[Garage Guy]

It's condition inspection time on our RV-6 and the Lycoming gray enamel on the valve covers is chipping and flaking after 650 hours. So I figure I would repaint them.

I bought a rattle can of Tempo A-219, took the valve covers off and chemically stripped the paint. Hmmm, they look pretty good. Buffed them up a bit, and they look really nice. I'm thinking I could leave them like this, because they do look good, and to save the hassle of painting them. But I don't think I've ever seen an engine with unpainted covers, unless they were chromed or 'gold' cad plated, and maybe there's a good reason for that.

I'm not sure what the plating is on these covers. But it looks like the same white zinc plating that's on the induction tubes, which is holding up very well, no corrosion. Whatever it is, paint doesn't adhere to it very well!

Those of you with more experience on this, is there a reason I should definitely go ahead and paint the covers? Or is it OK to leave them unpainted?

Thanks for any help,

--Paul

 

[gasman]

On my Piper Warrior that I just sold, the valve cover paint was removed in 1984 and there has been no problems with rust here in north CA.

 

[Rick6a]

....because they do look good....

Now adorning a wall, when I upgraded to chrome covers from Chief, I wasted no time stripping the Lycoming gray paint off these unused valve covers pulled from my new OEM engine. I agree Paul. They do look good and personally, I would not hesitate to install these unpainted covers if I had to.

 

[Garage Guy]

Thanks Rick and gasman...

Our covers aren't the 'gold' plated ones like Rick's, they are 'silver'. Zinc? Cadmium? When did Lycoming switch from one to the other, and why, I wonder?

Whatever, it looks like good high quality plating on these, and visually it is a nice effect against our aluminum side baffles...

--Paul

 

[jrs14855]

rocker covers

the silver is plain cadmium plating. The gold is a dichromate dip performed after the plating process. Other colors are also available. The gold is probably from an engine shop or aftermarket supplier that replated the rocker covers. I have also seen them done in real gold plating.

 

[MrNomad]

Another option is....

Consider using high temp clear coat which you can get in shaker cans.

 

[gasman]

Thanks Rick and gasman...

Our covers aren't the 'gold' plated ones like Rick's, they are 'silver'. Zinc? Cadmium? When did Lycoming switch from one to the other, and why, I wonder?

Whatever, it looks like good high quality plating on these, and visually it is a nice effect against our aluminum side baffles...

--Paul

Mine were silver................... no problem.