custom valve covers?

[Tom Tom Turbo]

Does anybody know where I can get a nice set of custom valve covers? Anything other than stock would look nice. Anything with "Buick Motorsports" or the turbo 6 logo, or anything!!! There is an awesome looking set of valve covers on the engine on page 13 of the 2002 ATR catalog. Anybody have any ideas???

 

[T-Type Mike]

I would check out loveridge machine, they have a sweet set, although pricey but I think worth it. Search around on the vendors lists. Good luck! Mike

 

[Bweavy]

Send your stock ones to Kevin BFH.I saw a set he had milled down & did custom engraving on looked great & cheap!

 

[nitrousmike175]

I just bought a set from TA Performance last week. There powder coated black and have Buick and the power 6 logo on them. they will cover roller rockers also. $175.00

 

[Carolinaturbot6]

See the set nitrousmike spoke of...

http://www.taperformance.com/vcovers.htm

Click the link & check out the 3rd set of valve covers down. You will like them.

BFH does awesome work for TR's. I didn't know he did valve covers too.

 

[Tom Tom Turbo]

Nitrous mike, if you paid $175 for those valve covers you got taken. They are on the price list for $119 plus $13 for the breather. Or does it really cost $40-some for shipping?

 

[gnfanatic]

I would just like to comment on one thing. 4 months ago I had purchased a new set of Buick valve covers from TA performance. They had told me over the phone that they were there NEW design. They had bought the rights from M@A and improved the design. WELL, I am installed them and they leaked like pigs, no matter what I did. I called TA performance complaining about there NEW design. The guy on the phone didnt know what I was talking about. He said they had bought a huge batch of covers from M@A. And that I have the OLD design. WTF? The guy said someone will call me back about it becuase I dont want these leaking crap covers anymore.NO ONE ever called me. I feel this is wrong. I spent $225 on covers(breathers and shipping) and gpot screwed. When I was waiting for the covers( couple of weeks) they told me they were being made! I will never buy another buy a product from them again. It is a shame becuase they make some nice stuff.

Ralph

 

[TRENT THOMPSON]

I am pretty sure charged air makes a real nice set too but I don't remember the price

 

[Boston GN]

What?!?!?!? These valve covers leak????
WTF? Damnit, I just bought a used set off of someone...got them real cheap and I just sent them out to get powdercoated and polished and now you guys are saying they leak?
Awwe man, that sucks. Does any one have these VCs that do not leak (old style I assume)?

*praying they do not leak on mine*

 

[JCotton]

We just got in a new design cover. They are about the coolest ones I've seen. They are cast covers with BUICK in raised letters on one end and the turbo 6 logo on the other. They are one sweet piece. Cost is $149.00 per set without breathers. I'll try to get some pics up asap.

 

[machinegun]

WWW.hrpartsnstuff.com Go to the purchase section and go to the order form page. At the bottom of the page look at part numbers 7000 and 7001 valve covers. They have new ones that look awesome and clear for future upgrades. As soon as mine come in and the engine is back together I will get pics. These come in 2 styles. I am getting the turbo 6 style part number 7000. You will really like these.

 

[Spoolinup]

Here is a shot of the new CAS ones on genos car.

http://www.netSnapShot.com/b?ACCOUNT=2412&KEY=12

These are the ones I am going with as they are $200 with everything. They are already available.

 

[Carolinaturbot6]

gnfanatic, I bought a set of the TA covers the last week of Feb., this year. Nick Micale recommended them. Nick told me that he had installed these covers & that the fit was very good. He has yet to steer me wrong, & I've followed his advice on several occasions. My set has not been installed yet.

Just now, before this post, I called & spoke with Dave at TA Performance. I inquired about the "old style" vs. "new style" that you brought up. He told me that there was absolutely NO difference in the two. He told me that what they did do was add a little bit of meat in the casting process so they could use a CNC machine to do the bolt holes. He said if you sat the two side by side, you could not see a difference. The CNC machine just made it easier for them, rather than doing it by hand.

I'm sorry to hear about your leaking problem. I think you should call them back & work this out. I've purchased from TA Perf. before & they were very helpful with anything I needed to know. I understand your situation/experience may have been different.

