Painting Air Intake Manifold And Plastic Cover.

[vdub88 1]

Hi guys, I have got an obd2 mk3 vr and am wanting to paint the air intake manifold and the plastic top cover too. Im wanting to do it in black then the writing in a different colour afterwards, maybe using some enamel paint and a small brush? Do I have to use any special kind of paints on the manifold with the heat in the bay? Can I paint it in place without removing it? Any tips would be amazing, I know someone on here will have done this already so hopefully someone should know. Thanks in advance

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[Lukey. 381]

For the plastic cover you can just use normal car paint, if you lacquer it though it will bubble up in the heat and crack. For the inlet hammerite works well, it would be easier to remove but its a PITA for just a simple paint job, if using spray you'd have to do a good mask job

[daveyboy 897]

I painted the plastic cover (with the VR6 DOHC writing on) with the paint I had the car resprayed in and it's lacquered and it's been absolutely fine. No bubbling or anything. I'm going to whip the inlet manifold off and do the same so I'll let you know how that turns out

[Lukey. 381]

mine the lacquer bubbled up in the letters and went brittle and cracked, had to re do it again, and its a common problem with the engine bay heat

[Deegolfvr6 0]

I painted my manifold and plastic cover with Montana Gold spray paint and it turned out really well (and you can get in amazing colours!)

[vdub88 1]

Cheers for the help guys? Looked at that montana gold range and im liking the choice of colours im definitely going to lacquer the plastic covers but ill leave the intake manifold un lacquered as I think that will react with the heat. Unless anyone has lacquered theirs successfully?

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[Lukey. 381]

I will add to what I said about lacquer, the main part of the cover that is flat is fine and there has been no problem there, the problem has come from the lettering and emblem that are sunk in, these are the places that blistered, upon repeat painting I didn't lacquer it again leaving the lettering just paint. The blistering problem hasn't re occurred.

[daveyboy 897]

Did you clean inside the lettering properly Lukey? That the only thing I can think to why it bubbled. Maybe a slight reaction with something?

[vdub88 1]

Daveyboy what did you clean the plastics with and the grime from inside of the lettering?

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[Lukey. 381]

I primed it all the same and it cooked off fine, in hindsight it was probably due to the rest of the thing was spray painted but the lettering I obviously had to do by hand, If the brushed in paint wasn't fully dry when I lacquered over it, it would have trapped the excess moisture under the top coat, then when heated on the engine caused it to blister up in order to escape.

[daveyboy 897]

I used a bit of brake cleaner and a scotch pad and flat screw driver. That was to clean it and key it at the same time. That could of been your problem Lukey. What sort of paint did you use. I used a black basecoat for my lettering and it dries quick

[vdub88 1]

Im planning on using some montana gold shock black on yhe plastics and the intake manifold, then some of the model paint and a small brush to do all the lettering (the model paint is apparently how another mwmber on here did it) unsure of the colour for the lettering yet, the car is dragon green but I may just go for a nice bright white on the lettering as a complete colour contrast to the black?

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[Big J 283]

I've just done all mine black mate really happy with it

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[vdub88 1]

I've just done all mine black mate really happy with it

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What did you use to get that finish on the manifold mate?

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[Big J 283]

First off I bought a second hand mani off the fleabay because my existing one is smooth and polished and I wanted to keep the cast finish. Gave it a good scrub with a wire brush, clean off any dust with an air line and soak it with a solvent cleaner. I use brake cleaner. Mask it all off where it meets the lower manifold and throttle body and primer it with an ETCH primer. The etch primer is essential as normal primer won't take to aluminium properly. Then Just a final top coat with a Matt black spray. Finally lay it all out on the spare bedroom floor and wait for the fallout from the misses

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[vdub88 1]

Will the heat affect the paint in anyway? I thought I would have to use a high temp paint :/

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[Big J 283]

Time will tell, to e honest I very much doubt it, high temp is for exhaust manifolds and very high temp areas, it relies on the extreme heat to help it cure. An inlet manifold won't get anywhere near hot enough to cure the hight temp paint leading to possible chance of flaking. I painted the plastic cover once before with the letters all detailed, with normal plasticote stuff, never had a single bubble in it.

[vdub88 1]

Ahh ok mate, im doint the plastics at tge moment, I might take my manifold off and paint it though soon

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[Big J 283]

Just take your time masking the letters off properly and all should be just fine. Get some pictures up when your done matey.