Timing cover

pertyfly · Post by **pertyfly** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 12:16 pm

Has anyone cleaned their timing cover, or do they generally buy new or something?

I tried cleaning the bright yellow cover, and I used some really good cleaner that I use on everything else. It came 100x cleaner, but it's still dirty!!

I'm wondering if anyone has had any way of getting it almost brand new looking?

I'm hoping to somehow clean it, as opposed to cleaning it the best I can and *cringes* painting it....

1GooDDaDDy · Post by **1GooDDaDDy** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 2:02 pm

Hi,
I have one of those yellow fiberglass covers too. I tried every thing in the book to get it clean and new looking. It was still pretty bad by my standards. So I wet sanded the whole thing, starting with 220 grit, all the way up to 1000 grit. Then primed it with "High Temp" engine primer and then shot it with the same color that the car is. Oh, be sure to use "High Temp" clear coat on it too. It sure looks alot better now. It should hold up for quite a few years before I have to do it again.
http://www.snapfish.com/slideshow/Album ... _=45561733

Good Luck
Dennis from Sacto.

mdrburchette · Post by **mdrburchette** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 3:27 pm

I've tried cleaning mine and I never could get the grease spots out. It must just soak up over time. Painting it may be the only way to go unless you want to make one.

spiderrey · Post by **spiderrey** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 8:44 pm

mdburchette, i see u have a late model cap on ur overflow tank. i like the early metal ones myself. as far as the plastic timing cover goes. it can be dyed. radio control hobby shops sll dye for plastic. it should work on the cover, u just need to boil the cover in the dye. i think ill try it just for the heck of it,

kapman001 · Post by **kapman001** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 11:54 pm

I sanded and painted mine too w/ engine enamel

Hjulen · Post by **Hjulen** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 12:44 am

Wow, I really like with color matching on the valve covers.

YeLLoWBoAt · Post by **YeLLoWBoAt** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 12:46 am

If its fiber glass I would suggust priming it with some ployester primer

PCL makes a wonder full primer for this purpose.( its name is like polyprime or something close to that) It has great fill, sands great, has some flex to it, great adheision and best of all its a 1/3 of the cost of a "epoxy" primer( its like 15-20 bucks a quater and you mix it 2 to 1 with mek). This primer is also great for "blocking down" a car.

I have used this primer several times of fiber glass boats.

perthling · Post by **perthling** » Mon May 08, 2006 12:59 am

I've got an aluminium (aluminum for you northerners) cover which looks a bit ratty - anyone got any tips on how to get my cover nice and shiny? I have been contemplating progressively sanding it then buffing it but am wondering how good I can get it to look noting that it has those ribs over the front of it. I also want to do the same with my cam covers.

mdrburchette · Post by **mdrburchette** » Mon May 08, 2006 7:42 am

I'd take it to an aluminum polisher. I polished my cam covers and it took several hours. Trying to make it look uniform with all the nooks and crannies was the most difficult part and then I wasn't completely satifsfied.

I took my intake to get polished and it looks like chrome without the hassle!

Timing cover

Timing cover

Timing Cover