DIY Painting Valve Cover Corolla 93 - 97

This DIY is just to give you ideas and to show you that you can make your valve cover look descent . So that you can open your hood up with pride .

You can use header paint or engine paint . Just depends on the color you are searching for . Make sure you buy a white & engine clear coat .

This was my motor when I purchased my car . All you have to do is remove the valve cover , Make sure you remember where the wires go you can mark them or lay them in order . It is best to replace your valve cover gasket and grommets and spark plug tube seals . Another important thing is lay a towel over the exposed camshafts , So that dirt or sand doesn't get in there from the wind because this will take time to dry before you put your valve back on .

Once you have the valve cover off you need to pop out the tube seals with a flat head screw driver from the top . There are little hold down things that stick out on the inside you can bend them but make sure you bend them back when you put the new tube seals in .

In this case I used simple green but you can use any degreaser . Spray and let it settle for awhile . Then you get a brush with regular soap and water . Spray degreaser as needed .

Then with a wire brush you get it smooth or anything the degreaser or brush couldn't get . Then for the final clean respray the degreaser and rinse one more time and then let the valve cover completely dry.

Once it is dried you tape off the 16 valve sticker .

Then with your white engine/header paint you paint the valve cover as a primer and then leave it in the sun to cure . The reason I used white so that the white can transfer through the main color and bring out the natural color and make it bright . If you don't prime it white and decide to just paint the valve cover then the color will be a little darker and the color might change over time .

Once the primer has dried then you spray your main color and leave it in the sun to cure . Once your paint has dried then you use the blue painters tape and leaving the center piece exposed and then spray it black . If you dont want to paint the center black then leave it as is , It's all your choice . Then you let that dry and cure then remove the tape .

Then you get a few Q-tips and with your black paint you spray the tip of it and then slowly follow the lines . You might have to do this process a few times till it gets black . Then you let the paint dry . Then with your clear coat you spray the valve cover about 3 coats . Every time let it dry then spray . Let it cure in the sun . Then you can put your valve cover back on .


This is the one in my car . It's all about how you want your valve cover color. There is no such thing as copying . If you dont want to make black lines then don't like I said it's your valve cover this is just to get you inspired to take a little pride in your Corolla when you open up the hood .