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RE: Valve Cover Nuts

Scott asks a lot of questions tonight:

>From: Scott Buchanan <[email protected]>
>Date: Wed, 18 Sep 1996 21:53:45 -0400
>Subject: Nickel Chromate valve cover dome nuts?
>
>Someone posted a few days ago that you can swap out the standard valve 
>cover dome nuts in favor of nickel chromate versions for aesthetics.  As 
>I plan on having my valve cover polished I'm interested in doing this.  
>Is there anything special about the ones referred to?  Where can I find 
>them?  TIA.
>
>Scott
>'87 535is

Try the dealer again. Your '87 has seperate nuts and washers, which
are a PITA to take off, put on. The newer nuts are combined nut/washer
and are nickel chromate finished (shiney look) to boot.

One other suggestion - the valve cover will be a PITA to polish out..
it is a rough casting. On BOHICA, I have a choice of covers (have
a spare one).. one which I painted with Wurth Silver wheel paint..
and then a coat of Wurth Clear.. looks like super clean stock look,
and easy to keep clean, and then one I painted with wrinkle paint,
and then polished the top of the ribs and the Roundel.. this one
looks super. If you haven't done wrinkle paint - some clues:

1. CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN - get all the grease/oil off. Suggest lots
of scrubbing with Simple Green and hot water. If you could find
a commercial dishwasher that you could run it though - that would
be even better.

2. Practice - on something else. Paint thickness changes the
size/height of the wrinkles - thicker=bigger/higher. Heat also
helps to get uniform wrinkles.

I use a heat-lamp to PREHEAT the part to be painted (until it
is very uncomfortable to the touch) - then spray a goodly coat
of paint (drips are a concern, but not major - they just sorta
wrinkle in) - and continue applying the heat lamp while it
wrinkles up.

Avoid the fumes as with any spray paint, especially since they
will be volatile from the heat.

Let it dry overnight - then use 120 grit opencoat paper on a
wood block to polish off the ribs and roundel.

Follow up with a coat of clear - it helps seal it so that it
doesn't collect dust, and also keeps the polished off parts
looking bright.

Best,

=======================================
Don Eilenberger
Spring Lk Hts, NJ, USA
[email protected]
=======================================