Engine bay refresh project

A small detour into refinishing questions - my powder coat guy quoted $375 for the valve covers and plenums. I'm thinking of just going that route instead of screwing around with primers and paint. I'm thinking satin black.

In prep for the powder coat, I'm wondering if it's possible to remove the vacuum ports in the plenums, and getting them replated. Does anyone know how these ports are installed, are they pressed in? Epoxied? Or should I just leave them be and have them powder coated with the plenums?

I believe they are pressed in. I would leave them on and protect the sealing area of those from getting any powder coating on it. Good price for powder coating in my opinion.
 
I believe like badluck they are pressed in. Just leave them be and ask the powder coater to protect those tubes...:) Just like they have to protect the gasket surfaces.

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OK, I'll leave the tubes/ports alone. [MENTION=319302]Bad Luck[/MENTION], I agree, at that price it's worth just getting it done right, it'll be way more durable than paint. And that shop does good work, they coat of all of my Spiker hardware :).

Is there any way to strip down the throttle body to also get it powder coated (safely)? It's really in crappy shape. I can remove the TPS, the cam/spring assembly (I'll have it replated anyway), the brackets, the dashpot. But not sure about the idle control valve assembly, and also if I can have the throttle body powder coated without completely disassembling it. Suggestions?

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OK, I'll leave the tubes/ports alone. [MENTION=319302]Bad Luck[/MENTION], I agree, at that price it's worth just getting it done right, it'll be way more durable than paint. And that shop does good work, they coat of all of my Spiker hardware :).

Is there any way to strip down the throttle body to also get it powder coated (safely)? It's really in crappy shape. I can remove the TPS, the cam/spring assembly (I'll have it replated anyway), the brackets, the dashpot. But not sure about the idle control valve assembly, and also if I can have the throttle body powder coated without completely disassembling it. Suggestions?

That might be something you would want to use a spare throttle body for. I've never disassembled mine completely or seen it done so there may some components that can't/shouldn't be removed. If you do decide to disassemble it I would video it, because I have terrible memory and will definitely forgot the order I took it apart in after it comes back from powder coating.
 
That might be something you would want to use a spare throttle body for. I've never disassembled mine completely or seen it done so there may some components that can't/shouldn't be removed. If you do decide to disassemble it I would video it, because I have terrible memory and will definitely forgot the order I took it apart in after it comes back from powder coating.

Agreed, I decided against fully disassembling the TB, that's just too scary. Here is how far I went:

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I took a bunch of pictures to aid in reassembly, time will tell if it was enough:

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I plan to take the metal parts to the plating shop, along with the other bolts and miscellaneous items that need to be replated:

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I'm thinking of just hitting the TB body with some good direct to metal paint and calling it done.
 
I would. I appreciate [MENTION=115347]gamefreakgc[/MENTION] thoughts on the project as it makes sense, being he was putting performance camshafts. Maybe the person wants to thoroughly inspect the cam and the camshaft bearings.

I don't understand why people wouldn't remark the timing belt if they go that route. Recompress your belt tensioner and reuse your belt if it's very new.. [
like 25k or less] more than thet I just put a new belt in

I have the Fsm along with all of the tools except those toyota Lexus valve adjustment tools. So I just need those and 40 hours of swearing to get this job done...:)

I can also see people not wanting to do it also. I just at the point where I am going to have to. My valve covers I believe we're never done.. [ I had the rig from 215k] I can't even leave my window down without smelling burning oil. So, being my valve covers, they are coming off anyway. I will be checking and adjusting the valves.

Folks can do what they wish. But by the sounds of it. We have 3 options. I am glad I asked.. :)

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This is the tool - apparently it's getting really hard to find! Lots of places either charging near $100 or out of stock. I paid $29 for mine...

Amazon.com

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Be careful how you clean those valve covers - if you use any media, it will be a huge pain to clean out of the crevices (mainly the PCV vent covers).

