Refinishing MAN valve covers

I had my MAN valve covers done 5 years ago, and they have held up well. I believe it was one the processes that Capt holli refers to. I have a picture of one but when I try to post it, it says the file is too large. So if one of you can tell me how to reduce the size of my pictures I can post the picture. I am presently on the boat so don’t have access to my records on cost and who did them.

While at the FLIBS this past November,
The Johnson & Towers 58 Viking had the valve covers hydro-dipped in a carbon fiber pattern.
Looked great just not sure of the longevity. If you can get the old covers media blasted the hydro dip may be be a great way to refinish them.

That Hydro dip process is neat to watch in the videos. Unlimited colors or designs.

I don't know what the heat will do and they look like full carbon fiber but the JT guy said they were dipped on the original MTU covers.

Wow! That's really good looking! Wonder how durable it would be but if car and motorcycle parts can survive on the highways with sun, dirt grit and petroleum products coming off of the surface I would think this water transfer process would hold up to a bit of heat and a little salt spray from the air intakes. Really sharp!

Here is a picture of one of my valve covers

Have you tried polishing that with nevrdull?

No, I have not touched them for 5 years. Is never dull in the blue can and has the waxy fiber? I don’t think they look any different from 5 years ago.

Yes it is. It should clean them up nicely.

There is a Utube video that shows hydro coating holding up to a heat gun test. Looks very nice!

The valve covers had the chrome stripped and ceramic coated at Jet Hot in Burlington, NC

they look great

Looking forward to see a photo when finished. The only negative I can think of with a wrinkle finish would be keeping them clean of salt residue, oil mist and dirt in the cervices but maybe not. The covers in post #26 look to have been vapor blasted aka hydro blasted then clear coated. The process of vapor blasting aluminum alloy leaves a very smooth and shiny bright aluminum finish that removes minimal to no base metal nor will it deform the surface in any way. The final product after vapor blasting will require less effort to proceed with any of the discussed coatings or plating. Powder coating certainly sounds like the most cost effective process of any of the discussed options. I've never been involved in powder coating alloy castings so I'm very interested in the final results.

I understand you don’t like the black but the result looks nice. BTW I like the black. Will the white have the rough finish?

The black looks better than I expected, but I like white in an ER because it shows leaks more readily.