BAD-HABIT

Man I just spent over $135.00 for Moroso valve covers at the end of the year for my SBC Vortec heads. They were the only ones that were made to clear roller rockers on the centerbolt heads. They look real trick. Well I raised the engine hatch the other day and couldn't belive the corrosion on them. My intake is polished and my risers and aircleaner are chrome. My intake didn't corrode at all....Why would the covers corrode and not the intake? What can I do to keep the corrosion from coming on so damn fast! I thought about putting a thin layer of WD-40 on them. Any ideas?

Thanks
Bad-Habit

Cord

iTrader: (2)

It probably has to do with the composition of the aluminum. You could have them powdercoated. I had my intake coated. Unfortunately, it was still losing it's shine, so I'm rather disappointed. When it was first done, you could see your reflection, now it's just shiney. Ultimately, I guess you could have them clear anodized which would last forever. Or, you can just keep a can of polish handy.

RumRunner

You can have them coated, or try the Zoops Seal stuff that the street rodders use.

cig1988

Us salt water people have a severe problem with that. I personelly prep with a zinc primer and finish with imron. Powder coating is fine but imron is alot easier to re-finish down the road.

BAD-HABIT

Any ideas on how much it would cost to get it painted with imron? I could do the prep and apply the primer but I don't have any experence with painting (except from the can ). I really like this idea. I originally wanted to have the red moroso valve covers to offset the rest of the stainless and aluminum anyways but they don't make the red covers for the centerbolt heads...How durable would it be painting them?

Bad-Habit

Sonic30ss

Have them powder coated with a translucent red they will look awesome Call Colorlife in Hicksville,NY

Doug

The name down the side of my boat is Pure Adrenaline. I put a high polish on my valve covers and then had the name cut in vinyl for the valve covers. After putting it on I went to Auto Zone and bought the clear coat for the engine paint and then shot them with about 3 light coats. 2 years and they are still shine and look like they were just put on. Make sure it's the one for the engine paint.
There is a company in town that I have had a lot of powder coating done and there is a clear powder coating. Usually they charge $ 5 as long as they are running the color I want and another $ 5 to clear it. Good luck, Doug

Scott72

I have an aluminum intake manifold that I also sprayed in clear. I didn't spray my aluminum Imco valve covers and they are started to show some corrosion, were the intake looks brand new. Like Doug said, if you don't want to powdercoat them, clear may be the way to go. Fighting salt water just sucks...it eats everything.

Scott

formula31

Keep them away from any copper. There were three 1/2" copper water lines running near this motor contactor box and look what happened. All the rest were fine, and this wasnt from salt.

cig1988

I used black imrom on everything from the drives to the vibration dampners. That was in 1995. It still looks pretty damn good. There are some signs of a little corrosion but it's an easy fix. What I dont like about PC is the corrosion starts from a nick and is contained under the coating and spreads like cancer. With imron the corrosion is simply wired wheeled or glass beaded, prepped and re-shot vs the process of removing all the PC and starting from scatch. The key is to use a zinc primer 1st to avoid the spread of corrosion. Using PC, the coating is applied to the bare surface with no protection of zinc. If you are going this route, spray the zinc in light coats and be patient. Hope I did'nt rattle anyone's cage on this. This is only my opinion. As far as spraying imron, check with your local automotive paint supplier and they will have a color chart and may be able to direct you to a body shop that will do this for you. Ofter the guy's behind the counter do side work and may be able to do this cheaper vs a body shop. The down side to that is they may not be able to do this in a spray booth unless they have access to one. But with the right conditions dust should not be an issue.