Restore Cal Custom Valve Covers
Cal Custom valve covers are finished aluminum valve covers for American hot rods and muscle cars. The valve covers generally come in a highly polished finish which, combined with their finned design, makes for an eye-catching upgrade to a car's engine bay. But while these valve covers look great if they are properly cared for, they can become tarnished, stained and pitted over time if they are not cleaned and polished regularly.
Instructions
1. Remove the valve covers from the engine bay if they are still installed. Depending on the model, they will be installed with a number of bolts on the top of the valve cover.
2. Clean the valve covers with mineral spirits to remove any oil and residue. Dry them thoroughly with a clean, dry rag.
3. Install a wool polishing pad on the high-speed polisher. The wool pad is more abrasive than a normal cloth pad, and is perfect for removing scratches and stains from your Cal Custom valve covers. Use the pad with a flexible backing plate, if possible, to allow you to get in-between the fins of the valve cover.
4. Apply a polish like Blackfire Fine Cut Aluminum Polish (see Resources below) to the pad and polish the valve cover for several minutes. Stop occasionally to wipe off the black residue and check your work. Continue polishing until the scratches and stains are removed.
5. Clean the valve covers with mineral spirits. Apply the aluminum polish to the valve covers, ensuring that you get good coverage between the fins.
6. Buff the valve covers with a PowerBall Mini (see Resources below) or a similar polishing device mounted on a cordless battery-powered drill or an electric drill. Expect to spend about 15 minutes polishing each valve cover.
7. Hand-polish the valve covers with a clean, lint-free microfiber cloth. Install the valve covers back on the motor. Use new valve cover gaskets to ensure that there are no oil leaks. To maintain your restored valve covers, clean and polish them regularly with aluminum polish and a microfiber towel.
