Damaged Cylinder Head Cover

[BillyMac]

My cylinder head cover is pretty scratched up, and I was wanting to get some advice on the best method for fixing it up. I'd rather not buy a new one and work with what I've got. I was either thinking of sanding and smoothing it down with a fine grit sand paper, and I could just leave the scratched spot bare. I don't know if it would really be worth it, but I was wondering if it's even possible to re-paint that spot? A special high-heat paint maybe? Anything I should beware of when doing this? Thanks for any advice!

[Scott_]

Can't say how the color match would be, some high temp header paint or something similar should be adequate.

[DRxBMW]

Can't say how the color match would be, some high temp header paint or something similar should be adequate.

Engine enamel, bake it your home oven for 45 minutes while the wife is at work.

Holds up just fine, I painted my muffler's heat shield this way.

[BillyMac]

Can't say how the color match would be, some high temp header paint or something similar should be adequate.

Engine enamel, bake it your home oven for 45 minutes while the wife is at work.

Holds up just fine, I painted my muffler's heat shield this way.

I'll have to take a look at that stuff. The shield was the next little cosmetic fix I was going to look at taking care of

[DRxBMW]

I'll have to take a look at that stuff. The shield was the next little cosmetic fix I was going to look at taking care of

Ha, wait till you try your hand removing the heat shield bolts,another royal pain in ass. BTDT

[Rick G]

Those bolts do get very tight due to the rust and heat but try a few drops of vinegar on each bolt thread each day for a week and it can make them easier as for the rust on the shield, avoid sand blasting as that will work harden the metal and make it more prone to cracking but a soaking in a tub of 10% molassis mix will remove the rust well and let the paint stick.

[Chaos]

The valve cover doesn't really get hot enuf to need high temp paint.  I used krylon or rustoleum on mine hundreds of years ago and they're fine.

[BillyMac]

Ended up grabbing Rust-Oleum High Heat flat black(rated for 2000'), but it recommends using their high heat primer as well, but not sure if that's such a good idea with the valve cover(I assume I've been using the wrong term). I grabbed them both because I do intend to use the primer + paint for the heat shield.

Chaos did you prime it when you used this?

All the engine enamels I saw were only rated for 500'

[Chaos]

Yeah, mine was the bare aluminum and I did use a primer (black primer, dings won't show as much)

[BillyMac]

Yeah, mine was the bare aluminum and I did use a primer (black primer, dings won't show as much)

Hah, I didn't even think to get black primer instead of the gray :confused: Glad I asked, I'll have to exchange it