Repainting Throttle Body Cover - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

Jetjock · 06-14-2023

While my Z slept for 10 months awaiting her transmission, the antifreeze in her motor ate through the gasket and did a number on the finish as shown. I sanded off the damage part of the throttle body and use a paint that I got from Lingenfelter. That fixed that but how do I match the paint on the rest of the plenum? That's the question at the moment.

Roy

dredgeguy · 06-15-2023

Get rid of the paint issue, just start rubbing

Jetjock · 06-16-2023

Quote:

Originally Posted by dredgeguy

Get rid of the paint issue, just start rubbing

I'm sorry but that makes no sense. Rubbing with what? Specifically, what are you talking about?

Roy

tccrab · 06-16-2023

If i were to guess, I'd say he meant to polish your LT5 like he showed in the pic.
Polished motors are pretty for sure, but I'd yuess it takes a ton of rubbng.

Crabs

AirbusDriver · 06-16-2023

Does anyone know, for sure, what product was used to paint the engines?

JThomas · 06-16-2023

The color may be hard to match, especially if you're considering NCRS. If not, I would have the plenum, cam covers, snorkel and throttle body powder coated and dress it up a bit, then it will all match.

WARP TEN · 06-17-2023

Quote:

Originally Posted by JThomas

The color may be hard to match, especially if you're considering NCRS. If not, I would have the plenum, cam covers, snorkel and throttle body powder coated and dress it up a bit, then it will all match.

I agree with Joe. Contact Marc Haibeck about it. --Bob

Jetjock · 06-17-2023

Quote:

Originally Posted by JThomas

The color may be hard to match, especially if you're considering NCRS. If not, I would have the plenum, cam covers, snorkel and throttle body powder coated and dress it up a bit, then it will all match.

Joe, not doing NCRS, I just want the throttle body to match up with the rest of the plenum. The color on the is the original color for that year as it was stored and then put in the body. It looks like a different color than my 92 was. Another thing is that Marc said don't powder coat the engine as it can warp the cam covers. He said to paint it.

Roy

WARP TEN · 06-18-2023

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jetjock

Joe, not doing NCRS, I just want the throttle body to match up with the rest of the plenum. The color on the is the original color for that year as it was stored and then put in the body. It looks like a different color than my 92 was. Another thing is that Marc said don't powder coat the engine as it can warp the cam covers. He said to paint it.

Roy

I agree with Marc--paint it. He has been doing that for years with great results. Did you ask him about a paint to match a stock plenum? He should know about that. For touch ups I think he uses a paint he gets from Summit Racing, but can't remember exactly what it was. --Bob

Meanmyz · 06-27-2023

I thought I would relay my own experience with this. I too, repainted my plenum cover with the Lingenfelter paint. Trying to do it correctly, I removed all traces of old gasket material and cleaned up coolant residue under the cover. I recut and used my own bulk gasket material of the same thickness. Inside two years, the paint lifted again.

THIS Time, after cleaning everything up and repainting, I used permatex (orange, I think) to coat my cut gasket material and then let it dry. I reassembled. That was 20 years ago and I haven't had a problem since with electrolysis, or whatever causes the lifting. And yes, this on a car, that still runs the coolant through the throttle body.

As far as "match", for the fact that it was the Lingenfelter paint and somewhat close (but not perfect), I decided to leave it alone as is.

Case in point, I seem to think that coating the material helped against electrolysis. I did not paint the underside of the cover (not that anyone would), but I think that is important too...not to give avenues for the electrolysis to travel if it gets under any paint and just continues on... I only painted the top and sides of the cover (masked off bottom).

Hope my post makes sense and provides some degree of insight to someone. -Meanmyz.

06-16-2023	#4
tccrab Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Folsom CA Posts: 1,653	Re: Repainting Throttle Body Cover If i were to guess, I'd say he meant to polish your LT5 like he showed in the pic. Polished motors are pretty for sure, but I'd yuess it takes a ton of rubbng. Crabs __________________ TomC '90ZR1 #792 Honorary Pirate [B]If it ain't FUN, you're doing something terribly WRONG. [/B]

06-16-2023	#5
AirbusDriver Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Harrodsburg, KY Posts: 436	Re: Repainting Throttle Body Cover Does anyone know, for sure, what product was used to paint the engines?

06-27-2023	#10
Meanmyz Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Springfield, Minnesota Posts: 446	Re: Repainting Throttle Body Cover I thought I would relay my own experience with this. I too, repainted my plenum cover with the Lingenfelter paint. Trying to do it correctly, I removed all traces of old gasket material and cleaned up coolant residue under the cover. I recut and used my own bulk gasket material of the same thickness. Inside two years, the paint lifted again. THIS Time, after cleaning everything up and repainting, I used permatex (orange, I think) to coat my cut gasket material and then let it dry. I reassembled. That was 20 years ago and I haven't had a problem since with electrolysis, or whatever causes the lifting. And yes, this on a car, that still runs the coolant through the throttle body. As far as "match", for the fact that it was the Lingenfelter paint and somewhat close (but not perfect), I decided to leave it alone as is. Case in point, I seem to think that coating the material helped against electrolysis. I did not paint the underside of the cover (not that anyone would), but I think that is important too...not to give avenues for the electrolysis to travel if it gets under any paint and just continues on... I only painted the top and sides of the cover (masked off bottom). Hope my post makes sense and provides some degree of insight to someone. -Meanmyz.