GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

ARGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!This has been the day from HELL!!!!! Besides the whole oil-on-the-seat fiasco, I tried to paint my engine cover, and it got seriously messed up -- there was a piece of dirt or something in it, I tried to lift it out, messed up the paint. Tried to touch it up, messed it up more. Got to the point where I had to scrape off all the paint on there (didn't really successfully accomplish that) and repaint...and it STILL looks like crap...Anyone have the part number for the engine cover so I can call and price a new one in case I decide to just give up on this one and replace it?(Oh, and I tried paint remover, it didn't work too well.)

quote:New cover will probobly run you $40 bucks or so.....Just use the decals on the cover and leave the rest black. That is what I am going to do.Unfortunately, the paint won't all come off. I tried to get it back to black so I could start the painting process again, but it just wouldn't all come off...plus, I want to paint it red to match my hellas and my CAI...$40 really isn't that bad actually...if it's under $50, I might just spring -- I'm a perfectionist, and minor details such as botched painting will drive me up a wall...it's just another bad moment to add to my day from hell..BTW...is it ok to drive around for a couple days without that valve cover on or the fuse cover? They're purely decorative right? They don't serve any mechanical purpose that could cause problems if I take them off, right?

quote:I'm a perfectionist, and minor details such as botched painting will drive me up a wall...it's just another bad moment to add to my day from hell..BTW...is it ok to drive around for a couple days without that valve cover on or the fuse cover? They're purely decorative right? They don't serve any mechanical purpose that could cause problems if I take them off, right?I too am a perfectionist, so if I end up in the same boat you do, expect an IM from me asking about the price of a new cover. Also, I would leave your fuse box cover on, since it's an electrical cover. I wouldn't want to risk anything on that guy.

quote:I would leave your fuse box cover on, since it's an electrical cover. I wouldn't want to risk anything on that guy.Thanks for pointing out the obvious. I'm goin to the dealership today to find out what it'll cost me...if it's more than $30 or $40 (US), I might just invest in some superstrength paint remover and hope that does the trick. If that stupid dirt didn't get in there, it would be in perfect shape...

quote:I might just invest in some superstrength paint remover and hope that does the trick. use some 80 grit sand paper, be careful not to scratch the crap out of the plastic, then smooth it down with some 220 grit sand paper. Or, buy some really good chemicals. Your choice.

quote:I too am a perfectionist, so if I end up in the same boat you do, expect an IM from me asking about the price of a new cover. Also, I would leave your fuse box cover on, since it's an electrical cover. I wouldn't want to risk anything on that guy.Ok, for anyone interested, the technical term for the engine cover is a heat shield. Now, I bought myself a new one today. Rather I ordered a new one. It is $31.58 + tax, so I paid $33.47. The part number, for your reference, is 88971575.Also, got me new plastic rivets for the rear of the engine cover. The part numbers are:Toyota: 90467-06190GM: 94859510Toyota charges about a buck and a half PER CLIP, so I'd recommend seeing if GM will cover it under warranty...if not, I don't know what the list price is for them...

quote:It is $31.58 + tax, so I paid $33.47. The part number, for your reference, is 88971575At http://www.gmpartsdirect.com you could have gotten it for $18.00 plus $7.95 shipping. Total: $25.95. Now if I could find the part # for the GT cover because I messed mine up pretty bad as well.

quote:At http://www.gmpartsdirect.com you could have gotten it for $18.00 plus $7.95 shipping. Total: $25.95. Now if I could find the part # for the GT cover because I messed mine up pretty bad as well. DAMMIT!!!! Thanks for telling me NOW. LOL! Just kidding PB.But unfortunately, that only helps when you have the part # handy...

Yup -- that's $8 for heat shield clips, and another $8 overspent on the heat shield itself. Only $16 I'm out...DOH!

I messed up mine when trying to paint the letters silver. I just resanded everything and repainted. It actually turned out better then the first time. Just take your time and plan ahead.

Got the new heat shield today. Record time. Ordered Friday, delivered today!Anyway, went all over the damn state of NJ looking for just the right paint...managed to finally find it. So far, lookin' good!Will take pictures when I'm done...Anyone interested in buying the old heat shield off me?

Naw, I got the record time. Ordered Borla exhaust Tuesday morning, Just got it dropped off by the nice UPS guy. Hey! it came with a cool black Borla hat! Sweet!

quote:Toyota charges about a buck and a half PER CLIP, so I'd recommend seeing if GM will cover it under warranty...if not, I don't know what the list price is for them...This guy found an easy way to replace the clips so you wont break em anymore. http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=4079

I kinda like the look of the black clips.

