Painting my valve cover

[6Pipes]

Just thought I'd pass this on for fun.
I just painted my valve cover with a few coats of Duplicolor BGM0535. Man, is that paint sensitive to oil film! I washed the valve cover in Dawn detergent twice with a sponge and then a third time with Dawn and steel wool. Thinking that it was squeaky clean, I applied the first coat of paint and it curdled on contact. After several applications of brake clean ( I don't have any alcohol or toluene) and a couple more detergent scrubes, I finally got the paint to stick properly. Just a heads up for anyone else doing this project. Make sure you get the darn paint surface completely, totally and absolutely free of even the slightest "hint" of oil.

[tevan]

After you paint it are you going to put clear over it?

[6Pipes]

Tevan,
It's already back on the engine. Never thought about clear. Sounds like a good idea though!

[daves79x]

No clear on engine paint - never was from Honda and not a good idea.

Dave

[tevan]

I was wandering about that. I am just about ready to paint my 81 cover it is in bad condition. I guess I will go with the duplicolor bgmo535. thanks

[ajs350]

I used the dupli color but washed the cover off with Gunk first to remove the oil. The paint does not handle solvents too well. I got carb cleaner on mine and had to paint it again.
Ross

[daves79x]

Just a couple of other notes - Dupli-Color is not a 'high temp' paint, but that's mostly a marketing gimmick. You can paint any and all engine parts with it and it holds up great.

Also Jay, you mentioned that you used steel wool in one of your final scrubs. Steel wool contains oil - I would stay away from that.

Nice job guys on the covers!

Dave

[steve murdoch icoa #5322]

Why no clear over the paint?
Does it not take the heat and start to yellow?

[NobleHops]

If I'm not mistaken, it's a bit dicey to install the valve cover with that tacho drive in place. Risk of breaking it as I recall? Am I remembering this correctly?

N.

[daves79x]

Yes, Nils, you are correct. I'm assuming it was installed for the photo only?

The Dupli-Color paint used here is not meant to be used with a clearcoat, if I remember correctly, for one thing. However, even using a clearcoat is risky due to yellowing, as Steve said. Not sure what advantage or look you would be trying to achieve with a clearcoat there.

Dave

[Don]

I agree

The clear doesn't stand up to heat/sun/weather nearly as well as the silver paint itself

If you have a local guy who does powdercoating, that's the best solution other than chrome if you want a tough, lasting finish impervious to gas, oil and chemicals. My local guy will do something like a valve cover for $50. I paid $75 for a primer and two coats of satin black powder on my front boomerang wheel to make it match the black anodized rear wheel I bought and it turned out beautiful - No comparing rattle can painting to powdercoating

Don

[ajs350]

Yes, Nils, you are correct. I'm assuming it was installed for the photo only?

Dave

Dave, you are right. I just put the tach drive on for the photo. Ross

[EMS]

My preference is still polishing. I had two valve covers professionally polished some 10 years ago and they still look great. No clearcoat. Just a little Mother's or Mequire's occasionally.

[daves79x]

Mike:
I think these guys were looking to reproduce the stock look for the early models. For late models like yours, polishing would be the more proper finish.

Dave

[EMS]

Mike:
I think these guys were looking to reproduce the stock look for the early models. For late models like yours, polishing would be the more proper finish.

Dave

One of the polished covers is on my '79 I don't have the desire to have detail-correct show bike, though


Black engine with polished valve cover looks positively sinister on that red 79, but for Dog's sake, paint that magnesium alternator cover, willya!

N.