Polished Parts Warning

[Victor Laury]

I think this was discussed several years ago, it just happened to me, so I'd like to bring it up again. Over the years, I bought enough polishing gear and supplies to learn that it is terrible laborious and nasty job. So, when a nicely polished L-16 valve cover came up on Ebay, I bought it, even though I have 2 good ones to polish.

When it was delivered, I was happy to note that it was a wonderful job, a very highly polished valve cover with no dents, holes or imperfections. It was as good of a job as I could ever do, if I started with a near perfect cover.

Turning it over. I saw what they had done. They had abrasive blasted the piece first and the interior was full of blasting material!

You DO NOT want this abrasive in your crankcase oil!

I spent over an hour, removing the baffle and cleaning all the nooks and crannies of god knows how much abrasive. Over all, It's still a good deal, compared to the effort it would take to polish one myself.

If you buy polished parts inspect and clean thoroughly before use!

[beandip]

the same goes when you have any work done at a shop. Head or block , if the crank is pulled and polished check for stuff in the oil passages and use a .22 cal cleaning rod with patches to clean all oil passages even if the block and or head was hot tanked . This is no time to get in a hurry . I worked for a Co. some years back that had a ''rebuilt'' engine installed in one of there trucks . I checked the oil at 400 miles and it looked was tar black . I dont think they even tanked the block at all . You just cant be too careful . :disappoin

[2003z]

I've got an L28 engine cover that I am going to be powdercoating and that exact thought crossed my mind when looking at it the other day and deciding how to prep. For valve covers, I just leave the prep to simple green, no blasting. Now if I could only decide on what color to do it.

[ZSaint]

I bead blasted the inside of my cover. I sealed off the vent line and the inner vent. After I cleaned the "brown stuff" off, I took it out and ran a lot of water in and out of the vent line. I then powder coated it and it is on the engine, clean on the inside and out.

When I purchased my P90A head, it came ready to mount on the car,sealed in plastic. I had my engine guys take it apart to check the valve guides They found a lot of glass beads in the head. Ouch! Glad I did not put it on and run it.

[Gav240z]

I've been looking at those available on Ebay for the L-28 I'd like to buy one and I'm glad you pointed this out although it would be something I would look for.

[Jackhammer]

I recently picked up an L28 valve cover from the powder coaters and I had on several occasions picked it up and inspected it turning it over etc.. It was not until the other day when a friend picked it up to inspect it did we hear a rattling noise. Needless to say the only place something could be rattling was in between the vent baffle and the top of the cover. After a few minutes of shaking and tipping back forth we were able to get two fingers inside to pull out a plug the powder coaters tried to use to keep the threads of the vent tube from getting coated. It was obviously too small and fell inside.

Had the plug not dislodged before it was installed...well needless to say it could have done all kinds of bad things bouncing around with the cam and valve train.