valve cover
 

What can I do to the original paint that is on a head cover- b16 dohc - its coming off- can i take the cover off and polish off the paint and repaint it after

if i grind off the dohc and vetc letters off will it in any way distrupt the integerty of the cover?

Yes it is safe to polish and paint the valve cover if you wish to. The letters can be removed, if I am not mistaken, the letters are extra materials.

for the best results, i'd suggest sandblasting your valve cover.
PM if you need is sandblasted.

i can sandblast the cover - but will it not damage the inside- how do you block the spark plug and oil holes-

I don't know, cover the holes with junk spark plugs and junk 710 cap?

I would try to find a used valve cover to fix up. that way you don't have to let your engine sit with everything exposed and if you screw up, it's not the end of the world.

whats the difference from a b16 and a b16b ctr cover- i know both will fit eachother but are they the same or different?

Lettering size?

letter size - is that the only difference

also what will a carbon fiber cover do performance wise

I think (correct me if I am wrong) that VC from Japan has VTEC letters larger than HONDA, and vice versa in North America... or is it the other way around...

CF plate does nothing to it. It is pure cosmetic.

when i painted my valve cover i used this automotive paint stripper that i got from part source. It worked like a charm....spray it on, it foams up, the paint starts to bubble, wipe it off and voila....a bare valve cover ready for paint.

What about getting off the crap like salt stains and sh!t that build up over time? Just engine cleaner and a lot of scrubbing?

cant you just use engine cleaner spray and then power wash it.

how will the engine compartment react to pressure washing

or should you use compressed air to blow it out?

you can power wash engine bay no problem, but use a plastic bag to cover up some things like alternator, exposed wiring, distributor, etc.

i used gunk engine cleaner sprayed it, let it sit for like 5 min and power washed the **** out of it. worked amazing. compressed air would be great to dry it off afterwards if you have it available to you. if you use engine cleaner make sure you spray off your driveway with water after as it leaves a gas like residue if you don't.

the automotive paint stripper that i used took everything off. I sprayed it on twice just to make sure. This stuff makes the paint peel right off with no effort.
I removed the valve cover from the engine before i painted mine. I don't know about power washing your engine bay. I personally wouldn't do it.

I would prefer just regular garden hose.

dosen't work nearly as well, but hey, to each his own. either way graden hose or power washer, cover up those items i listed above and even a few other things if your a cautious person

oh and if you use a pressure washer, go easy if its high PSI. mine is 1400psi not 2200+ like some, so it dosen't hurt the paint cause i keep it atleast 1 foot away unless i'm really trying to get some **** off.

my power washer has a few settings- one is 2750 - will take the paint right off-lol

i think i saw that stuff yesterday at CT and it said not for use on aluminum? Is the VC aluminum or what metal is it made from?