Are the valve covers aluminum or some kind of a pot metal like the oil pan is?

If aluminum how thick are they and would it be safe to polish them with a buffing wheel?

 

http://www.audiworld.com/model/ look at your car model here and it will tell you

 

good luck getting through all of the corrosion on the valve covers, and keeping them clean

i did this on my old nissan truck, i only had to do one valve cover, and it took days of sanding, buffing, and polishing for a slightly shiny look.

 

I did half the engine on my 300ZX (intake mani, water pipes, PS reservoir, coil brackets, CAS, etc). Took a hell of a lot of work and time. I sealed it with stuff called Zoop Seal. Hellaciously expensive (at the time, about $110/pint) but it was worth it. I put around 160 hours in on polishing, and with the Zoop, all I had to do was wipe it down. No corrosion ever happened.

 

I'm working on polishing my intake manifold right now. Considering polishing or powdercoating the valve cover and using a coil pack cover instead of a full CF engine cover.

I may have to look into using Zoop seal .

 

It's worth it. I'm pretty sure you can get it from www.eastwoodcompany.com (killer stuff there btw). I'll be ordering some again in the near future (hint at this winter/spring's project ).

 

Hehe nice.

I remember seeing commercials for it years ago on the Powerblock.

Heres where I'm at, I haven't done any work on it in a couple months though. Got distracted.

 

Not sure what year your Z is but I got a 85 and my younger brother has a 87. I am going to give it a try and i don't think it should take to long but i'll find out.

 

It shouldn't take nearly that long. I did a lot of parts and the intake manifold alone was about 80 hours. It's way bigger than the 1.8T manifold though - twin throttle bodies, two main collectors, and six runners, and it's cast a lot more rough-surfaced than Audi made yours.

I did mine with a Mouse sander. 120 grit, then 180, 220, 400, 800, and 1500, followed by progressive grades of steel wool, a scouring pad, and then vernier's rouge on a reinforced flannel wheel, and finally white polish on a loose flannel wheel. After all that, the Zoop was worth the money - I didn't want it looking like hell six months after that much work.

Mine was a 1990, the Z32 generation which followed/replaced your brother's. It started as a 2+2 non-turbo, and I converted it to a 2+2TT by dropping in the twin turbo engine, and built it to a stage 6 level (a little over 500hp). Click my screenname and check my pics. I think I have pics in there of both the engine work and the car.

 

Okay. I really don't know how rough the surface is but I guess if it is really rough I will probably have to sand before the buffing wheels. I'll give it a try and let ya know how it goes. Not sure if it will all be worth it since there is plastic shrouds that go over it but at least it will look cleaner.

Ya mine and my brothers are Z31's. His only has 56k, (lucky him) mine however has 120k and needs some work. I would love to put a z32 TT in it but I don't think there is enough clearence with the hood. Once I get out of college and land me a job and some money the projects will begin.