Need advices for engine engine esthetic
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Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 39
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From: Montreal
Need advices for engine engine esthetic
Hi everyone since winter is over here in Canada i can finally start working on my car again. The car is running great and i did most of the preventive maintenance i could and now i would like to focus on the car body/esthetic. Since i bought the car, the engine cover or cylinder head cover ? (tbh im not sure what its called) has been an eyesore. I was looking into maybe buying another one of that car part if its not too expensive or difficult to remove or painting it? Im not sure what i should do but if i do decide to paint it i would like the letters to remain the same colors but i cant exactly put masking tape on them since they are so small. I added a picture so guys can know what im talking about. If any of you have ideas or advice on what you would do in my place please share them. Thank you everyone in advance.
Does anyone have an answer as to why some intake manifold covers have paint chipped and appear to be bubbling but why many TLs with much higher mileage doesn't have any blemishes?
I bought my TL with 130k km (80k miles) and it already came with a chipped/bubbled intake manifold cover.
OP, you can try painting it like I did, but it will chip off eventually sooner than later. You could pay the extra coin to get it powder coated so it lasts longer.
I would just leave it.
I bought my TL with 130k km (80k miles) and it already came with a chipped/bubbled intake manifold cover.
OP, you can try painting it like I did, but it will chip off eventually sooner than later. You could pay the extra coin to get it powder coated so it lasts longer.
I would just leave it.
Last edited by guitarplayer16; Apr 7, 2017 at 10:55 PM.
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Joined: Jun 2014
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From: In an igloo
Your best bet is to powder coat it.
Be careful. The bolts holding that thing down DO NOT require a lot of torque when retightening. Be careful to not strip the aluminum they screw into! It's something only like 8 lbft of torque to hold them down.
I cant remember what's underneath the cover, but I assume it's a gasket. It's wise to replace it if you take this piece off. When you get it off, just see what's there. It's escaping me as to whether there is a gasket or not.
You can either buy a new one (check out acuraoemparts.com) but it likely is expensive.
or you can powder coat it. the beauty with powder coating is they would likely just bead blast that cover clean. It really is the best method. And powder coating is pretty damn durable.
Or you can sand it down yourself and paint it yourself with high temperature primer, paint and clear coat. It all comes down to your prep work. The more time you spend and the more careful you are, the better the results.
if you want the letters to remain looking bare, you could sand them down after the powder coating.
to some, painting comes naturally. To most, it really doesn't. When it comes to prepping and painting, personally, I prefer to trust professionals, Wherever possible. They do this kind of stuff for a living and can likely do a much nicer job than you.
Call a a few places and see what they would charge. Tell them what you want and they can likely make it happen.
Be careful. The bolts holding that thing down DO NOT require a lot of torque when retightening. Be careful to not strip the aluminum they screw into! It's something only like 8 lbft of torque to hold them down.
I cant remember what's underneath the cover, but I assume it's a gasket. It's wise to replace it if you take this piece off. When you get it off, just see what's there. It's escaping me as to whether there is a gasket or not.
You can either buy a new one (check out acuraoemparts.com) but it likely is expensive.
or you can powder coat it. the beauty with powder coating is they would likely just bead blast that cover clean. It really is the best method. And powder coating is pretty damn durable.
Or you can sand it down yourself and paint it yourself with high temperature primer, paint and clear coat. It all comes down to your prep work. The more time you spend and the more careful you are, the better the results.
if you want the letters to remain looking bare, you could sand them down after the powder coating.
to some, painting comes naturally. To most, it really doesn't. When it comes to prepping and painting, personally, I prefer to trust professionals, Wherever possible. They do this kind of stuff for a living and can likely do a much nicer job than you.
Call a a few places and see what they would charge. Tell them what you want and they can likely make it happen.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 39
Likes: 2
From: Montreal
Your best bet is to powder coat it.
Be careful. The bolts holding that thing down DO NOT require a lot of torque when retightening. Be careful to not strip the aluminum they screw into! It's something only like 8 lbft of torque to hold them down.
I cant remember what's underneath the cover, but I assume it's a gasket. It's wise to replace it if you take this piece off. When you get it off, just see what's there. It's escaping me as to whether there is a gasket or not.
You can either buy a new one (check out acuraoemparts.com) but it likely is expensive.
or you can powder coat it. the beauty with powder coating is they would likely just bead blast that cover clean. It really is the best method. And powder coating is pretty damn durable.
