dr bob

There's certainly a variety of colors and finishes in the engine bays, witness the assortment posted with the 'engine bay' thread.

In my quest to restore/maintain the original appearance in there, I'm looking for a source for the original cam cover and intake manifold color on the S4 engines. All the ones that I've seen in pictures seem to have faded to a pale grey, almost a flat primer color. Meanwhile, mine was a 'perfect' metallic silver color until I used some engine cleaner a couple years ago. The cleaner spotted the intake some, and that now needs to be pulled and resprayed the correct color again. The existing paint is fine, no chipping or anything, it just needs a new topcoat and clear sealer this time. Any hints or knowledge of what matches the original?


Thanks!

Steve J.

drbob- I wanted to restore my engine to the original color. The cam covers were a hideous fleshtone color and the intake had been painted silver with a brush (as far as they could reach). I refered to the bare engine photo in the Porsche marketing brochure for my YM. The cam covers and intake are a satin golden silver. The powder coat I found that was an almost exact match was called "nickel silver". Here's how they turned out. Of course, the painted letters are not original but I couldn't resist.

Susan K Thomas

We use "Zermatt Silver" which is a Porsche color paint code L Y7Y, not exactly the same as the original color of the intake and valve covers, but does look nice.

Will see if I have a picture.

Susan<a href="http://www.devek.net" target="_blank">DEVEK Home page</a>

Ron_H

I have the same problem as Dr. Bob: my intake runners are an awful pinkish eggshell "did-color"
and what paint does remain is chipped and flaking off. I plan to re-finish them in DP 402 epoxy primer which works well on my 911 engine rocker arm covers and other engine parts right next to the exhaust manifolds! I'm assuming bead blasting them first will work as prep. My question for Steve J. is: how did you prep yours?
Did you blast them or use paint stripper(which I suspect would not be adviseable)? <img src="graemlins/xyxwave.gif" border="0" alt="[bigbye]" />

Ron_H

Sorry. I meant "dis-color"

Steve J.

Ron- The paint was already coming off in big flakes.

I had the parts blasted with sugar sand. I avoided bead blasting for fear that a glass bead would become lodged in the intake, later to be released and sucked through the engine. I left the resonance flap bearings in place but protected them from the sand blasting and powder coating with bolts and washers. The parts were baked for a few days to get the oil out of the pores of the metal.

dr bob

Thanks for the inputs so far. I'm almost on the way to trying one of the Wurth silver wheel finishes, as they closely resemble the original colors. This will be a winter project for me, after the new garage is built and all the tools and stuff get moved up from the other house. Please share any more inspirations on restoring the stock colors.


Thanks!

Ron_H

Thanks Steve. I hadn't thought of sugar sand. Nor had I considered baking to release oil. I guess the down time will need to be increased.
Your's look nicely finished. <img src="graemlins/wave.gif" border="0" alt="[byebye]" />

WallyP

I don't know whether the new intakes and valve covers that I have seen are the same color as the original engines or not - but I don't like the color at all. Too cold and cheap-looking.

I plan to use one of the Lexus colors - a fine, molten silver with a hint of gold.