Cleaning Valve Covers

[HOFSGNX]

Has anyone tried to clean the stock valve covers and if so what did you use to do it?

 

[Quiky One]

Just use a degreaser and they will look as good as new.

Jason

 

[Lee_Burough]

Just use a degreaser and they will look as good as new.

Jason

Search on 'coolguywalt' and his experience with a degreaser....Be careful

 

[Quiky One]

Search on 'coolguywalt' and his experience with a degreaser....Be careful

I remember that post and have yet to get spots on anything. Let it soak on there for 30 seconds and you shouldn't have a problem.

Jason

 

[phillyturbosix]

I used Simple Green and a scrub brush. Then a light wire brush.. some more simple green.. then a little polish.. came up nice..

 

[HOFSGNX]

Thanks for the tips guys. I do not have much grease and oil that I can tell, just a whole bunch of discoloration and spots. What are the Valve Covers made out of anyway? They are pretty coarse - not very smooth.

 

[HOFSGNX]

Any idea what those Valve Covers are made out of?

 

[phillyturbosix]

The valve covers on a GN are basiclly made of garbage metals. There are a few different metals in there but it's all junk. I took my valve covers to be powder coated. The place I use has this dunk tank. They dip the parts in there and it's like an acid bath. Get's all the nasty junk off and they come out super clean. Then they sandblast and powder coat. The owner of this place has done tons of GN parts and told me for some reason.. only the valve covers are made of this junk metal. They dipped a set in the tank and when they pulled them up there was nothing there! They melted! Another problem is they out gas like crazy. So sometimes when you powder coat them you'll see bubbles.
Your best bet is to either take them off.. have them sandblasted and powder coated something close to the original color or spray paint them. Eastwood sells allot of gray's that are close to the oem color/look.
I went with the powder coating and used a sterling silver color. Holds up great and looks great. A little quick detail spray and it looks like they just came out of the powder coater!

 

[Quiky One]

Jim, your VC's look great. However I would discourage anything but powerdercoat. I painted mine with some fancy paint and it started to flake off. Only causes you double the work in the long run.

Jason

 

[phillyturbosix]

That's why I went with powder.. I had mine painted when the engine was done.. lasted about 2.5 years and started to look like crap again. Never again with powder!

 

[vacuum 6]

sand blast and clear coat.