[mikebontoft]

Hey, asking this for my buddy with the ST...... are there and what kind of options are there available as far as valve covers and or engine covers for the 05 ST? he asked me that today, and I told him to make an account on FF and ask, lol. He said he was looking into doing that anyway [woot] but really, any ideas? I think I heard HonHon might know [paranoid] [slap]

 

[PumkinSvt]

mazda engine cover

 

[mikebontoft]

ah ok..... yeah I thought I head something about that. lol.

 

[warneej]

the mazda fits with some fabrication, check ebay

for the 03-04 duratecs F2 made one that covered the intake manifold and looked nice but won't fit his nor is it possible to find them anymore...

 

[mikebontoft]

ah..... well I ought to tell him that's not his main concern, lol. He's looking at exhausts, but I don't get why cause I looked under there and it already looked aftermarket. No fair the ST's have those. I think it'll be safe to say I'll be helping him put in whatever it is, if it's bolt on like mine. lol.

 

[honhon]

a custom sheet metal one shouldnt be too hard to fab up with some average tools.

 

[mikebontoft]

^^ hmm I think I am getting what you're saying......basically take off the VC and, with a mallet, bang that thing to hell until it has the perfect shape of the VC? lol not really, but thanks, there's another idea..... I'm guessing that would be an engine cover, right? I don't think a sheet metal valve cover would work very well, lol.

 

[honhon]

no... lol... the stock valve cover is a composite plastic... i was talking about a sheet metal engine cover. lol

 

[jetrinka]

<<<See avatar. lol

 

[NAD23ZX3]

There are aluminum valve covers out there for the duratec. I've got one but it came with the car.

 

[UnFocusedST]

Hey jetrinka. How much of a PITA was to paint your valve cover? Also how long have you had it painted and had it chipped any yet on its own?

 

[mikebontoft]

no... lol... the stock valve cover is a composite plastic... i was talking about a sheet metal engine cover. lol

yeah that's what I thought........and just for the record, that was supposed to be a joke, though it didn't totally look like it :B. and nice, jetrinka

 

[honhon]

lol... that i read it a 2nd time, it sounds more like a joke, i just didnt want you to start going out there with a mallet lol

 

[jetrinka]

Hey jetrinka. How much of a PITA was to paint your valve cover? Also how long have you had it painted and had it chipped any yet on its own?

lol funny story.

I painted it once and it just went totally wrong. One thing is I didn't let the paint dry enough before putting it on. Second is I didn't tape off any of the holes.... So paint was being exposed to the oil both through the filler cap and the camshaft sensor... yeah... So the paint smudged, especially when the wires touched it and just made it look bad.

So I ended up buying an whole new one from Ford. I was much more careful. Actually took it to work where we have a paint booth and did it there. Cleaned it VERY well and scuffed it a bit with some very fine sandpaper. Used an adhesion promotor because it was plastic. Then around 3-4 coats of the paint. (duplicolor engine enamel) Then I let it dry for 7 days. An enamel must fully gas off before it reaches its full toughness and it typically takes around 7 days at 70 degrees or so. Slapped that on there and it has been great.

Well not quite. After I did the wire tuck on my motor I noticed some of the paint had rubbed off where the wires ran over the cover. This is one of the main reasons I have that aluminum plate on there to dress it up even more. Just didn't want to touch up the paint. Plus I think it looks good. Everywhere else though the paint has held up great. Around 6 months now I think. Even down by the header. No chipping or damage at all.

So I guess if you are going to do it, just allow lots of time for drying and do it carefully. Getting the thing off was a piece of cake. Around an hour. Just make sure to inventory which bolt goes in which hole as there are different length bolts.

 

[mikebontoft]

lol screw that, I'll take a mallet to my SPI's VC any day...... actually that would be easier to make one for that though, just FMI []. I think I'll glass-bead the SPI cover though, cause it's all dirty, but that's off topic. lol.

 

[jetrinka]

lol... that i read it a 2nd time, it sounds more like a joke, i just didnt want you to start going out there with a mallet lol

That would be so hilarious!! I can totally see someone going out there and just banging the heck outta a piece of metal. "it won't fit!!!!" ROTFL

 

[UnFocusedST]

jetrinka thanks for the info.

 

[mikebontoft]

That would be so hilarious!! I can totally see someone going out there and just banging the heck outta a piece of metal. "it won't fit!!!!" ROTFL

lol OMG, that almost sounds like WeeASP's rant episode V I just read.....basically it's about how Ikea is so effin messed up and how hard it is to put something as simple as a simple chair, together.