engine cover project

[grave77]

Hi bimmers ... I saw the thread with this picture
http://home.comcast.net/~rjchristie2/SA/535i/1639m.JPG

and I'm doing my own now, I already brushed the surface and it's ready for the paint. but I don't know the name of a suitable paint that can resist the heat and oil. they told me that I should use thermal paint. I also want it mat not gloss. all the ppl I asked told me that even the thermal paint will peal off with the heat. anyone knows exactly what to use??

[uscharalph]

Hi bimmers ... I saw the thread with this picture
http://home.comcast.net/~rjchristie2/SA/535i/1639m.JPG

and I'm doing my own now, I already brushed the surface and it's ready for the paint. but I don't know the name of a suitable paint that can resist the heat and oil. they told me that I should use thermal paint. I also want it mat not gloss. all the ppl I asked told me that even the thermal paint will peal off with the heat. anyone knows exactly what to use??
The best ones are powder coated.

[Bill R.]

get that hot, krylon flat black will work fine. Or if you want a tougher finish a wrinkle black will work well too.. Powder coat is the toughest finish but also you'll spend a good bit more for it. The only area that you need high heat paint is on the exhaust manifold, any engine paint will work fine for the rest of it.






Hi bimmers ... I saw the thread with this picture
http://home.comcast.net/%7Erjchristie2/SA/535i/1639m.JPG

and I'm doing my own now, I already brushed the surface and it's ready for the paint. but I don't know the name of a suitable paint that can resist the heat and oil. they told me that I should use thermal paint. I also want it mat not gloss. all the ppl I asked told me that even the thermal paint will peal off with the heat. anyone knows exactly what to use??

[grave77]

well I found a spray that are used for stoves and heaters .. I think that would do ... its also matt. I bought heatresistive primer so I think that would do. I will provide pics when done :)

[grave77]

I don't think I would find that easily ... some ppl offered me chrome coating ... but I like it black.

[Springfield1952]

A couple of thoughts - some of the matte finishes will show any bit of grease or oil and they are difficult to clean. The same with wrinkle paint. Many years ago I did a wrinkle paint valve cover which looked great for a month or so then progressivly got worse as random drops of oil got into the wrinkles. I never could get it really clean and I finally repainted with a glossy engine enamel. I used just regular enamel, as Bill R. said there's no need for high temp paint. Good luck.

Curt.

[grave77]

I have expereinced this with an old car i had ( Honda Accord Racing ) it had a black cover in. I used to spray it with video head cleaners then wipe quickly ... lets see ... I can do a repaint if failed ... I have 2 covers :) thanks anyway mate ... :)

[grave77]

Sorry for the low quality ... pics taken with a mobile cam. I lent my digicam to my sister. here they are anyway, the pics shows the before and after.

http://217.164.3.118:8000/barry/image_00023.jpg

http://217.164.3.118:8000/barry/image_00025.jpg

http://217.164.3.118:8000/barry/image_00027.jpg


Thanks for your support

[grave77]

http://217.164.3.118:8000/barry/image_00029.jpg

http://217.164.3.118:8000/barry/image_00030.jpg

[BigKriss]

nice work barry!

[grave77]

thanks mate :) ...

[jiminEcricket]

you could get it powdercoated??

[grave77]

I wasn't able to get the material but still .. this is an extra rocker cover :) when I install this I will have plenty of time to fix the other one. I just wanna see how this would go on my engine with all the heat and dust.

[Jose]

Next time use a wash primer, the paint will outlast your car......

[grave77]

I never heard of it, can u explain more?

[Jose]

Wash primer is a very agressive primer which has to be sprayed on as thin as possible. What it does is "eat" itself into the surface of the metal, specially into aluminium surfaces, and does not loosen under heat or stretching materials. We've used this many times to create the shadow line on bimmers and up until today, none heve let go on the chrome works. It is a very toxic primer, widely used in the truck industrie. Your local paintshop should be able to help you out finding this product. It could go by a different name in the States.

[grave77]

good stuff, do you know any brand that uses this, most of the dealers here are only sellers they know about brands more than material. what colore is the primer? or does it come in many? I will do another painting to my engine cover, as I mentioned above that this is an extra cover I was able to get it from the scrapyard for free. so I will plan doing a better one with the one installed now. thanks mate for ur tips

[Jose]

Glasurit, Spies Hecker, Dupont, Standox even House of Kolor should have this stuff. Usually it's grey colored.

[genphreak]

Sounds like this might be what we call (in Australia) call 'Etch primer', tho its usually light green in colour. Once only puts a mist on, so the metal can still be seen through the paint (all of it is (lightly) covered though). :) Nick

[Mas (UK)]

and used a basic spray can paint. I was renewing the vc gasket and given that the original paint on the cover was peeling off here and there and looking just old, I took the opportunity to give the cover a fresh look. I'm far from a perfectionist so I only peeled off the loose bits and lightly sanded down the surface with a fine grit paper. The only thing I'd recommend is you clean the cover as best you can (oil/grease removers, washing up liquid and warm water, etc.) Then tape up the screw threads and make sure it's nice and dry before painting. I chose an 'Aluminium' finish, which to be honest did look a bit bright and shiny at first. Anyway, I think it looks a little better than before so I'm happy. I wouldn't worry about your paint and heat resistance, the cover only gets warm and never really hot. Mine was a basic £2.50 (~$4) can of paint and is doing just fine.

