Plastic engine covers..............

[Merkava_4]

Quote:
confusing to the average Joe with wires running everywhere, emissions controls everywhere, etc...


Yes, it's the complexity that's worrisome to the buyer, which is mainly why they have engine covers; for covering up the wires and plumbing. On some of them however, with their foam padding, can actually serve a minor purpose of insulating the clicking sound of the fuel injectors.

GM calls my engine cover a ''fuel injector sight shield,'' when it's actually a fuel injector sound insulator.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
That is one ugly engine. The only purpose the tiny cover at the TB serves is to keep grime off the trottle cable linkage. Everything is pure function, and it isn't pretty at all.


That is funny. Ford has always taken the cake IMO, in the ugly engine department- for most of their passenger vehicles & trucks anyway. You can barely reach in there without snagging your hand on something! Chevies and Chryslers always seemed to be a bit purdier under the hood.

Joel

 

[PF52]

Originally Posted By: JTK
That is funny. Ford has always taken the cake IMO, in the ugly engine department- for most of their passenger vehicles & trucks anyway. You can barely reach in there without snagging your hand on something!


I remember reading a review a few years ago, about a V8 Mustang. The reviewer wondered if one were to pour a bucket of water onto the engine, how long would it take for the water to actually reach the ground? That must've been one CROWDED engine compartment!

 

[9c1]

Originally Posted By: Buffman

Actually the "home plate" and "first base" shown in this picture are not covers, but are part of the intake system. They are a sound attenuator (there is a technical name for it. I think they are called Helmholtz (sp?) system) designed to dampen noise from the air flowing into the engine. They can not be removed without plugging the remaining holes or somehow rerouting the intake air.

 

[Kestas]

When I worked at Chrysler back in the early 80s, I found out there was an Under-the-Hood-Appearance Group that directed how things looked under the hood. They nixed our blue aluminum master cylinders. The color was the result of 100% crack checking.

 

[Buffman]

Originally Posted By: 9c1
Originally Posted By: Buffman

Actually the "home plate" and "first base" shown in this picture are not covers, but are part of the intake system. They are a sound attenuator (there is a technical name for it. I think they are called Helmholtz (sp?) system) designed to dampen noise from the air flowing into the engine. They can not be removed without plugging the remaining holes or somehow rerouting the intake air.


Tery I know that Not like the car is completely new to me I was just making a reference, as the homeplate while it is part of the intake system, it's still just like a small engine cover.

Matt

 

[Challenger71]

Plastic engine covers=dead weight=not necessary

 

[JTK]

My 2.2L Ecotec has an ugly intake silencer/resonator as well. Here's a pic with the massive engine cover off:

Only the breather line ties into it fortunately. The secondary air injection's suction hose ties into the top of the air filter box. GM does sell a "cold air intake" kit for the Ectotecs that eliminates the resonator clamped to the throttle body. Not sure how/if it addresses the SAI though. The GM Vortec/Atlas series engines have several gawd awful intake resonators with multiple unfiltered air leak sources. Man I hated that when I owned my Trailblazer.

Joel

 

[Steve S]

Originally Posted By: Challenger71
Plastic engine covers=dead weight=not necessary
The problem is we have to pay for the stuff.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: Steve S
Originally Posted By: Challenger71
Plastic engine covers=dead weight=not necessary
The problem is we have to pay for the stuff.


So are all the interior parts that we never touch but complain when they are made out of cheap plastic. There are so many things on a car that is cosmetic only and cost money, that I wouldn't mind a relatively cheap $2 engine cover.

 

[Kestas]

If you want to talk about cosmetic costs, let's talk about the paint on a car. If the market didn't demand a Class A finish on their vehicle, the publc could save approximately one-third on the price of a new car. A $2 engine cover is peanuts compared to the visible impact when you open the hood.

 

[moribundman]

What car has an engine cover that costs $2?

 

[Drew2000]

Originally Posted By: Kestas
If you want to talk about cosmetic costs, let's talk about the paint on a car. If the market didn't demand a Class A finish on their vehicle, the publc could save approximately one-third on the price of a new car. A $2 engine cover is peanuts compared to the visible impact when you open the hood.


Do you really think it costs $6600+ to paint a $20k car on a robotic paint line? You still have to paint the sheetmetal, so spritzing some shiny clear-coat as a last step aint all that much money.

Drew

 

[PF52]

Originally Posted By: JTK
My 2.2L Ecotec has an ugly intake silencer/resonator as well. Here's a pic with the massive engine cover off:



Oh, I see you have an 07, which has the additional utilitiarian look of the separate coil-on-plug design. The earlier Ecotecs had a much prettier design with a nice coil cover.

You're right, the GMPP intake does not address the SAI issue, but if I remember correctly there is another one available in the aftermarket that does. Some people have fitted the breather tube with a small cone filter as well, and still were able to use the GMPP intake. I have an 06 with the 2.4 engine (no SAI), and I do have the GMPP intake which cleans up the looks of the engine considerably.

 

[Kestas]

A Class A finish on a vehicle involves considerably more than a spritz of clearcoat. I've been in plants and have seen the labor-intensive efforts that designers and workers go through to achieve the best possible finish on a car, and to keep it that way until it is delivered to the consumer.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: css9450

Oh, I see you have an 07, which has the additional utilitiarian look of the separate coil-on-plug design. The earlier Ecotecs had a much prettier design with a nice coil cover.


Yes, I agree the pre-2007's were cleaner looking. The drilled/tapped holes are still in the cam cover on my 2007 to accommodate the old style cover. For what ever reason, the 2007 Malibus with the Ecotec 2.2L still used the old style ignition system with the cover + no hideous plastic engine cover.

Joel

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted By: Drew2000
Originally Posted By: Kestas
If you want to talk about cosmetic costs, let's talk about the paint on a car. If the market didn't demand a Class A finish on their vehicle, the publc could save approximately one-third on the price of a new car. A $2 engine cover is peanuts compared to the visible impact when you open the hood.


Do you really think it costs $6600+ to paint a $20k car on a robotic paint line? You still have to paint the sheetmetal, so spritzing some shiny clear-coat as a last step aint all that much money.

Drew


I agree, I spent some time in the paint dept at my previous GM plant and, if I recall correctly, it cost approx $1800 to paint the Astro/Safari models. This was around 2001 and most painting was robotic with human spot finnese and taping.

 

[Drew2000]

Auto makers should just use Cor-Ten sheet metal.

No worries about painting, and a new-age conformity across car lines! (and a outlined car-shaped rusty spot in your driveway.)

Drew

 

[2006_Charger_R/T]

I think that the 5.7l hemi has a nice cover. I painted it.

 

[Tosh]

Originally Posted By: JTK
My 2.2L Ecotec has an ugly intake silencer/resonator as well. Here's a pic with the massive engine cover off:
Joel

Yeah, but look how clean it was under there. You'll be sorry you took it off!