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DIY: Red Wrinkle Paint valve cover

C-speed

C-speed

Experienced Member
Joined
2 October 2005
Messages
701
Location
Bellingham, WA
We've gotten a lot people asking us to do a How-to on this over the last several years, so we've FINALLY gotten around to doing one.

Enjoy!

How-to article:
http://www.c-speedracing.com/howto/redvalvecover/redvalvecover.php

:D

DSC01326.JPG
 
looks good.
from personal experience though- wrinkle paint traps A LOT of dirt and is hard to clean.
 
Thanks for the write up. Do you usually have to replace the valve cover gasket? Also, do you recommend having the covers sand blasted instead of stripped? Lastly, do you offer this service to have it done? If so, how much & turnaround time?

Thx

Jeff
 
Last edited:
Racerxjling said:
Thanks for the write up. Do you usually have to replace the valve cover gasket?
Click to expand...

Only if they are old and/or brittle and leaking. Otherwise, reuse them.

Also, do you recommend having the covers sand blasted instead of stripped?
Click to expand...

You can if you want, the results are the same.

Lastly, do you offer this service to have it done? If so, how much & turnaround time?
Click to expand...

I may... I'd say in the neighborhood of $150-200/pair.

Turn around time would be about 2-3 days + shipping time.
 
I would not suggest sand blasting the magnesium valve covers.

You could plastic media blast but make sure you unbolt and remove the inner baffles so nothing gets trapped under there and gets in your motor later.

I think chemical stripping like these guys did is the best, but I would still R&I the inner baffles so nothing gets left behind.
 
I must admit... well done... looks real sharp!!
 
I just redid mine 2 weeks ago.

I can't stress enough the importance of heating them up after applying the paint. A household hair dryer just won't cut it. The frist time I did this 2 years ago, I used the hair dryer. It didn't turn out so well.

Go to Harbor Freight and buy the $15.99 Heat gun. Put it on High heat and blast way. It makes a perfect wrinkle effect. And it dries the paint much faster. Otherwise you will have to wait for a day for the paint to dry.
 
Another lesson. Becareful if you decide to detail your engine bay. You do not want use Engine Degreaser or other chemicals on your painted valve covers. Do not spray it will a heavy stream of water either. Your paint will fade and chip off.
 
well, if you are going through the trouble of pulling off your valve cover, why not invest in a hotcoat powdercoating system and do a diy powdercoat. i have one and i powdercoat everything. its always turns out so much nicer than paint and is more durable. i even powdercoated my hoseclamps for my intercooler tubing!:biggrin:
 
I think I'd go the powder coating method. It'd probably be <$100 for both for me to get mine done through my guy. I'd love to do it, I just don't want to have my valve covers off my engine for any amount of time!
 
kelsodeez said:
well, if you are going through the trouble of pulling off your valve cover, why not invest in a hotcoat powdercoating system and do a diy powdercoat. i have one and i powdercoat everything. its always turns out so much nicer than paint and is more durable. i even powdercoated my hoseclamps for my intercooler tubing!:biggrin:
Click to expand...

Because you can't get the OEM wrinkle finish with powder coat :biggrin:
 
C-speed said:
Because you can't get the OEM wrinkle finish with powder coat :biggrin:
Click to expand...

you can do a wrinkle finish with powdercoat. i have a jar of red crinkle right now! i dont know if the stock red valve cover comes powdercoated or painted. id assume powdercoated because they didnt really cut any corners anywhere else on the car. why would they start with the finish on the valve cover:wink:
 
Beautiful work. If you decide to offer this service please PM me and I'll get a set of covers out to you. I'd also like to have the intake manifold cover painted to match.

Thanks,
Hugh
 
Dhalsim said:
yeah exactly.......what the hell are you doing that you are getting dirt in your engine bay?
Click to expand...

i plow with it- what do you think?


in all seriousness guys, it is obviously a choice and the red wrinkle does look cool but if i was redoing something like this, i would opt for a finish that is easier to care for and is more durable, like plain red powdercoat . the 'wrinkling' agents in that type of coating make the paint weaker- i once accidentally put few brake-fluid fingerprints on a part that was wrinkle-painted (oem harley finish, not rattle-can) and the paint failed very quickly, much faster than a regular auto paint.
 
Did you prime the bare metal first before applying the VHT Red Wrinkle? I stripped my manifold cover and tried to use VHT Red Wrinkle (I think it's color 206?) and it came out too dark.

So I need to re-do it. Maybe if it has a white primer underneath, it will look brighter. Maybe I got a bad batch of paint?
 
NSX-Files said:
Did you prime the bare metal first before applying the VHT Red Wrinkle? I stripped my manifold cover and tried to use VHT Red Wrinkle (I think it's color 206?) and it came out too dark.

So I need to re-do it. Maybe if it has a white primer underneath, it will look brighter. Maybe I got a bad batch of paint?
Click to expand...

Nope, no primer. As long as you clean the surface really well, it'll stick. As for the color, the bare metal vs black OEM wrinkle, turns out the same - just like in the pics.
 
NSX-Files said:
Did you prime the bare metal first before applying the VHT Red Wrinkle? I stripped my manifold cover and tried to use VHT Red Wrinkle (I think it's color 206?) and it came out too dark.

So I need to re-do it. Maybe if it has a white primer underneath, it will look brighter. Maybe I got a bad batch of paint?
Click to expand...

VHT Wrinkle Red SP204 (not 206).

Did you apply heat with a heat gun or bake in the oven after applying the paint? Also make sure you shake the can up really good. Shake it for a couple of minutes.
 
a friend of mine uses an old oven at around 400 deg.

btw, i just walked to a nearby powdercoating shop and red wrinkle coat is readily available.
 

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