? for those that have painted their valve cover

[Restoman]

I have a question for those that painted their valve cover. If you bead blasted your M20 valve cover, how did you go about making sure you didn't get media under that "splash guard"? I have a glass bead blaster at work that can fit the cover in, but I'm thinking it might not be a good idea if I can't clean underneath the slash thing. I'd love to blast it b/c I know it would get the cover really cleaned off well before paint. Any ideas on what to do?

[Brezzi]

About to do this myself. I plan on resting the VC on a piece of cardboard then stuffing the oil filler hole with cloth and duct taping it.

[Bretts85E30]

Best way is just mask it off with a tough enough material to withstand the bead blaster for all the areas u don't want it to get into then thoroughly clean it with a solvent tank and air dry it over night to make sure u didn't miss anything

[Restoman]

I have a very nice bathtub agitating and heated parts washer, but I'm worried. The solvent could get trapped under the guard and break down oil.

[mpowerful]

Parts washer then thorough brake cleaner douching. Thats how i did it.

[Bretts85E30]

When u let the solvent air dry it won't harm anything because it is water based
I work at Toyota and clean valve covers in a solvent tank then use a blow gun to dry it quick since I need to get it done quickly

Moral is solvent dries quickly dont worry about it as long as u clean out all the glass beads that's all that matters in the end

[Restoman]

When u let the solvent air dry it won't harm anything because it is water based
I work at Toyota and clean valve covers in a solvent tank then use a blow gun to dry it quick since I need to get it done quickly

Moral is solvent dries quickly dont worry about it as long as u clean out all the glass beads that's all that matters in the end

The guys arguing about how to clean out their differentials would love to argue that one all day. Good point though.

I'll be damned! The last part of blasting the tape blew up and got media all under the cover. Looks like some more cleaning is in order.

[SmokeE30]

the only correct way to do it to avoid media getting trapped inside the valve cover it to remove the tray underneath to do it and then re-install it after you have cleaned everything off. most people who spray paint valve covers never do this but any real shop thats bead blasting and powder coating valve covers will.

[Nutzy]

Don't blast it. Simple. If you must blast it, use soda.

Mine was stripped, degreased, washed, wax'n'grease wiped, etch primed, primed, painted with wrinkle, baked. Job done.

[lcoleman]

I just used the pressure washer at the local car wash to give it a thorough rinsing after I blasted mine...no apparent ill effects so far. I'm thinking that was about 20K miles ago.