Painting question

Well this is sorta exterior lol. I want to paint my valve cover and turbo shield. This is the first time I have ever painted something like this and would like some advice, pointers, and what kind of paint I should use. Any info would help out a lot.

Don't bother painting the heat shield with regular paint, or it will just start to flake off due to high heat.

As far as painting things in general, make sure it's cleaned, and scrubbed. Also, putting down a primer helps before putting the color coat on. Then follow it up with an enamel clear coat to help for protection.

Ever consider powder coating the valve cover?

Bryan

if you are going to paint anything that will become extremely hot paint it with high heat header paint....make sure its good and clean then spray away....it'll say on the can what kind of temp the paint will handle without baking off...

I would sand it down smooth, then clean it very well.

Use long, even strokes when painting and do several thin layers instead of one or two thick ones.

Follow the directions on the paint can and bake the paint on using your oven. (Edit; the valve cover should be okay, just bake your heat shield if you can.)

It may stink up your kitchen a bit but its not too bad, just have a window open.

Just did mine a while ago.

do you think just using the heat from the manifold/turbo would bake that paint on? I dont really think I would be able to cook it in the oven.

Yeah you can do that too, car will be a bit stinky the first day or two and I find it comes out nicer using the oven.

Sometimes you can't bake shit though, like my engine block won't fit in my oven nor do I really want it there.

Just don't get lazy on the prep work and it will come out fine.

Both the valve cover and heat shield are extremely unforgiving to paint. The valve cover is very porous and traps a LOT of oil, the only way to correctly paint it is to bake the thing for a good long while and then bead blast it. Otherwise it's just a matter of time before the paint comes off, and ends up in your engine the next time you remove it.

The heat shield has less of an oil concern, but more of a heat concern. Very few paints will take the kind of heat it is exposed to. You can address that somewhat by using a good thermal barrier under the shield.

The best way to go about it, though, is to plate or powdercoat both pieces. Considerably more expensive given the prep involved, but the finish will last longer than the car.