Good suggestions, thanks. What do you think about a DTM paint like the POR15? Amazon.com
I wonder which would give the best protection against chemicals like throttle body cleaner etc (powder coat is probably the best approach).
Wonder why Amazon links tend to not work on this forum....I had to copy/paste it in a new tab to see it. Anyway....
I tend to stick with very well known paint vendors when I do rattle can work. I've found it does make a big difference in the finished product. I've had very good results with Dupli-Color brand and have used it for years. VHT is a division of Dupli-Color aka Sherwin Williams. I can't speak to POR.
One thing I'm checking in to now is primer. Typically, raw aluminum like our valve covers require a self etching primer but I'm not finding one that's "high heat". Not sure how hot the valve covers get. I'll have to check next drive with my thermometer gun.
One thing I'm checking in to now is primer. Typically, raw aluminum like our valve covers require a self etching primer but I'm not finding one that's "high heat". Not sure how hot the valve covers get. I'll have to check next drive with my thermometer gun.
Yup, that's exactly why I'm thinking about Direct To Metal paints, to skip the primer....
Location: north east of Fairbank out there in the frontiers Alaska
Posts: 3,010
Real Name: 3 Bears
found out I have a garage to use for 2 days the first of april so I just ordered everything to do mine....oem
in an earlier post I mentioned the oil fill cap gasket...if you need # it is 90430-37140
also ordered lots of other parts like ICV gasket, throttle body gasket, pcv grommet , hose and pcv, heater control valve, fuel filter and oem cold weather rear tailgate struts
__________________
2000 SR-5 Highlander version 4:30's, factory locker , green, bought 6/21
2001 SR-5... bought 11/20..sold 6/21....
2000 SR-5 moded, lifted, e locker, other cool stuff, totaled 10/20
Interesting find! I'm probably going to go with their standard engine enamel paint, with some etching primer first.
Paint needs scratches or a rough surface to stick too. I used etching primer before seems to work. You can always hand sand with wet sand 180 then primer wed sand 300 then primer again. After that's cured go for the enamel top coat. Depends on how smooth a surface you want it to be when completed.
Ok VHT got back to me. They stated you can use the VHT SP148 primer if we'd like, or scuffing up the surface really well and putting the VHT Wrinkle Plus straight on the aluminum is also fine. Since others have done the latter, that's the way I'll go and skip the primer.
I ended up taking the easy way out and getting mine powder coated. The guy gave me a killer deal that I could not pass up. Looks great IMO (ignore my smudge near the top):
Starting on the valve cover gaskets this week. I'm planning to paint mine and was curious how hot they get. This was after about a 30 minute drive, stopped to run some errands, and a 30 minute drive back. This was the hottest spot I could find.
Got started. Not too bad just a little time consuming.
@mtbtim
was right on the time. Took me 2 hours to get them removed. Not sure how Toyota does the whole job in 3 hours.
Got started. Not too bad just a little time consuming.
@mtbtim
was right on the time. Took me 2 hours to get them removed. Not sure how Toyota does the whole job in 3 hours.
I'm betting they don't do it that quick. A very common complaint among mechanics is that book times are way too short and it screws them over.
Probably right and I wouldn't want them rushing to beat the clock.
In some cases on newer vehicles the discrepancies are egregious. I watch a fair amount of mechanic youtube channels. One had something that had a book time of like 3 hours but it requires half disassembling the truck to get to the one part and is a 24 hour job. Engineers come up with these book times, you'd almost think they did this stuff on purpose to make a mechanics life hell...
Just use OEM parts. Also, this job isn't just valve cover gaskets if you want to do it right. You should also be replacing the cam plugs on the rears of the heads, you should be removing and resealing the 4 half moons on the heads, you should replace the spark plug tube seals, you should buy new valve cover bolt washers, you should replace both plenum gaskets, you should consider replacing the throttle body gasket, you should consider replacing the PCV valve and grommet, you should consider replacing the spark plugs and spark plug wires while doing this job and you should consider cleaning your throttle body, IAC, and MAF sensor while doing this job.
In regards to the RTV or FIPG to use, I recommend you go with the Toyota 103 FIPG (black) The red FIPG is for transmission, transfer cases and differentials. Don't do what the write-up suggests and put a huge bead of RTV on the heads. That is totally unnecessary. Ramon did a great job on his write-up for this job, but his application of FIPG was pretty ridiculous and way overkill. You only need to put it over the half moon junctures and in the corners of the cam humps. You also need to put some onto the cam plug collars when installing the new cam plugs. The cam plugs Do Not require FIPG on them like some guys do. The cam plugs have a rubberized outer surface and that makes a seal with the head and collar just fine. Adding FIPG to the cam plugs is just going to make it a nightmare to clean out the old FIPG at the back of the heads if you ever have to perform this job again. Good luck!
Asbsolutly replace those back cam seals. That is where my leak was coming from
Linear Mode