[MENTION=139000]phattyduck[/MENTION] - the powder coat guy wants to sandblast the castings before finishing them. Do you think I can safely tape off all the openings before taking them in? Or should l I look for a shop that does soda blasting?
 
I bead blasted mine but I also have access to a parts washer the flush them properly to get the blasting media out.


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Sand blasting is kinda harsh. Being this is aluminum and not steel. I look into a softer blasting medium like soda etc. Also. I didn't mean to plug up your thread with valve adjustmenting conversations. We just kinda went there...:)

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Sand blasting is kinda harsh. Being this is aluminum and not steel. I look into a softer blasting medium like soda etc. Also. I didn't mean to plug up your thread with valve adjustmenting conversations. We just kinda went there...:)

I'm not sure they really mean "sand" when they say sandblasting, but who knows. I called another shop that says they use StarBlast, but a quick google search suggests that there are different grades of that material. I'll call around some more to find someone who does media blasting.

No worries about side conversations, I always like learning something new!
 
I bead blasted mine but I also have access to a parts washer the flush them properly to get the blasting media out.


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I also used crushed glass, it's so gentle I hit the plastic electrical connector and it did no damage. These were bead blasted, washed, wiped with acetone, adhesion promoter, then clear.
 

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I also used crushed glass, it's so gentle I hit the plastic electrical connector and it did no damage. These were bead blasted, washed, wiped with acetone, adhesion promoter, then clear.

That looks great, thanks for the tip! Can you elaborate on which adhesion promoter and clear you used?

I can't find a place that does media blasting, they all say sandblast. I'll keep looking.

In the meantime, I got the inside of the VCs pretty clean. Aren't chemicals great?

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It's been about 5 yrs since I did that work but I think it was just dupli color adhesion promoter, I used some off the shelf clear from home depot and it has started to yellow a bit now. If i was to do it all over again i would use the VHT high temp gloss clear for brake calipers. I used that on my rear drums after painting them black and it has held up great. Those valve covers look clean. I did my valve covers and intake pipe with the VHT wrinkle Black paint but obviously powder coating is superior, I had a set of FJ wheels and Tacoma wheels refinished and powder coated and they came out great.
 
It's been about 5 yrs since I did that work but I think it was just dupli color adhesion promoter, I used some off the shelf clear from home depot and it has started to yellow a bit now. If i was to do it all over again i would use the VHT high temp gloss clear for brake calipers. I used that on my rear drums after painting them black and it has held up great. Those valve covers look clean. I did my valve covers and intake pipe with the VHT wrinkle Black paint but obviously powder coating is superior, I had a set of FJ wheels and Tacoma wheels refinished and powder coated and they came out great.

Thanks for the details! I wonder if I should skip the whole powder coat route, and the associated concerns about residual media/sand particles, and just hit them with some good primer and engine enamel. It'll probably be the 95% solution, without the aggravation. I rattle canned the entire AOR front bumper after all, and am still quite happy with the results.

And if it doesn't last, I can always do the powder coating later (the plenums are certainly easy enough to remove).
 
Thanks for the details! I wonder if I should skip the whole powder coat route, and the associated concerns about residual media/sand particles, and just hit them with some good primer and engine enamel. It'll probably be the 95% solution, without the aggravation. I rattle canned the entire AOR front bumper after all, and am still quite happy with the results.

And if it doesn't last, I can always do the powder coating later (the plenums are certainly easy enough to remove).

No problem! You're right, it's nothing that can't be redone if you're not happy with it. Maybe try using a self etching primer.
 
I decided to just paint the valve covers and plenums myself, too much aggravation dealing with powder coat.

I'm also arranging to drop off a bunch of screws and small metal parts for plating.

And also waiting for parts, here's the ever-growing list for the project (to be a fair, a few of them may be for my GS430):

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Hopefully everything will come together at the same time (parts, plating, etc).
 
If your heater valve and hoses are old as dirt now is the time to replace the hoses and clamps and valve.


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