Or you can sand it down yourself and paint it yourself with high temperature primer, paint and clear coat. It all comes down to your prep work. The more time you spend and the more careful you are, the better the results.
if you want the letters to remain looking bare, you could sand them down after the powder coating.
to some, painting comes naturally. To most, it really doesn't. When it comes to prepping and painting, personally, I prefer to trust professionals, Wherever possible. They do this kind of stuff for a living and can likely do a much nicer job than you.
Call a a few places and see what they would charge. Tell them what you want and they can likely make it happen.
Be careful. The bolts holding that thing down DO NOT require a lot of torque when retightening. Be careful to not strip the aluminum they screw into! It's something only like 8 lbft of torque to hold them down.
I cant remember what's underneath the cover, but I assume it's a gasket. It's wise to replace it if you take this piece off. When you get it off, just see what's there. It's escaping me as to whether there is a gasket or not.
You can either buy a new one (check out acuraoemparts.com) but it likely is expensive.
or you can powder coat it. the beauty with powder coating is they would likely just bead blast that cover clean. It really is the best method. And powder coating is pretty damn durable.
Or you can sand it down yourself and paint it yourself with high temperature primer, paint and clear coat. It all comes down to your prep work. The more time you spend and the more careful you are, the better the results.
if you want the letters to remain looking bare, you could sand them down after the powder coating.
to some, painting comes naturally. To most, it really doesn't. When it comes to prepping and painting, personally, I prefer to trust professionals, Wherever possible. They do this kind of stuff for a living and can likely do a much nicer job than you.
Call a a few places and see what they would charge. Tell them what you want and they can likely make it happen.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 107
Likes: 9
From: PA
I used Vaseline on the lettering, it prevents paint from sticking on it. 
I used red high temp paint first to cover the lettering and allowed it to dry. Then put Vaseline on the dried paint and sprayed high temp black . Then used a knife and removed the Vaseline (which was black).
Couple of other things - I didn't use sand paper, just cleaned it thoroughly with alcohol. I used VHT high temp paint. No chips or bubbling, it's held up fine for a year and a half so far.
I used red high temp paint first to cover the lettering and allowed it to dry. Then put Vaseline on the dried paint and sprayed high temp black . Then used a knife and removed the Vaseline (which was black).
Couple of other things - I didn't use sand paper, just cleaned it thoroughly with alcohol. I used VHT high temp paint. No chips or bubbling, it's held up fine for a year and a half so far.
Last edited by Mr. Showtime; Apr 8, 2017 at 07:56 PM.
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Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 39
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From: Montreal
I used Vaseline on the lettering, it prevents paint from sticking on it. 
I used red high temp paint first to cover the lettering and allowed it to dry. Then put Vaseline on the dried paint and sprayed high temp black . Then used a knife and removed the Vaseline (which was black).
Couple of other things - I didn't use sand paper, just cleaned it thoroughly with alcohol. I used VHT high temp paint. No chips or bubbling, it's held up fine for a year and a half so far.
I used red high temp paint first to cover the lettering and allowed it to dry. Then put Vaseline on the dried paint and sprayed high temp black . Then used a knife and removed the Vaseline (which was black).
Couple of other things - I didn't use sand paper, just cleaned it thoroughly with alcohol. I used VHT high temp paint. No chips or bubbling, it's held up fine for a year and a half so far.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,600
Likes: 630
From: KCMO Burbs
Guessing exposure to lots of salt and lack of regular cleaning. Always possible there was a supplier difference as well that may have had some quality differences in how the coatings were applied.
I am with jackass on this one. It does seem like the less taken care of engine bays are the ones more susceptible to corrosion. By the looks of the picture and seeing rust spots on the strut bar, this engine bay was neglected for a few years. No offense to OP, but that is what I see.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,600
Likes: 630
From: KCMO Burbs
That strut bar was exactly what led me to the salt/neglect thought. Mine is faded out and less than perfect, but don't think I have any rust on the strut bar...although I haven't really looked under the hood in a while. A couple of times a year I at least spray out the engine bay at the car wash...but don't really spend much time under there these days.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 39
Likes: 2
From: Montreal
I am with jackass on this one. It does seem like the less taken care of engine bays are the ones more susceptible to corrosion. By the looks of the picture and seeing rust spots on the strut bar, this engine bay was neglected for a few years. No offense to OP, but that is what I see.