Have fun, spray away from your car and don't even think about giving your neighbours cat a shiny new coat! :p

Mas

[grave77]

your cover reminded me about my old Sc-Schnitzer rims, I wanted to spray them then I found a workshop who painted them with darker silver colore and a transperant finishing on top of it. looked agency new. I think I would do the same thing to a cover like urz. nice and quick job u made. at least u dont need to wait 4 - 5 days until it dries off :P

[Booster]

Most dealers/ distributers know the primer as "Self Etching" worldwide and almost all of it I've used has been a dark yellow or grey in color. As pointed out , it only requires a light pass of coats....not a "build" like sanding primers. Its also an "activated " primer as well. Same stuff you'd use on any metal thats being coated like trim or stainless,aluminum etc.
I had both my spare covers "sandblasted" &"Powdercoated" after removing all the bushings and plastic bits. I did one in "silver-vein" and the other in "wrinkle-red" and they turned out killer.
I'd post a image if I'd figure out the steps.( sigh)
Vinny

[632 Regal]

that looks GREAT!!!

[dacoyote]

Ask Gayle for help on how to post pictures...

[E34-520iSE]

Could try BBQ paint. That's how I done mine 2 years ago - still looks good!

Cheers,

Shaun

[grave77]

thats what I used for mine :) ... I made a think primer coad though ... I had an option of spraying some but I was afrade of thermal resistance failure ... I was going to use the activated primer, but it would be hell of a job to sand surface. I think the best was the wash primer ... thats an option I would use for sure in the next cover project.

[E34-520iSE]

Maybe I was lucky with mine. All i did was degrease & steam clean it before I warmed it up and sprayed it with BBQ paint. It still looks as good as the day I done it - no cracks or blistering. I've got another cover here to paint. Just wondering what colour to paint it. Any ideas? (Not dayglow green!)

Cheers,

Shaun

[grave77]

go for dark gray BMW Dark gray

[535ise]

I used VHT wrinkle paint, de-grease, no primer, sanded the letters back to the metal.

I've got to paint the 'stat housing and upper timing chain cover as it looks manky !

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/3472/picture003a9zl.jpg

Sorry the picture is a bit large :(

[grave77]

you've done hell of a job to ur touring !! ... A1 ....no other comments !! :)

[535ise]

you've done hell of a job to ur touring !! ... A1 ....no other comments !! :)

Cheers dude :)

[athflying79]

Did you guys mask the lettering or sand it down?? They all look great. I'm going to be adjusting my valves soon and might have to do this.

[Gayle]

Did you guys mask the lettering or sand it down?? They all look great.


I was wondering exactly the same thing. It does look great Barrie.

Life is good when you have a good looking engine.

.

[grave77]

well since I hate engine wash !! but I like it look clean so this would help. but now my car is still in the workshop for a full paint job so I can wait to have it back and do the engine cover swap! .. I think I would do the other cover and hang it on my rooms wall ... I liked it after all ... thanks Gayle :)

[grave77]

I did mask them as u see in the pics with the silver foil tape so I wont be placing too much paint on. still I had to sand it to look shiny. few other guys did sand it after paint but I think it was a tough job to remove the paint then make the surface look neet. I taped it then used a blade to empty the BMW and the lines, the tape width was just right to fit all the lines. and since it was still not painted I wasnt worried about using the blade to cut off the area I need to paint. this is how it looked after taping and blade cutting

http://217.164.3.118:8000/barry/image_00025.jpg

http://217.164.3.118:8000/barry/image_00026.jpg

[grave77]

sorry as I replied this earlier but in the wrong location ... my fault

[Booster]

Ok ...I took some pix of one of my covers thats powdercoated in "silver vein". Its sort of a lightly textured coating of blk & silver. Its wise to clearcoat this color if exposed to UV rays.
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b277/vinceinator/Valvecover004.jpg

I thought it looked proper and stylish for the old girl to wear !

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b277/vinceinator/Valvecover001.jpg

Alrighty.........there is one. When I get back from Ontario Cali. for a few weeks, I'll see about snapping some more of the Red wrinkle finish cover too !
................Vinny :D :p

[grave77]

UV it then ... looks cool ... sort of a change .. but I was wondering how it would look with metalic dark gray !!

[angrypancake]

before
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/5105/valvebefore1ls.jpg

after
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/5789/valvereinstall17yw.jpg
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/9359/valveoverview4eg.jpg

[grave77]

I think you should have made all the lines and BMW in black. is the green car the same old red one?

[angrypancake]

The green is a photoshop job. Youre right, I think I might pull it tomorrow and make all the lines and BMW in black.

[shogun]

If you have 250 EURO spare, here is a nice one from Schnitzer, polished
http://cgi.ebay.de/AC-Schnitzer-Ventildeckel-M30-Motoren-BMW-E30-E34-E32_W0QQitemZ8014013301QQcategoryZ14767QQrdZ1QQcmd ZViewItem

[///MPOWER]

nice work brother ..guys have a look on this thread (http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?t=3601)

[Booster]

Sorry to revive an old thread.......but I was wondering about the polished AC Schnitz. cover. Anyone save a pic of it ?
Also.....looks like the last thread was er, deleted ?:(
Anyway......I sat the wrinkle finished red cover on the engine....I must say .." its bright" in there for sure. No pix of it though. I really like the "silver vein" color alot. Looks the part.
.............V'

[grave77]

I tried to look it up on google images, nothing is there. I tried the Alpina M30 bi turbo also couldn't get it ... only 2 thumbnails that aren't clear. as they had the same idea of the AC-schnitzer polished cover.

the whole idea will be if you powder-coat the cover. some guys tried it before .. you can ask them

few are in e-bay for M30 engines.