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My valve cover had a couple of small dings and some rust pitting, so after bead blasting, I've hammered out the dents from the inside, which of course leaves some minor finishing to do. "Metal to metal" body filler works great, and after sanding and priming with acid etch primer, the cover is in really nice shape, ready for the engine green paint from Moss. My question is whether the body filler and primer are ok in this relatively high heat area? Any ideas?
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Valve cover painting
- Thread starter Cutlass
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Skip & Lynne
Jedi Warrior
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I`m with Keoke here Metal to Metal is good but I don`t think I would use it on a valve cover. Skip /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
Skip & Lynne
Jedi Warrior
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I have never paid any attention to mine to much but can you get a small roller on an english wheel inside the cover and roll it out.
Skip & Lynne
Jedi Warrior
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Do you think the heat cycles would cause the filler to flex and crack where the lead wouldn`t.
My thought was that the temperature of the valve cover shouldn't exceed 200 degrees, which would not be much more than the temperature of a dark car body in the August Georgia sunshine. I thought of the lead idea, but I have no experience with that medium. Don't have an english wheel either, but that wouldn't help the rust pitting anyway.
Keoke
Great Pumpkin
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Yes Cutlass, the filler will eventually crack do to the heat just like it does in the August Georgia Sunshine. Lead will stop the rusting if you clean the metal throughly.Leading isn't that much different than puttying up a knot hole just differnt tools. You add more lead than you need and then file it to shape.Acutally,thats about what you do with the filler. Further, it can be done with a soldering iron. I solder those little rivits up on the inside so they won't leak oil out the top of the cover. Give it a try it is forgiving material.---Keoke- /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yesnod.gif
Keoke
Great Pumpkin
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[ QUOTE ]
Do you think the heat cycles would cause the filler to flex and crack where the lead wouldn`t.
[/ QUOTE ]
Yes Skip, the heat cycles and mechanical stresses on the cover will cause filler to crack but led being a malleable material hangs in there for ever. As matter of fact we lead radiator header tanks and file them back to a perfect shape prior to painting, because its so hard to find a radiator tank that has not been abused or dinged up after 40 years.---Keoke
Do you think the heat cycles would cause the filler to flex and crack where the lead wouldn`t.
[/ QUOTE ]
Yes Skip, the heat cycles and mechanical stresses on the cover will cause filler to crack but led being a malleable material hangs in there for ever. As matter of fact we lead radiator header tanks and file them back to a perfect shape prior to painting, because its so hard to find a radiator tank that has not been abused or dinged up after 40 years.---Keoke
Skip & Lynne
Jedi Warrior
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Keoke I have always wanted to try lead just never did for some reason,can`t you get the paddles and tinning butter from Eastwood
Skip & Lynne
Jedi Warrior
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I thought you had to use a tinning compound to make the lead flow out and adhere to the steel
I've got a while to make a final decision, so I appreciate the advice regarding leading. While musing over the subject, I consulted the Evercoat Metal 2 Metal literature, and the product spec sheet shows a max surface temp of 260 degrees F. That's pretty hot, but not as durable as lead, I'm sure.
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[ QUOTE ]
I thought you had to use a tinning compound to make the lead flow out and adhere to the steel
[/ QUOTE ]
You are right of course. Any soldering operation requires the parts to be "tinned" first. "Tinning butter" scrubbed in with steel wool is one way. Another way for smaller areas would be to use acid core solder. You sometimes need to scrub the molten solder into the metal with a wire brush or steel wool to get it completely cleaned & tinned.
D
I thought you had to use a tinning compound to make the lead flow out and adhere to the steel
[/ QUOTE ]
You are right of course. Any soldering operation requires the parts to be "tinned" first. "Tinning butter" scrubbed in with steel wool is one way. Another way for smaller areas would be to use acid core solder. You sometimes need to scrub the molten solder into the metal with a wire brush or steel wool to get it completely cleaned & tinned.
D
Keoke
Great Pumpkin
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[ QUOTE ]
I thought you had to use a tinning compound to make the lead flow out and adhere to the steel
[/ QUOTE ]
Skip, Like I said earlier for small jobs like the Valve cover or the Radiator tanks,I simply use a soldering iron and Gravity. Try it you will see how easy it is to do especially when you are working with Brass. The Valve cover metal is also very easy to tin with the iron if the surface is clean.---Keoke
I thought you had to use a tinning compound to make the lead flow out and adhere to the steel
[/ QUOTE ]
Skip, Like I said earlier for small jobs like the Valve cover or the Radiator tanks,I simply use a soldering iron and Gravity. Try it you will see how easy it is to do especially when you are working with Brass. The Valve cover metal is also very easy to tin with the iron if the surface is clean.---Keoke
Skip & Lynne
Jedi Warrior
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Hi Keoke I sandblasted the rear fenders from my parts car this afternoon ( 6 coats of paint). As usual the bottom of both doglegs were rotten and I will replace them but both have some small dents and dings that I will try the lead on. I am going to get some tinning compound, tallow and lead from Eastwood unless you guys know somewhere better. I can use a gas welding torch with a soft flame to flow it on.
tahoe healey
Yoda
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Just take the appropriate precaution. Lead is highly toxic.
Keoke
Great Pumpkin
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
Hi Keoke I sandblasted the rear fenders from my parts car this afternoon ( 6 coats of paint). As usual the bottom of both doglegs were rotten and I will replace them but both have some small dents and dings that I will try the lead on. I am going to get some tinning compound, tallow and lead from Eastwood unless you guys know somewhere better. I can use a gas welding torch with a soft flame to flow it on.
[/ QUOTE ]
OK Skip, be sure and get the Dog Leg repair panels with the wire in them and bridge the gap using the new wire. Leading this joint will smooth it out. Small Dents should be brought up just a wee bit proud and then hand filed flush first.Yes you will need the usual tining materials on these large surfaces and use good gloves as well as Gravity as much as possible keeps the lead from sliding off if you get to much heat on it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif. A # 6 Tip and an orange flame played lightly on the metal to just melt the lead so it can be spread like butter with the paddle will work.Let me know how much fun you had. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif---Keoke
Hi Keoke I sandblasted the rear fenders from my parts car this afternoon ( 6 coats of paint). As usual the bottom of both doglegs were rotten and I will replace them but both have some small dents and dings that I will try the lead on. I am going to get some tinning compound, tallow and lead from Eastwood unless you guys know somewhere better. I can use a gas welding torch with a soft flame to flow it on.
[/ QUOTE ]
OK Skip, be sure and get the Dog Leg repair panels with the wire in them and bridge the gap using the new wire. Leading this joint will smooth it out. Small Dents should be brought up just a wee bit proud and then hand filed flush first.Yes you will need the usual tining materials on these large surfaces and use good gloves as well as Gravity as much as possible keeps the lead from sliding off if you get to much heat on it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif. A # 6 Tip and an orange flame played lightly on the metal to just melt the lead so it can be spread like butter with the paddle will work.Let me know how much fun you had. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif---Keoke
Skip & Lynne
Jedi Warrior
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Keoke where do you get the ones with the wire? The ones I did on Lynnes car were just folded over flat and I didn`t like them to much, I had a hard time finishing the contour and it bothers me that it is flat instead of round. Moss only has the flat ones. thanks Skip /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif