So i see a small crack/bend in the valve cover and what looks like more superficial paint bubbles. I thought I saw somewhere browsing the forums that the crack is a common thing and isn't anything to necessarily worry about? Can it be sanded/grind down or to get rid of it would I need to purchase another valve cover?

Also can the paint bubbling issue be indicative of a previous aftermarket exhaust manifold which caused excessive heat near it?

 

That tends to happen over time. I doubt it's cracked. The Mg can handle a lot of heat, it's likely just the paint that's cracked.

 

The paint bubbling happened to mine as well. It's a common problem on the Evo8's, but not sure about the 9's.