Magnesium valve covers protection and finish (2.0 l engine )

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Dinofanwim
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Magnesium valve covers protection and finish (2.0 l engine )

Post by Dinofanwim »

There is confusion about the finish of valve covers from your car.

Firstly I strongly advice the following measures during restauration, as the oxydation of magnesium will eventually turn your precious covers into powder!
Please read this article so you are aware of what can happen: http://www.cycleworld.com/2013/09/10/de ... corrosion/
So clean your covers properly and protect them with for example WD40!

Special paint exists to stop oxydation of magnesium, but in my opinion just treat them with a heat resistant epoxy primer!
That will do the job just fine!

Now as far as the finishing of your covers of the 2.0 l engines, don't get fooled by the pictures you see in the old brochures.
As my father (RIP) had a Dino Coupé, I can assure all of you that the finish was done with black wrinkle paint.
These paints can be found easily in spray cans. A good product is the VHT plus coating which comes at attractive prices. http://www.nonpaints.com/nl/vht-hittebe ... n-spuitbus

As far as the covers on the 2.4 l engines is concerned, I am still figuring this out, but I will post it soon, unless someone knows the exact finish and composition.
La passione per tutti creazone!
Alfre"dino", che significa tanto a suo padre Enzo!
Poi ha lanciato suo padre Enzo, il marchio "Dino".

patrizio
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Re: Magnesium valve covers protection and finish (2.0 l engi

Post by patrizio »

I'm sorry but I disagree.
The confusion comes from these post ;)
The finish of the engine's head covers was never black wrinkled on FIAT Dino Spider and Coupé (2000cc and 2400cc).
When anyone starts a discussion on this forum, it would be appropriate to specify the information that spreads are based on reliable sources or on personal tastes.
It is the photo of the old brochures that make us understand how were made the original car.
Certainly not the photo of botched car that are for sale on web.
We must try to maintain the originality of our Dino and this tool, the forum, is important to do so.
it is important to distinguish the choices made for personal reasons (aesthetics, taste, madness :D ) than those arising from research or from certain construction data from the manufacturer or from contemporary sources.

All this IMHO
Last edited by patrizio on Sat Nov 21, 2015 5:13 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Stefan2000
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Re: Magnesium valve covers protection and finish (2.0 l engi

Post by Stefan2000 »

I'm also quite sure the valve covers were originally gray'ish (at least on 2000)
My car has original 58.000km and is as far as I could figure out so far untouched, I think I was the first one to lift the valve covers because the nuts looked untouched, it had all the original washers (and valves clearance was way out of spec :D ) all original hose clamps etc.etc.
One thing I'm still wondering about is the white dot on the valve cover, could that be some kind of a 'passed the test mark'? I wouldn't be surprised.

Also the original ignition leads are kind of funny, I saw them on an old picture from a test in a 60's magazine somewhere as well. I think on original 2000's with the early distributorcap the ignition leads were like this. But again this could be speculation and not a proven fact.

Image
Image
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Dinofanwim
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Re: Magnesium valve covers protection and finish (2.0 l engi

Post by Dinofanwim »

My Fathers 2.0 l Dino was delivered early 1968.
Shortly after delivery, a DINOPLEX ignition was fitted as a factory upgrade free of charge! (So it must have been an early production model!)
The covers were finished with black wrinkle paint. (This is 100% sure!)
I even remember that at one point this car was brought to the garage of Anton Keijzer on the Leenderweg in Eindhoven for carburettor adjustment. The garage was co-owned by Toine Hezemans!
The engine of the DINO seized for known reasons and was traded in for a BMW 2800 CS!
The 2.0 l Dino Coupé (# 002376) that I bought earlier on this year, also has the same black wrinkle paint!

It should also be mentioned that the oil sump was not in the colour as shown in the brochure of the 2000 Dino Coupé!

