Post your painted spark plug covers

Post by **asimba2** » 21 Dec 2011, 11:45

I need to do a little engine compartment cleanup and would like to see what you've done with your sparkplug cover. The "Volvo 20 Valve" writing looks bad on my new-to-me 850T, so it's time to freshen it up.

1995 Volvo 850 Turbo, 129k & working on Stage 0
2000 Toyota 4Runner 4WD 5-speed, TRD Supercharged

Post by **RobTheModd** » 22 Mar 2012, 12:55

My engine at one point seems to have gone thru a different color combo everytime I opened the hood.

I have over 20 different engine paint set ups but these are a couple of the ones I liked more.

You can do any of this with engine paint found at a autozone or advance auto. Spray can works fine.
Just make sure you tape some stuff off if you start spraying the engine.
and light coats on the spark plug cover.

Wash the plug cover VERY well with soap and water, lots of rinsing and some degrease to remove any oils that have soaked into it, or it will come out looking bad.

Currently it sits waiting to be polished, I put the plug cover back on, but I havent had time to go back thru with different grits of sand paper to shine it up.

Post by **vjaneczko** » 22 Mar 2012, 13:41

Rob, did you tape off the intake & head to paint them or were they out of the car when painted?

Here's my cover. I've wanted to paint the words in white but I just haven't gotten around to it - yet

Post by **RobTheModd** » 22 Mar 2012, 15:43

Nope engine and everything was still in the car.

Post by **asimba2** » 27 Mar 2012, 09:53

I have not been able to find a way to cleanly repaint the raised lettering, so I will probably just go all-black. Thanks for the pictures.

Post by **vjaneczko** » 27 Mar 2012, 12:47

I PM'd someone that had a beautiful paint job on the raised letters (even on the oil cap!) and he said he used a small paintbrush and a very steady hand!

Post by **B5234T3** » 18 Jun 2012, 08:06

I took some pics of mine while I was doing the job, thinking one day when I get off my a$$ and join the forum it may be helpful to someone

I masked up the lettering with tape, and once painted over, just peeled the tape off. It still didn't look right, so I got a Q-tip dipped in white spirits and stroked it over the raised lettering, removing any remaining wet paint. I did it while the paint was still slightly wet. Worked a treat. The silver lettering in the pics is of the original paint. I Preferred it like that vs just painting the entire panel.

Post by **vjaneczko** » 18 Jun 2012, 08:47

Man, that is a sweet job!

Post by **B5234T3** » 18 Jun 2012, 09:28

Thanks! I should have also mentioned that you can achieve a similar result by using a paint pen. They sell them at the local hardware store in all different colors. It's good for if your not actually going to paint the cover and want to touch up the silver highlights/change the color.

Post by **BobbyC777** » 15 Dec 2012, 12:38

Nice valve cover pix !

When I was changing plugs on my V70 (2004) I noticed that the 8 T30 bolt heads were a little corroded and I'd like to clean them up. Someone suggested phosphoric acid (naval jelly) but I don't think that would offer future protection.

Any tips or pictures welcome. Thanks.

Bob

p.s. one might think that I had everything else in my life squared away if I'm worrying about this stuff - NOT SO !