In this tech article we’re going to show you how to revive this old valve cover that has been powder coated in the past. We’ll be using our down to metal paint and powder stripper. Now whether you need to remove an old coating to start fresh or fix a mistake, down to metal paint and powder stripper is exactly what you need. Today I’m gonna show you how to fix a mistake let’s face it we all make them during powder coating this valve cover got poor coverage and fish eyes from contaminants on the surface we’ll need to remove this powder coat before any paint work can be done.
To start select a disposable brush to apply the stripper. Eastwood down to metal paint and powder stripper works great either wet or dry for this job I chose to strip the powder after the product is dried to make clean up as easy as possible. One medium coat is perfect if you plan on letting the product dry before working. If you plan on scraping while still wet you’ll want to work with thinner coats. It is best to brush the stripper in one direction only to allow the product to work as intended. We also want to stress the importance of keeping this product out of areas you cannot get to afterwards such as keyholes drain holes on doors or vents in hoods. It’s good practice to tape these up with an automotive grade tape to keep the stripper out. Try taping approximately a half inch around the edges of doors and hoods to ensure you don’t get any product in these areas.
Once the stripper is dried it’s time to get to work scraping this powder off. We suggest using a plastic body spreader to remove the powder so there is less chance of leaving gouges in the valve cover. Depending on how thick the old coatings are you may need to apply a second coat of stripper. Simply repeat the process by adding more paint and powder stripper and letting it dry. For detail work you can follow up with a sander. If you use 120 grit sandpaper it will give the perfect cut in the metal for primer and paint to adhere. Once the surface is fully cleaned and scuffed you’re now ready to apply your new coating.