POLL: Have you experienced blistering chrome on the OEM Alternater Cover?

[DFragn]

I've had several alternator covers blister. I believe it starts via pin prick holes at the sharp corners of the "H" in "Honda".
My understanding is that the chrome is applied through a vacuum process and I think that thins the chrome or produces very small holes at the corners. Heat seems to exacerbate the problem and I thought maybe the Kuryakyn Transmissions covers might be a contributing factor.

What has been your experience?

I recently painted mine because I got tired of replacing them. I haven't had a chance to heat mine up since painting. I assume as long as the paint is fully cured it hopefully won't blister too.

[Dag]

I have my third alternator cover now. I have thought of several options why this happens.
Could it be magnetism from the alternator? The heat? Or gasoline?
I had to find out... I dont think its the heat, there are chromed "plastic" parts on the Valk that are exposed to more heat and I did not get any reaction with a heat gun.
I liked the magnetism theory and I had to do a test.

I had two of my old alternator covers. I cut off a piece of the top area with no blister (same area on both covers)
I bought a stong magnet and placed it behind one cover.
A friend of mine work at the local hospital here, so I got an drop counter (used for infusion) - connected it to a bottle filled with gasoline and set it on 1 drop every 10th second. I turned it on every day when I came home from work, and closed it before I went to bed.

After 36 days I could see the beginning of blistering on the piece who were exposed to gasoline.
I'm quite sure that petrol is the cause. If you spill some gasoline on the tank it will drip gasoline on the alternator cover.

It is no longer a theory, it is proved. (for me)

[dreamaker]

I have had it on my radiator side cover. The chrome is lifting.

Dan

[3W-lonerider]

i'm also on my third cover since 99. but now my left side cover is starting to peel to. instead of buying new ones. i'm going to peel them the rest of the way and paint them.

[blkvlk777]

Have a 98 standard and 99 tourer and neither have the blistering.  I always wondered if the wrong cleaner used on the plastic chrome pieces would have ill effects??   Something like Neverdull on the chrome plastic?  Just a thought - it seems to smell like gasonine soaked cotton (so same theory as the gasoline).  I am sure the heat also plays a factor somewhere.

[Chrisj CMA]

Im on my secone cover......cleaners are not the problem as I only use water as a cleaner.....I think gas can be the culprit.  Like mentioned if there is a spill or even if the petcock leaks it can put gas / fumes in that area.  My second one is fine so far, but I have a Pingle and I havent spilled any gas, so Im hoping it will las longer

[Tundra]

Yes, mine have blistered without (pre-install) of the Kury cover and new one blistered after the Kury cover install.

[petahb]

I guess I am lucky. I now have my 4th and 5th Valks and have never had the alt cover blister. I ride easy and don't let it idle much and try to minimize the heat. I don't "screw it on" after riding in stop and go traffic when the heat is up there. In other words I baby it. The mileage on the Valks has ranged from 14000 to 44,000.

Pete

[Bagger John - #3785]

You left out a few options in that poll...

Of our five Valkyries, two were bought new and the rest used. The new bikes were immediately fitted with the Kuryakyn tranny covers.

One of the used bikes had a set on it when purchased. The others did not. Of those two, one has seen sporadic use since new (2001), while the other was ridden a little more often.

Those two were fitted with the covers when I bought them. Up til that time, no bubbling of ANY of their plastic covers has been evidenced...

...and it's still not, with the exception of my first Tourer's alternator cover and that's in a spot where you really have to look for it. I first noticed the bubble in 2007 and it's not gotten any larger with time.

Should any gas spills occur, I clean the entire affected area RFN and I try to keep a coat of Mother's Carnauba Wax on all of the bikes' chromed surfaces. (Still doesn't prevent certain Cobra pieces from pitting and flaking but that's the topic of another discussion...)

Ambient operating temps range from ~20F to 110+ ... all types of driving. I've wondered at time if the plasticizer used in various runs of those covers is at fault, by virtue of outgassing and subsequent molecular breakdown of the bond between cover and overlying chrome...

[sandy]

After 105K miles in all kinds of weather, the original '98 cover is still perfect. No tranny covers and I don't spill gas on it.

[Ricky-D]

I think it's a problem with the plastic underneath the chrome.  The plastic continues to cure, giving off vapors, and as a result of this curing: the plastic continues to shrink.  This shrinking of the plastic causes the chrome, which in not shrinking, to need to go somewhere and it is resulting in the separation and wrinkling.

[RP#62]

I've got a '97 and a '98 Tourer.  The '97 has Kury covers the '98 has another type of cover.  On both, the alternator cover chrome is pristine.  I tend to go with the gasoline theory.  Whenever I pull the tank, I put a rag over the alternator cover to make sure no gas is spilled on it from when you disconnect the fuel line.
-RP

[PAVALKER]

I have experienced alternator chrome issues, but it is not too extreme as of yet (it has been progressive and I know it will get there).  I do have the side covers and wonder if it is a heat issue.  I have not noticed any gas dripping nor have I spilled any, and can only assume it to be heat related at this time.  I assume the alternator puts out a good bit of heat itself and with everything covered up, the cover expands and contracts at different rates (plastic compared to the chrome covering).  I do have a new side cover in standby when this one gets overly blistered or peels.  Curious to know how that painted one will work out or if it will experience blistering as well.  Hurry up and ride that thing and give us feedback.....   As anyone attempted to rechrome their stock cover???  Did I read that someone fabricated a metal (polished stainless) cover?

[DFragn]

I think it's a problem with the plastic underneath the chrome.  The plastic continues to cure, giving off vapors, and as a result of this curing: the plastic continues to shrink.  This shrinking of the plastic causes the chrome, which in not shrinking, to need to go somewhere and it is resulting in the separation and wrinkling.

Ricky-D,
Interesting opinion.
Here's a picture after I stripped the chrome off the cover. You can see the obvious warping, or maybe shrinkage, on the face. But, there was no visible transfer of this formation on the rear inside of the cover. Wish I had a pick of that.

There's been plenty of mention involving gasoline in this thread. There seems to be no consistency with that. Gas must be able to get to the top level surface also. Of all my bad covers it has always been on the vertical face and always starts at the top left upper leg of the "H".
My last cover was blistered by at least 40% and never went beyond vertical where spilt gasoline would have a greater capacity to pond.
Maybe there is some consistency. If gas, it could be ponding on the edge surface of the lettering and finding a flaw in those tight letter corners and either allowing fluid or vapor to penetrate. Also if gas, perhaps my statement is true, I would think there's a chance for liquid gasoline and potentially gas vapors to be "drawn in' at those weak points as the cover heats up.

[Shockbushing Gary]

I just made a steel one. Made some more, in case one of my bros wants one.

The pic is of mine, chrome plated. I sell them in the raw, to be polished, plated, painted, etched, whatever you want.
They do NOT fit with tranny covers of any kind.
There are only a few left. I won't be making more.

[flatsixrider]

I just made a steel one. Made some more, in case one of my bros wants one.

The pic is of mine, chrome plated. I sell them in the raw, to be polished, plated, painted, etched, whatever you want.
They do NOT fit with tranny covers of any kind.
There are only a few left. I won't be making more.

Looks great.  How much do you need for one?   Mine is blistering and yours looks great. 

[Scott from FL, now in Maine]

I have a 99 standard I got last June. It had only 15k miles on it, but had been left in the weather all the time. No tranny covers when I got and cover had many bubbles. Now has covers, no change in the original seperating that I can see. I am condering the painting option myself. I look forward to updates on paint idea's 

[fudgie]

Mine is blistered on the bottom. Didn't see it till I took the cover off. Still using it.

[Shockbushing Gary]

Looks great.  How much do you need for one?   Mine is blistering and yours looks great. 

Sent you a PM

[Grumpy]

I am on my second one, first blistered with out the tranny covers, replacment is starting to do the same with the Kury covers.
Looks like the altenator heat is to blame.

[Normandog]

Could you PM me the info?

[Shockbushing Gary]

Could you PM me the info?

Comin' atcha

[DFragn]

Just as I feared. The poll is actually inconclusive.
More, apparently, have blistered without the Kury Trans covers in place.
The ratio of covers to no covers should have been determined first.

My painted alt cover is holding up to the heat very well.
Using colorrite paints and with their application instructions and waiting 2 weeks (my idea) to subject the fresh paint to heat - all is good.

I can't say how subjecting fresh paint to that heat the day after painting would or would not bubble the paint. So, if you paint it and have no knowledge beyond my experiences delay reinstall of painted cover to be safe.

[RP#62]

I'm still not convinced on the heat.  Either some Valks get hotter than others, or there were batch problems with the original covers, or its not the heat.  On my 97 tourer, I'm the original owner and mine is pristine.  Being in Arizona, my bike gets hotter in the garage than it did back east on the highway. 
It would seem like if it was strictly heat, they all would be blistered.  The fact that not all covers blister would seem to indicate variability in production quality, or some other variable that we haven't identified.
-RP

[Shockbushing Gary]

I'm inclined to say all the possible issues are contributors to the problem.
Gas can and will affect the plastic cover IF there is any flaw or point where the liquid can get under the chrome plating.
Something similar with heat- if there is a flaw of any kind in the integrity of the plating, whether from new or later scratched, the plastic off-gassing can bubble the chrome.
Nearly anything that will expand and vaporize under heat would do it. Plastic solvents should do it almost instantly.

If I am right, this means that even a new part could bubble if it has a flaw in its plating. I expect some do.

[SlowRoad]

   I had to replace my alternator cover last year due to gas dripping onto it over the winter. I noticed a couple weeks ago that my rear master cylinder cover has started to peel up on the top edge, and while cleaning the bike last week, I now noticed that the right radiator side cover is starting to peel. This is on a '97 standard with no chrome covers on trans.  Guess it's a combination of things that cause this, but I wish it would stop.