Well, it still isn't as smooth a finish as I wanted. I had another screw up. But F it, it's staying as is.Very mad, I was having trouble with my red top coat, it kept drying with streaks and fade spots and stuff. I figured that the paint was just designed that way. But I ended up using a whole can for those two pieces, just because I kept coating, and coating, and coating. I finished off that can, and started another one, and it finished PERFECTLY. So I had a defective can of paint, and I used it all, so I'm out $5. GRRR....Then, to top it off, I painted my hellas today. I removed the front grille of the horns, painted them, and put the grilles back on. Now my low tone is dead. Won't work. No clue what happened. But now I gotta replace them too! VERY MAD!!!!I swear, someone or something has it out for me, that I keep running into all of these MAJOR problems with these MINOR projects...

quote:How did you paint the hellas?Did you cover them up right or no?Also, you might of blown the relay or fuse.... Just a heads up..Also.. Make sure to check all connections.I just removed the red grille from the horn. I didn't paint the horn itself.Checked the relay and fuse -- both are fine. The high tone horn works fine. Just the low tone died.Checked all connections -- even hooked up the dead one where the working one is -- no go. Tried the working one where the dead one was. Worked fine.These are not really mechanically operated horns -- not too much in them to break. Not sure what could've happened.

What push rivets?

Grill of the car or grill of the horn?

What you need to do is basically stick a screwdriver through the front grille and force the bottom of the rivet upwards. Then just pull out the center rivet, and then the bushing that it sits in: To give you a better idea though:Here is the rivet when it is pushed in and secured: What happens is the center of the rivet pushes the sides of the bushing outwards. This works the same was as a wall anchor: the sides force against the back of the hole, preventing the whole assembly from being removed, and holding it in place and together.When you remove a rivet, you have to force the actual center rivet out of the bushing, so the sides of the bushing are released, and can move inward, to allow it to be removed from the hole: To do this, just stick a flat screwdriver through the grille hole, or in from the side, and push upward on the point of the rivet: The rivet will come up, pull it out, and then pull out the bushing. Badabing. You're done.

LOL. If you say so, I can't remember quite frankly...Actually, I think the ones that held the stock air intake may have been similar to the push pins that hold the hood lining on and the heat shield on the block...

quote:Ok, for anyone interested, the technical term for the engine cover is a heat shield. Now, I bought myself a new one today. Rather I ordered a new one. It is $31.58 + tax, so I paid $33.47. The part number, for your reference, is 88971575.Also, got me new plastic rivets for the rear of the engine cover. The part numbers are:Toyota: 90467-06190GM: 94859510Toyota charges about a buck and a half PER CLIP, so I'd recommend seeing if GM will cover it under warranty...if not, I don't know what the list price is for them...According to GMPartsDirect.com, the black "rivets" that hold the rear of the engine cover are sold for $0.52 each, plus $7.95 S&H...so if you need them, get them from the dealer, even if you have to pay, it should only be $0.85 or so each...are far cry from the $1.60 Toyota charges PER CLIP!

NOTICE TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PAINT THEIR HEAT SHIELDS AND/OR FUSE COVERS:DO NOT use Plasti-Kote's ANODIZIT paints!!! THEY ARE HORRIBLE!!!! I put, I'm going to say, 3 base coats, and 5 top coats on. Gave them 14 hours to dry untouched. And when I went to reinstall the heat shield today, the paint all flaked off in my hands!!! Half the paint is gone already. It looks horrible. And this crap is $5 a CAN!!!DO NOT USE THIS PAINT!!!

3rd attempt.I decided instead of painting, to go with overlays instead. IMHO, MUCH better!Before: After:(see attached)

Attached files

almost finished repainting my cover. i think it turned out very well, minus my little screw up installed the overlays. i also installed the TRD strut tower brace. mike, i know your engine cover paint peeled off from the stuff you used before. mine did not, i used the high heat engine enamel. this is the same paint as before just a diff color and high heat clear coat on top. hopefully it'll last as well as the other since i spent more time trying to do it right.

Looking sweet there Hope,

I'm not gonna bother with painting the engine cover I like it the way it is in Black, however I used the overlays in red and like the way it looks, matches my color scheme for the car. Excuse the winter residue as the meltdown has begun here.

Attached files

Nice TRD oil cap!

Quote, originally posted by celica girl »Nice TRD oil cap! It should say "Brown Rice Only" heh