Repainting head and valve cover

Hi all,

Well in the on-going ever-increasing "Maybe I should also...." job of redoing my head gasket, the latest thoughts I've been having are about the fact that during cleaning, milling and rinsing the head lost alot of its orange-y paint. Also the valve cover could use a new coat of black as well....

So I can't believe I am asking this, but I guess I want to know what paints/colors I need to survive the heat and look generally correct for my F Head...obviously "black and orange-y" but are there brands types etc that are recommended?

 

And what about the orange?

 

I have had good luck with VHT (High temp enamel), avaiable at Autozone and Advance for about $9.00 a spray can. Make sure to mask off the gasket surfaces so you don't get paint where you will have gaskets.

I have two engines, one was all black, the other is orange with a chrome valve cover. Both F-134s.

Black will less likely show oil stains.

Chuck

 

Is the orange, and iron oxide coating?? Seemed like that was underneath the original black on my motor. But I went a little overboard with spray cans and color choices:

 

I'm gonna name your engine "Joseph", cause that thing has a coat of many colors......................

 

that never gets old.

 

LOL wow. I was thinking Rainbow Warrior...

My head was orange and it seems to have been original based on the way it came off in one thin layer and there's plain ole iron under it. So maybe it was a coating....

Valve cover is black. I got me some rustoleum 500 degrees engine spray paint in orange and in black...if I have enough maybe I'll redo the air intake to carb mount too...hmm air cleaner too..should be fun! LOL I prob am gonna end up painting everything as well! Maybe not that many....shades....but yeah now I am getting psyched.

 

My block is a dark red.

 

Don't go by 'Show Cars'! Those engines are never run, and I would even bet you won't find any liquids in them, either!

 

I have to disagree. Portland Roadster show the vehicle must run or it can't be entered. We get the same big name vehicles that travel the country.

The epoxy primer and paint trick does work. It will burn off around the exhaust ports though.

 

There is something said in keeping it simple, I painted mine like that for a few reasons, 1) I already had the paint, 2) it's mine, 3) I wanted something more unique this time around. Simplicity can outshine creativity, these are simple machines, keeping them simple is part of the enjoyment.

 

Maybe I am just prejudiced, then. I have no use for a vehicle that is just going to sit around, gather dust and then have to be washed, just to see the light of day for maybe 24 to 72 hours.

 

Thats what I mean ..I agress 100%..

 

My block was orange underneath as well. I read somewhere (maybe somewhere on this forum, I don't recall) that the orange was a base primer used at the factory with black as the top coat. Black is indeed the "correct" color, although it's your Jeep so it's your choice.

 

so the valve cover and head should both be black, hmm yeah i don't like that idea, I am somewhere in between that idea and Long and Low's interpretation. Not that i have a problem with either! And I am a fan of both garage queens and total beaters....and rat rods! And I am a strong proponent of there being more than one way to solve a problem so let's settle down a little.

 

I am wondering what makes more sense.....5 bucks worth of orange rustoleum or a sealer that may be unobtanium... anyone got info on this sealer?

 

Wouldn't any sealer work?

Unless you are doing Concours (spelling may be wrong), it just has to seal, not be historically (hysterically?) correct.

And isn't Rustoleum a sealer?

 

So I shot the head in orange and the valve cover and some other parts in black and I am very pleased with the results AND I have a suggestion for whoever has to do this.
I was concerned about getting paint into the head bolt holes and spark plug holes but covering each one was going to be a bear...so I came up with a clever solution - NICKELS!
They fit PERFECTLY down in the plug holes and they are heavy enough not to move around on the bolt holes. I may find that the diameter of the not-painted-area was a bit wide but I am not too worried about that. Next time I might try dimes, but they are pretty light and then you're talking over a buck's worth of orange coins, with nickels its only 60 cents worth! :tea: