Valve cover powder coating

I will be powder coating my valve covers.
Before I do that I need to sand blast them.
Has anyone successfully removed the baffling on the underside?

It's going to catch a lot of grit and it will be a PITA to get it clean much less know it's clean before putting on an engine...

 

Those look like rivets. Might be better to mask the entire inside off, and maybe half of that sealing surface.

I don't have any powder coat experience, but that's how I'd prep if I was painting it. Cool project, I've been wanting to do the same.

 

They're actually bosses on the cover and it looks like they were smashed down, like a rivet, to hold the plates.

I think I will look into alternatives. Melting wax and filling the whole inside would be better. Don't know if anyone does that, but if you could completely seal it off from grit and then just melt the barrier away with some heat...

 

I've powdered a few with baffles, acetone/degrease then wax edge the baffle, then mask.

Doing a wax pour seems excessive.

 

You don't think you could effectively sand blast the outside without being able to clean out the inside? Why wouldn't masking this off with plastic/tape work? If you can't fully clean out what is behind those plates I doubt the engine oil is going to be removing it. Also interested because I would like to sand blast mine to clean em up.

 

Little anecdote, I had a good friend who worked as a mechanic at a ford dealership for years after he got out of college. We were talking about how handy scotchbrite discs were on an angle grinder and he told me the dealership banned the use of them in the shop because the dust leftover got in the air and supposedly was potentially wearing out engines. Do I think that is extreme. Yes. Have I been paranoid about my Scotchbrite discs ever since? YES!
If you've ever sandblasted anything that was masked with tape you will know even though the masking has covered the area, when you take it apart there will be grains and dust that will get in there where you don't want it. Most times, I'm not sandblasting/powder coating a part that isn't just all one piece of metal. In most cases, masking is just to avoid etching the wrong surface, not keeping grit out.

Keeping grit out all together is a whole other ball game..

 

I don't even want the dust anywhere near the seam that I'm taking the wax off of when I'm done. However, if I can wash the part with the wax in place maybe it won't be that bad?
I am interested in how you've done wax baffles though. Like what type of wax exactly would help. I've been searching the net and this is not info talked about all that often.

 

Just for fun, look at these beautiful cams! IIRC there was 145K on this engine so not a lot of miles, but cams this clean; no doubt somebody was doing their oil changes.

 

You need access to one of these. What an amazing piece of equipment:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95zNcncv_Ms

 

hey... It's that guy

 

I got mine powder-coated 6 years ago. They are still holding up great. I used a cleaning solvent and steel wool to clean up mine.

I would not use any abrasive blasting material on the covers. The valve covers can be cleaned with solvents like Berryman Chemtool or a newer chemical that is less caustic.

Blasting material will hide inside the cavities in the covers, work its way out, and get into the engine oil. Also, if you run the engine for a few thousand miles, the inner will turn dark.

Getting your upper and lower intake manifold squeaky clean to gaskets mate up gives a good return for your time.

 

I mean, can’t you just hose the valve covers down in brake cleaner or any other type of solvent to remove the dust/particles? Is everyone thinking that won’t be effective or? It just seems like if you drench the thing you’ll remove the material.

 

yep.

thanks btw, that's pretty close to how mine will look when done. I'm not going that far into the intake, I have no reason. Not sure if I'll PC the intake plenum or just shine it up. If I did it'd be white or black. I think that would be too much. Maybe black...be a shame not to it's such an easy part to clean up.

My covers have some pretty black spots on them. But I suppose you are right. I should try with the liquids best I can first. PC really sticks good to freshly blasted surfaces though.

 

And there goes your PC. PC will resist some chemicals, but in my exp get brake clean on a shiny PC and some color comes off and it dulls. It's just plastic afterall, not some crazy durable substance.

 

https://m.youtube.com/shorts/FFFEvXpSBPY

 

scotchbrite discs come in varying levels of abrasive.

the particles fall into the engine.
And the use of it runs the risk of un leveling the engine opposite of what a good machine shop would achieve.

that being said. I’ve done it. Had no issue. Known many others the same. Why?
1. Don’t be dumb and push too hard with the wrong disc.
2. Flush the engine. That’s what you’re supposed to do anyway. Because of contaminants.

 

I wasn't referring to using them on engines, using them period. Using them in the vicinity of an engine opened up.

 

And that right there, folks, is what I was looking for. Somebody get this man a beer!

 

So those are rivets.

Could have sworn they were the posts themselves

 

Shes got a good point about how it's almost a waste of time to PC these VCs, but I'm that guy who dont care.