I think I've located the XJR I want, just have to make the final decision now.

Unusually, the valve cover is not too badly corroded but if I get that car I'd like to get it back to as-new, or modify it so the corrosion doesn't occur in the future.

I could get a new cover from Jaguar, would lacquering or having it properly prepared and painted stop the corrosion?

I could clean up the corrosion and have it plated, either chrome or nickel. Would the plating stop corrosion or would it still happen under the plating?

I believe electro-magnetic fields from the coils cause the corrosion, is there ant way to stop this?

Or does anyone have any other ideas that have worked successfully?

A few years ago I had an H22A-engined Honda Accord and obtained a carbon fibre valve cover for that, are replacement covers for the Jaguar available anywhere?

 

It's ok, think I've sorted it. Answer seems to be electroless Ni-P plating as a base, followed nickel/chrome electroplating.

 

Would powder coating not do the trick?

 

I had a similar problem with my old X300, particularly in some of the plug wells. I just ground out the oxidation back to bare metal, rubbed the rest of the cover down with wet & dry paper, etch primed and painted with heat resistant silver paint. The job was quite labour intensive but cost little in materials.....
It seemed to stand up well for over a year till I sold the car but cannot vouch for the extended longevity of the method !

 

Corvettes have the same problem. There were a couple of DIY procedures on one of the vette forums noted here last year. maybe a search here would find it.

 

Not sure, but I haven't seen a Jag with it done and I've looked a lot!

 

I thought about painting and powder coating but have never seen it done successfully. It seems everyone just leaves the cover as it is.

 

First thing I did was search but nothing came up.

 

Aren't Corvette covers aluminium?

 

who on the forum has the knowledge and contacts to have a batch of several hundred manufactured in some tough plastic material?
I would buy one as a spare, I suspect many others would too...

 

No plastic on my jag please!

If I want plastic Ill by a another brand car its got to much as it is (LOL)

 

I'd have one as long as it wasn't made from plastic. Aluminium, steel, carbon fibre would be fine.

 

I'm curious as to why Jaguar hasn't offered to have them replaced under a recall as it is a known problem area. They didn't continue using magnesium alloy for the X308 I don't think.

Does anyone know how much replacements are from dealers?

 

Wouldn't carbon fibre be plastic (epoxy), too?

 

Don't think so. Give Pagani a call, ask him if his cars are plastic.

 

Carbon fiber has to be bonded with something. It is, after all, a fiber formed by heating a polymer in a furnace until nothing but carbon remains. Typically bonded with epoxies, but can be formulated to withstand very high temp.
But I think a valve cover might cost more than a lot of our cars are worth, unless it was made as a high production item.

 

you obviously missed my sarcasm. But, it's CF or Kevlar(which starts as a plastic) bonded with epoxy (a polymer = plastic), covered in a clear coat (urethane = plastic), so yeah, it's a lot of plastic..LOL.

 

One of the members said he filled the defects with a metal filled epoxy, then used high temp primer and engine paint from the local auto store (dupli-color). It held up for a couple of years before needing a re- spray. I don't think there is anything that is truly permanent, and at least that's inexpensive.

That was posted in one of the threads last fall.

 

just "upgrade" to a post 1997 model ... you'll get more plastic than the recycle yard ... all of it more brittle than a soda cracker

 

The cam cover NBC2564CA (up to VIN 116205 and NBC2564CB (from VIN 116206) are no longer avaliable from Jaguar. There is a new for sale on ebay (UK) for £99. Reasonable condition second hand ones are for sale at £50-£60 and are probably still cheaper than having them preofessional reconditioned.