As Stefan mentions, the colours are grayish.
The black wrinkle paint that was applied on to the grayish base colour, has a tendency to come off in big flakes.
I hope that this will definitively end the confusion about the valve covers.
La passione per tutti creazone!
Alfre"dino", che significa tanto a suo padre Enzo!
Poi ha lanciato suo padre Enzo, il marchio "Dino".

patrizio
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Re: Magnesium valve covers protection and finish (2.0 l engi

Post by patrizio »

The original images of the FIAT production period unfortunately not confirm what you're saying, and the car that you bought recently could is certainly been restored.
I recently had a discussion with a passionate Italian about the color of the cylinder head covers of Fiat Dino 2000, and after some research we found that the cylinder head covers were passivated gold (like the brochure - I would never have said) for first units and color passivated magnesium everyone else followed (which in time become gray / dark brown).
For versions Dino 2400 I've always seen them natural aluminum color.
If you have original photos of the production period of the car, Dinofanwim, where we see that the cylinder head covers were black wrinkle paint, will be well accepted as proof.
Otherwise .... might have been a one-off for your father, maybe on specific request.

These are some examples of valve cover for Fiat Dino, when taking photos, were never restored (one is mine).

Image

Image

Image

Image
Last edited by patrizio on Tue Nov 24, 2015 7:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
dinoverde
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Re: Magnesium valve covers protection and finish (2.0 l engi

Post by dinoverde »

I would tend to agree with patrizio..
Where it gets confusing is that some 2.4 liter cars had in the early stage of production magnesium valve covers while later cars had aluminum valve covers as discussed in Mike Morris book . I recently took pictures of a late spider that was for sale at fantasy junctions in california. A very late car with aluminum valve covers that were indeed unpainted dull aluminum.
My car is a really early 2.4 spider without air pump for the brake assistance. It has magnesium valve covers that were always gold.
I recently sold a very original 2.4 liter coupe with aluminum covers that appeared to have been black from new.
From looking at many original brochures and pictures it seems that 2 liter spider had gold valve covers in magnesium and that all aluminum valve covers were either black or dull aluminum.
It could very well be that the majority of cars followed that rule, but that at the factory depending on the production date there could be some variations. The best way to find out is probably to gently strip the base housing of the distributor(magnesium on 2 liter car and some 2.4 liter cars) . When that part was painted the same finish as the valve covers and you will certainly find some paint bleeding inside that part. My 2.4 liter car had some gold inside and never had been repainted .
One more controversy, regarding the color of the brass horn flutes. Most 2.4 liter cars appear to be bleu, but my 2.4 liter spider were black(I striped them myself inside out and no bleu was ever present. Same for my 2.4 liter coupe. The late 2 liter spider i use to own with original paint had also black horn flutes. Once more no real consistency there.
Hard to reach a consencius on this topic as the factory never very precise either.
There were even more radical differences between early 2.4 spiders and later ones. The factory used recycled 2 liter bodies to put out some of the early 2.4 spiders. All you have to do is look at the way the rear end were attached in the early cars compared with the later cars.
Some had hinged panels over the spare..some had molded carpet mats with rubber backing on the later cars...
A work in progress and then they stopped production..
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Re: Magnesium valve covers protection and finish (2.0 l engi

Post by Tobi »

Hey Folks,
have a look at this NOS cylinder head of a second series 2000 engine:
http://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anze ... 4-223-9614
It says magnesium cover bronze-anodized.
Should be a good proof ;)
rentsch1961
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Re: Magnesium valve covers protection and finish (2.0 l engi

Post by rentsch1961 »

Hi, these picture show the valve covers of my '68 2000 Coupe.
It's the original passivation which has turned dark braun.
Alain.
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Dinofanwim
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Re: Magnesium valve covers protection and finish (2.0 l engi

Post by Dinofanwim »

As promised, please see the valve covers on my 2.0 l. It was identical on my Fathers Dino. You can also see the brownish colour underneath. You can even see the white magnesium oxyde powder appearing!

The engine number
The engine number
Flakes and the brownish colour underneath
Flakes and the brownish colour underneath
Attachments
Same thing
Same thing
La passione per tutti creazone!
Alfre"dino", che significa tanto a suo padre Enzo!
Poi ha lanciato suo padre Enzo, il marchio "Dino".

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Re: Magnesium valve covers protection and finish (2.0 l engi

Post by Dinoswede »

Interesting pictures, but the picture labeled "engine number" is actually showing the engine´s ignition firing order: 1-4-2-5-3-6 !
Your engine´s serial number (135 B. 000 xxxx) is found at the right front area of the engine block, below the distributor, close to
the oil filter.

Re the valve cover finish, my experience from different Fiat Dinos is, the magnesium covers were made in the grey-ish finish as
they - probably because of the engine heat - tend to become very oxidized and ugly, if used in " bare metal". The aluminium
covers seem to have been used without any treatment, at all.

Dinoswede
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