Flying Colours

One day i suddenly feels that I want to freshen up a bit my engine bay. Since I'm kinda in the mood for DIY session, I've decided to re-paint my valve cover from matte black to red. Remember to sort out the necessary things first, such as sand papers, gasket sealant, new valve cover gasket / plug seal (if needed) and the paint itself. I've painted the cover before (originally it was in silver) and nothing other than paint stripper can do better when it comes to removing paint. After the paint is removed, give it a wash. Sandblast the cover surface to smooth out the old paint that might still sticking Make sure you sand all the corroded spots too. Ensure the cover is free from oil before you set it dry.

Spray a thin layer (or two) of undercoat and don't apply it too much. Choose bright colour or else your paint will look horribly dull (unless that's what you're aftering).

Ok, here comes the important part. You have to let the paint dry. Wait at least about 20 mins each time you apply a layer of paint. It is better if you have a hair-dryer. The heat helps the paint to stick better. Apply a thin layer of paint. Let it dry. Apply another layer. Again, let it dry. I did five layers. Let it dry overnight.

Sandblast the DOHC 16 VALVE wording. Don't forget to sandblast the oil cap fitment area too. You don't want the paint to chirp and fall inside your crankcase. I've decided not to apply clearcoat as I don't want it to look too glossy.