I'd like to hear if anyone else has used these covers & what they thought. Dave said that the set I bought were indeed the "old style" ones. I will certainly let it be known how they work out.

 

[nitrousmike175]

Originally posted by Tom Tom Turbo
Nitrous mike, if you paid $175 for those valve covers you got taken. They are on the price list for $119 plus $13 for the breather. Or does it really cost $40-some for shipping?

That is for the short covers i believe. The tall covers are 149.00 plus shipping. Iwill double check the price on the sheet just to make sure.
THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[nitrousmike175]

Originally posted by Tom Tom Turbo
Nitrous mike, if you paid $175 for those valve covers you got taken. They are on the price list for $119 plus $13 for the breather. Or does it really cost $40-some for shipping?

Ok, i double checked the price they are 159.00 for the set.

 

[nitrousmike175]

Originally posted by Boston Boy
What?!?!?!? These valve covers leak????
WTF? Damnit, I just bought a used set off of someone...got them real cheap and I just sent them out to get powdercoated and polished and now you guys are saying they leak?
Awwe man, that sucks. Does any one have these VCs that do not leak (old style I assume)?

*praying they do not leak on mine*

Make sure you use a good gasket and if you use a sealer on them put it on thin and let it set up good. When you tighten them down draw them up slow and even. Run the bolts a few times to get even force on the whole gasket surface. If you tighten the bolts all at once you stand a chance of mashing the gasket out under the bolt. It worked for me and NO OIL LEAKS!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Russ Merritt]

I have the ta valve covers too, they're pissa!!!!! Just got them a week ago, no leaks yet!

 

[gnfanatic]

carolinatubot6

hey man, that was very kind of you for finding out. Thanks. But see when I called them they said the new design had more meat AND the covers had INNER rails as well to hold the gasket. I tried cork, rubber, silicone , no silicone . you freaking name it. Now I am not saying they leak a quart a day but they do leak. And then all that crap goes all over underneath the car. When you are at a red light the oil drips on the crossover pipe and smokes. You see smoke coming up from the car, so the car looks like a piece of Horse S##t. I hate it with a passion. What a shame to becuase they are the nicest looking covers out there. I am very disappointed at TA. They were very cool to me when I prdered them and they are good people in general. But when i needed help I didnt get it. So I am taking them off, fill them up with top soil and grow little flowers in them. I think they will turn out to be great plant holders.
thanks again,
Ralph

 

[Nick Micale]

Originally posted by gnfanatic
I would just like to comment on one thing. 4 months ago I had purchased a new set of Buick valve covers from TA performance. They had told me over the phone that they were there NEW design. They had bought the rights from M@A and improved the design. WELL, I am installed them and they leaked like pigs, no matter what I did. I called TA performance complaining about there NEW design. The guy on the phone didnt know what I was talking about. He said they had bought a huge batch of covers from M@A. And that I have the OLD design. WTF? The guy said someone will call me back about it becuase I dont want these leaking crap covers anymore.NO ONE ever called me. I feel this is wrong. I spent $225 on covers(breathers and shipping) and got screwed. When I was waiting for the covers( couple of weeks) they told me they were being made! I will never buy another buy a product from them again. It is a shame becuase they make some nice stuff. Ralph

Ralph, chill out! I have installed many of the T/A sets and they don't leak. I have more problems with the Champion ones sealing. A few guys have come to me with oil leaks that turned out to be the M&A's. Removing the covers, I found the gaskets torn or pushed out by too much torque on the bolts.

Don't ask me "how much" is the proper torque as I really do not know. But what I do know is you should tighten them down in stages like head gaskets [but do not un-tighten]. Also, tighten after a couple heat cycles. The best gaskets I have found are the hi-perf Felpro ones. Lot thicker and stronger. Actually, this procedure work just as well on any type valve cover gasket.

The M&A valve covers were redesigned by T/A to make them less likely to leak. Most of what was done had to do with the machining operation. Actually, some of the M&A's/T/A's, needed to have little mods, or they would not seal good. So, qualifying my statement above, I did minor work on some sets before install.

It is frustrating not to get a call back when promised, but as hard as Mike works, not all his help can keep up with everything. I am sure you can get them to work fine. Contact me direct if you need help with them.