ninjastance

Items needed:
-Engine cleaner of your choice (I used Simple Green)
-10mm socket
-Torque wrench (if you have one, not needed, but recommended)
-Flat head screwdriver
-Sandpaper (400-800 grit will do)
-Painting masks
-Plastic trash bags
-Scissors
-Masking Tape
-Utility Knife
-Primer
-Paint of your choice (high temp is not NEEDED but its up to you)
-Newspaper (or something to spray paint on; cardboard, plastic, etc.)
-Oven (for heat treating the primer and paint)

1) Remove the plastic engine cover.

-Remove the four nuts and remove the cover. Now place it somewhere else cause I'm sick of looking at it!

2) Remove the clips from the spark plug coils

-Apply pressure on the clip and pull.

3) Remove the bolts from the spark plug coils..BUT do not take the coils out YET.

-Remove the 4 coil bolts but do not remove the coils yet. Need them there to keep dirt out.

4) Remove the wire harness clip from the metal thing.

-Use the flathead screwdriver to release the clip, then pull it up and then off.
-Next take out the metal thing's bolt and remove the metal thing.

5) Remove the 7 bolts outside of the valve cover. Do not remove the middle bolts by the coils, yet.

-After you remove the 7 outside bolts, remove the spark plug coils and then remove the middle two bolts.

6) Remove the valve cover! AHHHHH! It's tha cAmS!@##%^
-On the front left and right side of the valve cover are two wannabe hinges/handles. Use those to remove the valve cover. Pull up and back towards the exhaust manifold.
-You will feel and hear the valve cover gasket release and it may even pop out. Keep pulling up until you remove the valve cover and see this...your Box's engine!! THA CAMS!!!
-Place the valve cover on something clean with the underside exposed.
-Cover the head and the hoses with plastic bags.

7) Remove the gasket from the valve cover.

-Put the gasket on something clean and cover it to keep dirt off.
-Turn the valve cover right side up.
-Clean the valve cover.

8 ) Prep the valve cover for sanding.

-Fill the spark plug and oil holes with newspaper.
-Mask off the oil hole.
-Mask off the middle two holes where the spark coils are.
-Mask off the studs.
-Mask off the valve cover spouts.

-Prepare to deface your xB's valve cover! Wooooo!
-Sand to your desired texture. You want it to be smooth on every part of the valve cover. You want the primer to stick. So make sure the surface is smooth.

* I did a crappy job sanding. As you can tell from the picture... just make sure yours is smoother than mine, lol.

9) Primer Time. Spray from left to right/right to left in even sprays. Let dry 5-10 minutes between coats. Do 2-3 coats or until your satisfied with the result.

-Let it dry for 15-30 minutes. Turn on your oven to 215F and put the valve cover in for 15 minutes.
-This will heat treat the primer and also give you the reassurance that it is 100% dry.
-After 15 minutes, pull the valve cover out and let it sit until you can handle it with your hands.

10) It's time to paint.

-Set the valve cover on your painting surface, and do the same as you did with the primer. Left to right/right to left in even sprays. DO NOT OVER SPRAY.
-After the first coat let the valve cover dry for 15 minutes. DO NOT TOUCH IT.
-Apply your second/third/fourth (whatever your satisfied with, 2-3 coats should be enough.)

*Notice my overspray...I'm horrible with the can aim.

-Put the valve cover in the oven, 215F, but this time leave it in for 30 minutes.
-Pull the valve cover out and let it sit for an hour at the LEAST. If you over sprayed at all, it should be less noticeable due to the heat treatment. (Look how mine came out... woooo.)

11) Remove the masking tape.

-Remove all the tape, be gentle, try not to scratch your new paint job!

12) Reinstall the gasket

-It only fits one way. Make sure it is seated properly.

13) Reinstall the valve cover!
-Put everything back in its place!
-Torque the bolts to 14-15lbs
-Make sure everything is to spec, check the spark plug cables.
-Once your sure everything is correct.. take a minute and look at your work!

-Good luck on your valve cover if you decide to use my " How To "

Thanks for looking!

__________________

brambling

Good job. It looks meaner without the plastic cover. I might show this to a friend for his Honda.

ninjastance

Thanks!

Speaking of hondas... I was going to paint the cover in wrinkle red like Honda's are, but I couldnt find wrinkle red at any stores. So, I settled for black.

andysxA

thats really cool, thanks for writing this up. I have a carbon fiber engine cover, but i might paint my valve cover, just so when i take off the engine cover i can look at it.

comedykills

this is an awesome how to........ do you think that spray chrome will stick without chipping......... my plan is 2 coats of primer, wet sand, 3-4 more coats of primer, wet sand again, chrome paint, and then doing this clear blue spray on top of the chrome, then clear coating several times..... I'll prob do it within the next couple months




oh and my disclaimer: I do urban artwork so I know how to use a can (Legally on private property )

TheQuietThings

awesome job man

will work on getting this moved to the tech section

kustom_play

are your worrie about the high heat from the valve cover messing up the paint job. I know the make a special high heat paint for blocks and such?

ninjastance

thanks for the compliments!

as for being worried, nope. most paint can withstand the motors heat. the key is to treat the paint properly during the primer and paint process. if you dont heat treat it, the paint will crack and it will erode easily.

ninjastance

anyone else have a painted valve cover.

ninjastance

lets see your valve covers guys!

davedavetC

iTrader: (4)

sweet, any chance they make a gold/bronze wrinkle finish? and where can u buy this?

ninjastance

i know VHT makes a ton of different color wrinkle finishes. VHT paint is pretty hard to find in local stores. You best bet would be to search online for VHT wrinkle finish.

mattross

You can check an auto paint store. There should be plenty around your area.

ziobep

great how to do

samhain

I did this same mod to my Miata two years ago and have had zero negative effects. I used a hair dryer to get the wrinkle effect. It looks stout.

jct

heh while you have your valve cover off... might as well and change your oil, cool thing is you can dump all 4 quarts in it all at once heh

ninjastance

hah, true.

xA_Factor

Does the xA/xB have a timing-belt or a timing-chain?

From now on, all newbies asking this question will be referred to this pic.


Nice work , BTW!

LiquidFX

that looks really good

ninjastance

thanks for the compliments guys, anyone else paint their valve cover yet?