D Car — November 2003
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About this issue
250 available scans from D Car — November 2003, in right-to-left reading order. Japanese OCR and English translation drafts are available throughout. Drafts have not received exhaustive image proofreading; unreadable source remains recorded in the archival data.
Page 86 — English draft translation
Clean recessed areas carefully. Then mask the filler cap, pipes, and other parts so paint cannot get on them. For good adhesion, use primer just as you would for body paint. When painting, do not apply too much at once in an attempt to get gloss; it will run if you concentrate on one spot. Apply several even coats. Once dry, spray clear coat for shine.
On a windy day, dust will stick to the paint and ruin it. On cold days, warm the spray can in lukewarm water at about 40°C so the paint flows better. If this is your first time painting, test the spray pattern on something first. Begin spraying before you reach the target surface, move the can parallel to it, and stop spraying after passing the edge. Moving only your wrist changes the spray angle and distance, making the finish uneven.
Captions and page details
2003-10-10
DOHC 16-valve
2
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The cam cover (valve cover) is one of the largest visible parts in the engine bay, so painting it can completely change the look when you open the hood. Popular cars often have dress-up cam covers available, but…
Mazda
The cam cover is finished in red…
An easy paint job with a spray can…
…let's do it!
If you want to customize at your own pace, you only need to prepare a spare valve cover, and you can work while keeping the car drivable. For this project, we used a discarded part that had been lying around the garage.
Using a discarded cam cover
You can finish it in any color you like. Painting requires removing the cam cover, so a DIY project calls for the right tools. With the cover removed, the engine internals are exposed—be careful not to drop dirt or removed parts inside.
The key to painting is the preparation. Sand away surface dust and oil with sandpaper first.
Apply primer to help the paint adhere. Take care to avoid uneven coats…
…and…
Once the cover is off, the process is much like ordinary painting. But engine-bay parts are coated with oil and dust, so clean the surface thoroughly. If you skip this step, the paint may fish-eye. Pay particular attention to corners and lettering…
Sand off surface residue, then degrease with silicone-off or brake cleaner…
OK
Next, paint it red to match the spark-plug wires. Move each pass by half to one-third of the previous pass for an even coat.
W
Mask the filler cap and pipes so paint does not get into the engine.
After painting the whole surface, leave it in a place without wind and let it dry.
Spray painting…
…has its tricks!
When painting with spray cans, choose a sunny day with little wind if possible. Paint tends to cloud on rainy days, and wind…
Paint by rotating only your wrist…
Move the can parallel as you paint.