Valve Cover: Paint vs. Powdercoating

[redhotchillipepper]

As I wait for my red DDM supercharger to arrive I have decided I want to color the valve cover to match. I just can't decide wether to paint it with high temp paint or have it powdercoated. My main question is will powdercoating handle the temperatures involved. Vanwin coating said they will powdercoat the part for $100.00 plus the cost of powder, that I have to buy in a 3lb minimum order, for a total of about $175.00. I don't want to spend that kind of money if it is going to blister up due to the heat. Does anyone have any experience with this.

[compdoc777]

Originally Posted by redhotchillipepper

As I wait for my red DDM supercharger to arrive I have decided I want to color the valve cover to match. I just can't decide wether to paint it with high temp paint or have it powdercoated. My main question is will powdercoating handle the temperatures involved. Vanwin coating said they will powdercoat the part for $100.00 plus the cost of powder, that I have to buy in a 3lb minimum order, for a total of about $175.00. I don't want to spend that kind of money if it is going to blister up due to the heat. Does anyone have any experience with this.

Valve cover? You mean the plastic cover that covers the valve cover or the Aluminum cover?

If plastic read below.


Paint it for less than $20 and you don't need high heat paint. Your cover will never see above 180 degrees and if it does your car will be on fire and it won't matter anyway.

I will post mine I just finished it.

I used that auto paint from Autozone to do my IC pipes and the cover. Then cleared them with the clear. Looks great.

Don't waste money on powder coat it is thick and really there is no conductive part on cover so they would need to cover it with a conductive coating as well. It would look like a glob once it was done.

[redhotchillipepper]

No, the alluminum Valve Cover not the plastic heat shield. I have already painted the heat shield but I am not going to modify it to fit over the supercharger, instead I am going to put a finish on the valve cover. Anyway, I just got off the phone today with Dave at DDM and he is going to powdercoat the Valve cover for me. He assured me that the powdercoat will hold up to the heat. I think I am going to go for candy apple red for the valve cover and chrome for the tubing.

[gadget]

Originally Posted by redhotchillipepper

No, the alluminum Valve Cover not the plastic heat shield. I have already painted the heat shield but I am not going to modify it to fit over the supercharger, instead I am going to put a finish on the valve cover. Anyway, I just got off the phone today with Dave at DDM and he is going to powdercoat the Valve cover for me. He assured me that the powdercoat will hold up to the heat. I think I am going to go for candy apple red for the valve cover and chrome for the tubing.

Thats the way to go. Powder coat will last a Long time on a valve cover.

[coopcj7]

Think about it this way.... In order to cure the Powder Coat you have to bake it in an oven or use a high heat lamp.

Powdercoating is excellent when used for high heat areas especially a valce cover

[compdoc777]

Originally Posted by redhotchillipepper

No, the alluminum Valve Cover not the plastic heat shield. I have already painted the heat shield but I am not going to modify it to fit over the supercharger, instead I am going to put a finish on the valve cover. Anyway, I just got off the phone today with Dave at DDM and he is going to powdercoat the Valve cover for me. He assured me that the powdercoat will hold up to the heat. I think I am going to go for candy apple red for the valve cover and chrome for the tubing.

Yeah powercoat should work. I just use Red wrinkle paint on my valve covers for my Honda and Acura. That is all they use, but powder coat would be a good choice if you want to spend the extra cash it will have a more resistance to corrosion and fluids.

Aluminum is hard to keep paint on.

The wrinkle paint helps diffuse the heat better on the valve cover surface. Big difference when I touched my polished valve cover and the wrinkle painted one. OUCH!

[seal9]

DDM has the power coating, and the price is better...Seal9

[redhotchillipepper]

Originally Posted by seal9

DDM has the power coating, and the price is better...Seal9

They [DDM] have the best price I could find, and their new Candy Apple Red looks awsome!