Painting Valve Cover +Ground and Sprak Plug Wires

[RedPhoenix]

So, I think im going to clean up my engine, make it look cool. Firs tthing I wanted to do was paint the valve cover. Now, would I be using duplicolor high heat or engine enamel. http://duplicolor.com/products/engine.html

Also, do new Spark Plug wires provide anything else besides looks?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...sPageName=WDVW


And what would grounding wires do for me? Also I cant find exactly where this goes to, hard to look right now, car is in the garage.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...RK%3AMEWA%3AIT

[atobe]

i don't know much about painting stuff... but new wires and ground will smooth out rough idles if you got em... less resistance = better sparks but it probbly won't give u any noticable power wise.... there's like 8 places to hook up the ground wires... lower block... upper block... tranny.. and other stuff... just trace those big black wires in the engine bay... if it goes from chasis to engine chances are it's a ground wire

[Toysrme]

Duplicolor High heat works fine. DO NOT mix their enamel clear coats with their regular paint. They look absolutely, positively shitty. The enamel also has a bad problem with dissolving the normal paint. Especially if it get's handled before it has fully cured (24-48 hours)
You don't have to bake it on for the valve covers, heads, intake manifold, upper intake manifold, or throttle body.

Spark plug wires don't do anything performance wise unless your old wires are cracked and grounding.

Grounding wires don't do crap. Their only real use is if your electrical system is overloading. The main cause would be high power audio equipment where more grounding can help.












Duplicolor Aluminum, good stuff. I baked mine for 400F for 1/2 an hour. My exhaust manifolds are beginning to crack. I really believe you could get it to stick if you cleaned them 100% with a wire brush, then sanded them down smooth, then roughed it up a little bit with something like Emory paper/0000 steel wool.

[coolchu001]

Hmm i'm had tried to paint the valve cover......but i couldnt get it removed... any suggestions?

[RedPhoenix]

I dont know, my dad took it off to replace my seal one time because it was leaking. Im sure mine is easier to do it now.

[Toysrme]

It's easy. V6's the front one just unbolts (8*10mm bolts) while the rear one you need to remove the upper intake chamber.
I4's need to remove the upper intake chamber, then unbolt the valve cover.

[terrastrife]

toysrme you gotta stop pimping those engine bits :P

[amerikim]

Painting is cool. Just make sure the surfaces are clean.
And replace the gaskets.
Plug wires are only a deal if your wires are messed up.
Magnecor and NGK plug wires are hot items. I prefer to go NGK.
Do a search for those, they are tailored to fit your car.
Grounding wire kits are not bad, Lauren has one of the prettiest setups here. Search for it. The EBay ones you had looked pretty poor quality. Better to go invest in some 4 and 8 wire gauge heat resistant wire and some crimp tool. DIY it on a Saturday afternoon.

[Toysrme]

Not until someone get's some chromed, or level II/III anodized purple

[88 LE]

Originally Posted by Toysrme

I4's need to remove the upper intake chamber, then unbolt the valve cover.

I4's don't have a upper intake chamber/manifold. And no the intake manifold on a I4 does not need to be removed.

1. Remove the plug wires.

2. Remove the 4 nuts on top of the valve cover. Use a 30mm socket or big adjustable wrench.

3. Remove the spark plug tube gaskets.

4. Remove the valve cover.








DupliColor high temp engine enamel and high temp clear coat.

[RedPhoenix]

Just to be sure, you can keep the spark plugs in right?

That looks good, how long was your car un-useable?

[88 LE]

Originally Posted by RedPhoenix

Just to be sure, you can keep the spark plugs in right?

Yup.

That looks good, how long was your car un-useable?

1 day.

I unbolted and painted the parts in the morning. Bolted them back on that night.



Big ol thread about ground wires:

Hyper Grounds


The big 3:

http://forum.sounddomain.com/forum/u...c;f=5;t=007801

[amerikim]

Oops, I meant Kudos to Keri.
Anyways, about the big 3, is that a good thing to do with the positive to positive connection? Could that lead to an overcharge of the battery?

[88 LE]

Originally Posted by amerikim

Anyways, about the big 3, is that a good thing to do with the positive to positive connection? Could that lead to an overcharge of the battery?

Well theres already a cable going from the alternator to the positive of the battery.

All your doing is adding on a bigger cable. Remember that electricity/electrons take the path of least resistance.

If your really worried about it, you could put a fuse/circuit breaker inline with the cable that you add on.

[amerikim]

Cool........Something I will plan on doing. Getting more ideas for summer..