Polished Valve Covers (Large Pics for detail)

[tonycajjo]

Originally Posted by X5 Meister

Seems to me that the 100 billion tiny metal particles that would result from sanding away the valve cover in the manner of the OP would need to be flushed out otherwise you'd probably affect the engine adversely. YMMV.

very good point. but i do plan on washing the covers with oil or something and i am not touching the insides of the covers. only visible parts.

[X5 Meister]

If you've ever sanded down metal then you'd know that it doesn't matter that you are not touching the insides. The stuff gets everywhere. Period.

Originally Posted by tonycajjo

very good point. but i do plan on washing the covers with oil or something and i am not touching the insides of the covers. only visible parts.

[tonycajjo]

Originally Posted by GXL

What about sandblasting?

that would work if you did it lightly and with fine sand. i would go that route if i was planning on power coating or something. it might for more work if polishing.

[tonycajjo]

so after inspection of my valve covers, i can see spots where they look like they are splitting open. man, i love the X but i think im going to buy something else for a daily driver. this X cannot be a daily driver. its too hard to find parts and they are too expensive.

[GXL]

Valve covers splitting open? Are you sure? I've never heard of anything like that from any car...

BrawnGP will win again this weekend, but this time in the hands of Rubens Barrichello!

[tonycajjo]

Originally Posted by GXL

Valve covers splitting open? Are you sure? I've never heard of anything like that from any car...

BrawnGP will win again this weekend, but this time in the hands of Rubens Barrichello!

he's part of a strong team, we'll see what happens. I hope Kubica gets some points, he's off to a rough start.

so here is a pic, i couldn't get a good shot of the splitting with my phone but you can see the bottom right on the first image, thats actually a pic of something else but it had that along the front edge, about an inch long. i filled it with some aluminum weld goop, hit the covers lightly with a wire brush and blasted them with black paint. i wasnt about to spend all that time on the covers polishing them since they were in such bad shape.





i love this car, but i'd have to say that i should have keep my pickup as a second car, or first car for that matter, then i wouldn't be rushed to get the X back together and i could take my time, order some valve covers... you get the idea. but i gotta get her running.

[X5 Meister]

Kubica should be leading the championship if not tied. He made the bonehead move of a career in Australia.

[tonycajjo]

kubica finished a race! it's a start...

so i put the valve covers back on and all seems to be well. i've only driven a mile or so but i think i should be good. (bumpers off waiting for front radiator fan) i'll check for leaks around the covers after i get the engine going for a few miles this week.

[GXL]

I can't believe the pictures of the valve covers... Maybe the engine was severely overheated a one point?

Get new valve covers from the stealer if you are planning on keeping the car for a while, if not, go to a junk yard.

BMW sucks right now, along with Ferrari and Renault. Kubica is a very good driver, he needs to stay, but quick Nick needs to go now. Bruno Senna should take his place.

This are the drivers I believe need to either get fired or retired for good:

1.- Barrichello (he's getting too old and Button is currently bringing the results)
2.- Giancarlo Fisichella (he's getting too old and he's past his prime)
3.- Quick Nick (very inconsistant and past his prime)
4.- Nelson Picket (he's had enough time to get use to the car and the team and still no results)
5.- Heikki Kovalainen (not fast enough and too inconsistant)
6.- Kasuki Nakajima (way too inconsistant compare to Rosberg and not fast enough)
7.- Felipe Massa has had his time at Ferrari and needs to move over for new younger talent.
8.- Kimi Raikkonen (He's past his prime and NEEDS to retire before he's stars to look like Damon Hill back in 1997)

That's 8 drivers, acutally 7, because Felipe still deserves a drive in F1, just not Ferrari.

Ferrari needs to scrap this year's car and focus on the new car for 2010 with the new diffuser and new drivers line up.

[tonycajjo]

i couldnt wait for valve covers cause i needed to get this beast running again. i'll let em ride and keep it in mind for the future. i put a couple miles on them so for and they dont seem to be leaking or anything. and the truck is running nice, smooth idle - smoother than before i did all this work. (water pump, plugs, valve covers.)

thats an interesting list. i agree with some but its hard to tell cause the weather has been bad and such. nakajima cant keep the car on the road thats for sure. seasons young yet. i think kimi and massa still got it, well see what happens as the season continues.