Valve Covers

[rsr]

Pulled off cover today to do some minor cleanup before next weekends trip to the rio and discovered that my recently installed polished aluminum valve covers were in bad shape. Water spots from hell!!! Polished them up using mothers, got a decent shine back, but still have some brown water spot shadows on the covers? What gives with aluminum valve covers - I got these from CP before the start of summer - They've never seemed very 'shiny', have been a constant b**** to keep clean, and am wondering if they were really worth it. Anybody have any secrets to keeping aluminum valve covers in decent shape or getting water spots out? (I did clean up the covers after the last trip, recent water spots were from condensation under the cover during our recent monssonal humidity I guess). Thanks in advance for any and all help.

[1slowboat]

idea get some zoop seal, polish the valve covers with a power polisher and use the zoopseal cleaner and fallow all directions closely....it is a couple of steps but the shine will look new for a long time,... i have polished valve covers on my boat too and know what you mean...hope that this helps

[Mohavekid]

Go get them chromed.
Much more shine and much less polishing.

[rsr]

Mohave Kid - I've thought about chroming them - had chromies on my 455 (now runnin 454). Q - Can I chrome the aluminum ones or will I have to chrom the old cast ones? Thanks!

[rsr]

slowboat - Where can I get the zoop seal - what exactly is it? If you run the polished aluminum you know what I mean - was told they would be a pain but never expected them to be this bad. Thanks!

[FastRat1]

there is a product called MAAS polishing creme..u can get it at any Ace Hardware...its like toothpaste..u use very little and i guarentee it works..i just did an alum scoop and it came out better than new (like a mirror) also..there's a product called "Bartenders Keeper" which u can get at Wal-Mart..its like cleanser..many people in here use it to get the blueing off there headers..works on all medals...just trying to help
Ron

[Oldsquirt]

rsr:
slowboat - Where can I get the zoop seal - what exactly is it? If you run the polished aluminum you know what I mean - was told they would be a pain but never expected them to be this bad. Thanks! You can buy it directly from Zoops (http://www.zoops.com/home.asp) .
I think I have also seen it in either the Jegs or Summit catalogs.

[1slowboat]

oldsquirt, you got to it before me, thanks.,....zoops will keep them looking new for 3 years with no polishing between....bad a@# product....
just my 2 cents :D

[Mohavekid]

RSR, a good chrome shop can do the polished aluminum no problem.

[dossangers]

The problem is the metal is pot metal it dosnt polih good im having mine chromed now ive tried every thing they shine but not that good

[lynden]

Vinegar and water do a nice job of cleaning most shiney metals.

[TexasJet]

eek! I just went to the Zoop web site. $130 for a "kit". Could somebody describe what is in this kit? The web site says you must follow the instructions and the accompanying vidio.

[rsr]

Thanks for the info guys - gonna stop by ACE on the way home today and look for the MAAS Polish - Hoping it will help for this weekends trip. If not, I guess I'll be looking into the zoops.

[SleekPanther]

OK I'll admit to buying Zoop seal, and I can say so far so good though I've only had it on since this spring. I have some brass pieces that would normally corrode in a few weeks, still shiney months later. The kit has 4 bottles of "stuff" a couple of rags, and a video. You must clean the parts so they are absolutly clean with their solution, and rinse with distilled water. Then you mix two of the bottles together and apply to the pieces. After a while you clean up and apply the last stuff, kind of a wax or something. Thats all from memory, I may have left something out but you get the idea. How it will perform in two or three years is the question.
Paul
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[TexasJet]

Sleek: did you pay about $130 for the kit? Did you buy the kit online from the web site?

[rsr]

FastRat1 - UPDATE - Got the MAAS - it is the shit - valve covers look better than when I got them. Thanks for the info. Off to the river now - How does the maas hold up, should I expect to reapply often? Thanks again this stuff was great.

[SleekPanther]

TexasJet, I bought the kit from "Styling Concepts", they had the stuff at the old price of $110. I think they are $130 now too. I wish I knew what was in there, probably 10 bucks in materials and packaging and 120 bucks in profit.
Paul
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