Valve Cover Touch Up

[gmcjetpilot]

Anyone can recommend some good rattle can paint. Technique for partial touchup. 

 

I have some high temp silver paint that is pretty close. I blended out the spots with sandpaper. I tapped it off and applied many like coats to FILL the low spot left by the damage. I am supprised how thick the OEM paint build up is. I assume paint? May be powder coat? 

 

 I don't want to or need to refinish the whole valve cover, they are pretty OK as is, but the "rash" and missing finish could be improved. I am not looking for perfection.  Cheers

[dirtrider]

8 hours ago, gmcjetpilot said:

Anyone can recommend some good rattle can paint. Technique for partial touchup. 

 

I have some high temp silver paint that is pretty close. I blended out the spots with sandpaper. I tapped it off and applied many like coats to FILL the low spot left by the damage. I am supprised how thick the OEM paint build up is. I assume paint? May be powder coat? 

 

 I don't want to or need to refinish the whole valve cover, they are pretty OK as is, but the "rash" and missing finish could be improved. I am not looking for perfection.  Cheers

Morning  gmcjetpilot

 

I can't help you with the paint match. Some use silver auto wheel pain as a few are a fairly close match. 

 

Is your valve cover damage in a location that valve cover protectors will cover up.  A number of riders have used plastic valve cover protectors to cover up (hide)  light valve cover damage. 

[Mike279]

Check the Camhead section on page 2 aftermarket replacement thread.  

[RPG]

9 hours ago, gmcjetpilot said:

Anyone can recommend some good rattle can paint. Technique for partial touchup. 

 

I have some high temp silver paint that is pretty close. I blended out the spots with sandpaper. I tapped it off and applied many like coats to FILL the low spot left by the damage. I am supprised how thick the OEM paint build up is. I assume paint? May be powder coat? 

 

 I don't want to or need to refinish the whole valve cover, they are pretty OK as is, but the "rash" and missing finish could be improved. I am not looking for perfection.  Cheers

I found an excellent product with Dupli-Color Engine Enamel with Ceramic. It's a perfect match and hasn't flaked or chipped in at least four years now.

The code is DE1615 aluminum.

 

[gmcjetpilot]

2 hours ago, dirtrider said:

Is your valve cover damage in a location that valve cover protectors will cover up.  A number of riders have used plastic valve cover protectors to cover up (hide)  light valve cover damage. 

 

 47K miles and 19 yrs, and no valve cover protectors. Not smart but.....  I am going to buy a set. eBay shows a variety from $30 to $230.  One set looks like the steel skit plate on the bottom of a 4x4 off road truck. 

 

I have the usual "rash" on the bottom both sides.  Nothing bad but it went to the metal and scratched/gouged..  They are not visible standing next to bike and the guards would cover.  However one side I have some rash on top and a few minor gouges. Not bad just not pretty. Figure I might as well freshen up as I do all the major serviceing (which ahs gone great thanks to BST and your self).  I don't want to make it look worse.  Thanks again.

[gmcjetpilot]

10 hours ago, RPG said:

I found an excellent product with Dupli-Color Engine Enamel with Ceramic. It's a perfect match and hasn't flaked or chipped in at least four years now.

The code is DE1615 aluminum.

 

 

 

Thank you I will give it a try. 

 

EDIT, I taped off the damaged areas and started laying down light coats until I filled the gouged area. I let it dry, took the tape off. Then I sanded smooth. I will go over it with top coat. In a few words I used the paint as body filler. It is basically same color as the OEM color. However sanding changes the gloss. So I think it will look better. Plus I ordered some cover savers.... cheap but better than nothing. 

[gmcjetpilot]

This is the touch up. It looks way better than the gouge and rash.  I wish I had before pictures. Both covers left and right had the typical bottom rash, but Right side also three spots, one being on the top, a gouge. Cause don't recall how, where or when but it was a gouge and scratches (possibly when parked or dropping something on it?

 

What I did was prep all damaged areas with sandpaper and scotch-brit pad. I did not blend the gouge away but smoothed it out. I kept the sanded blended area as small, locaI. I did not want to remove too much metal or make damage area bigger by reworking it. 

 

I cleaned area lacquer thinner on clean paper towel. I taped off just the damaged areas and used paper to protect surrounding areas. I started applying light coats of paint to fill in the gouges. I used the paint as filler. I applied paint every 15 to 30 min, at least a dozen to two dozen coats on deeper gouges until the defect looked filled. Let dry for 2 dats. Then removed the tape and hand sanded, very fine sandpaper to level blend out. The build up of primer around damage was proud and needed to be sanded down, but again trying not to make the damaged area grow larger in area. 

 

Then taped larger area, scuffed with scotch-birte pad (med maroon color), wiped with lacquer thinner. Then applied two or three light coats about 5 min apart. It was looking so good I stopped knowing it was not perfection. If you look at my other thread of where I just posted pictures you can see it looks good. LINK>

 help-my-r1150rt-stored-for-5-years-need-advice-to-bring-back-to-life/

 

Standing in normal light looking you can't see any touch, unless you look for it closely and know what to look for. These pictures are close with flash. I could sand and repaint, however it looked good enough. It was really ugly and noticeable before, so pleased with how it turned out. To do it right you have to remove the cover, remove all the paint, blend out damage and repaint the whole thing.