Fuel system: EEC IV fuel injection
Compression ratio: 8.8:1[/FONT]

Engine was already fitted by a PO, i've just added the injection

 

[Fast Eddy]

ford
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]4.1L Alloy Head EFI 6 cyl
Bore and stroke: 93 x 99 mm
Power: 120kW at 4000rpm
Torque: 333Nm at 3000rpm
Pushrod overhead valve, 2 valves per cylinder
Fuel system: EEC IV fuel injection
Compression ratio: 8.8:1[/FONT]

Engine was already fitted by a PO, i've just added the injection

That or the 4.9 would be a nice CA legal swap. I wonder if there was ever a 50-state-legal Paxton kit for it? Seems likely...

What's it weigh?

 

[joeyg1973]

With aluminum you have to bake the part for up to an hour at high temps like 500-600 degrees. This causes any trapped gases to expand and escape. Let the part cool, wipe it down with xylene, coat it, and bake. I have done several thermostat housings, two alternator housings and of course my valve cover. The only part I have ever had bubble on me was a early glass fuel filter top. I thought it was aluminum but turned out it was pot metal. No amount of baking would make it out gas sufficiently to prevent bubbles...

On the thermostat housings I'm more concerned about the powder coat coming off inside the engine due to reaction with the anti-freeze. Any thoughts or experience on that?

Highest temp I got is 450... would that work?

 

[Coolerman]

Yes but leave in in for 1.5 hours. Aluminum must be spotless to powder coat. Sort of like when you weld on it.

 

[joeyg1973]

Introduction To Buffing and Polishing - Caswell Inc.

Nice howto guide in pdf form

 

[BDSeff1fitty]

coolerman, i called a couple powder coaters, and they said to powder coat the cover a chrome or polished look, it would turn yellow after some time. and to chrome it, it would chip off within a year.

i have worked on this thing for about 4 hours so far, some spots just wont clean up, im about to paint it the aluminum color and then paint the 2f toyota black and then clear coat it. and maybe once its running, but another valve cover and attempt to do it.

 

[Texican]

coolerman, i called a couple powder coaters, and they said to powder coat the cover a chrome or polished look, it would turn yellow after some time. and to chrome it, it would chip off within a year.

i have worked on this thing for about 4 hours so far, some spots just wont clean up, im about to paint it the aluminum color and then paint the 2f toyota black and then clear coat it. and maybe once its running, but another valve cover and attempt to do it.

Please refer to post #5................