From digest.v6.n367 Fri Mar 14 12:05:18 1997
From: Jim Dresser <jimdresser_at_aol.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 08:26:10 -0500
Subject: <E30 M3> Valve cover Painting

Repainting a E30 M3 Valve Cover

The parts requirements are simple, just one can of Harley Davidson Black Crinkle paint, a new valve cover gasket, and sandpaper, ranging from 120 to 600 grit. The Harley Davidson Black Crinkle paint is available at any biker store, and cost less than $10.

Here's the procedure:

1. Start by removing the spark plug wires, then the acorn nuts, then take the valve cover off. (Watch out for oil that may collect on the underside of the valve cover). Throw the old valve cover gasket away. To remove the air plenum, first remove the rubber hoses, then the acorn nuts that are holding the air plenum on. The plenum may be held to the intake runners with old gasket material, and it might be necessary to hit the plenum with a rubber hammer (or your fist), to loosen it.
2. Remove the old paint. I'm lucky enough to have a bead blaster at work. A bead blaster is just like a sand balaster, but it shoots glass beads instead of sand. The glass beads remove the paint, but don't remove the metal. If you don't have a bead blaster, Id take the parts to an auto body shop, and see if they could bead blast the parts for you.
3. Once all of the old paint has been removed and youre ready to paint, wipe the valve cover and air plenum off with a cotton cloth dampened with either lacquer thinner or mineral spirits. This removes any dust, grease, and fingerprints.
4. The instructions on the crinkle paint can are simple. Heat the parts up to 100 degrees, spray a light coating, wait 5 minutes, then spray it again. Let the parts cure for a couple of days. (I placed the parts in front of the fireplace to warm them, I knew that my wife would kill me if I used the oven.)
5. After the spray painted parts have cured for a couple of days, its time to clean up the raised lettering. Start by wrapping a piece of 120 grit sandpaper around a sanding block. Then remove the crinkle paint from the high spots by sanding in a back-and-forth motion. After the paint has been removed with the 120 grit paper, work your way up through the grits until you get to 600. By the time you finish with 600 grit, the aluminum will have a nice satin look to it. (You could go all the way to 1000 grit, then a small polishing wheel if you wanted to polish the aluminum to a high gloss finish).
6. Reassemble

Best of Luck - Jim Dresser Rochester NY 1988 M3 jimdresser_at_aol.com
http://members.aol.com/bmwccagvc

P.S. Watkins Glen Drivers schools will be held on: June 7, 8 Saturday, Sunday
July 9, 10 Wednesday, Thursday
Sept 27, 28 Saturday, Sunday