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Painting the Engine Cover

1K views 15 replies 9 participants last post by  Wapptor 
#1 ·
Anyone know a good guide? I would like to do this as I'm artistic/creative and it looks fun and doable. And nobody else will have one like me 8). I'm not sure what color yet but I'm definitely unsure of what paint to use and if it's dangerous (i.e. flammable). Any suggestions are appreciated. FYI it's a Mojave Beige 1.8t (2003) so what color would you reccomend?

Thanks
-Wapptor
 
#2 ·
I'm using a high heat tolerant paint...however, I'm only going to use the cover for show...if I'm hard driving or the track or it's 90 outside, the cover comes off anyway.
I would color coordinate with the rest of your engine or calipers or something would look cool.
 
#3 ·
Jesstzn has excellent instructions:


1) I removed the pieces and did a thorough Dawn wash
2) Sanded with 400 then 600 but I never took all the texture off
3) Wiped it down twice thoroughly with a body shop prep solvent
4) I used Plasti-Kote Caliper paint on it ( cuz I had some) took about 1 1/2 cans.
5) I applied numerous "VERY" light coats. I found if I applied too heavy the solvents in the paint would lift oils or something in the plastic and I would get fish eyes. Prior to each coat I warmed the piece with a hair dryer and immediatly after a coat I dried it with heat.
6) After I had the color and depth I wanted I shot it with Plasti-Kote #629 Clear coat. I warmed the piece first with the hair dryer then sprayed about 1/2 the piece with a heavy clear coat and immediatly hit it with the hair dryer. This way there was no runs and it didn't seperate the color below.

Note;
I removed the fasteners by turning the piece over and using a Dremel with a burr I cut as small slot in the side of the fastener hole then slipped the fastener out.

The 3 raised lines on the valve covers I masked over with 3/4" masking tape and the tape was exactly the same width as all 3 lines. Once the tape was on secure I took a razor knife and slit off the portions of tape between the lines leaving the top of the lines masked over.

Cost $8.00 - Brake Caliper Paint
$7.00 - Clear coat
$7.00 - Prepsol ( Which I use for a lot of other paint pre cleaning.)
pm her for more info.
 
#5 ·
Is there a tutorial anywhere with pics? That'd be EXTREMELY helpful. Also, you'd suggest taking it off if the weather is hot? What would happen if I didnt :weirdo: lol? And I assume I can paint the letters with just touch up paint and a brush.

BTW guys, thanks for responding so quickly, I didn't even finish a hw assignment before you all posted!
 
#6 ·
I don't remember seeing a tutorial other that the "How to " that Julian posted. With that paint there is no heat worries and the end result is ok.

 
#11 ·
How much time is involved in this? And is the car okay to drive while the paint is drying and all?
 
#12 ·
gig103 said:
How much time is involved in this? And is the car okay to drive while the paint is drying and all?
You take the pieces off and do them in your shop/garage/basement. I drove the car with them off for a few days. Outside of the air intake the pieces are just cosmetic. The air intake can be off .. You'll just not have colder air for the time. The filter/airbox stays intact.

I did 1/2 of them in one morning .. 1/2 the next. The sanding and the prep is the slowest. Paint dries fast. I painted one day .. cleared the next.
 
#14 ·
this looks like a great mod for the future, do you suggest i do this when the temperature warms up outside?
 
#15 ·
merk20VT said:
this looks like a great mod for the future, do you suggest i do this when the temperature warms up outside?
Yes if your doing the work outside .. You don't paint the pieces *on* the car you remove them.
 
#16 ·
BUMP

I'm about to do this, gonna go red I think, on my Mojave Beige, kinda matches the taillights (yes? lol). Also red caliper paint is easy to find. I managed to remove the VW symbol on the cover but not the black piece that says 1.8t (as opposed to 20v turbo, i have a b5.5). How do I deal with the black insulation stuff on the back? Do i remove it? What about the holes where the VW symbol stuck in, tape? And should I remove those black plastic screws? And of course how do i take off the damn part that says 1.8t, I'd hate to screw this up...

Thanks in advance,
-Wapptor
 
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