Purpose of those plastic engine covers....

[mikeinaustin]

that seem to be so prevalent these days. Are they simply for looks or do they have some true functional purpose?

I ask because i am thinking about installing a front strut brace to my g35 but it requires the permanent removal of that plastic cover (won't fit with it in place).

 

[oily boyd]

They make the engine compartment look neat/upscale and they attenuate injector and tappet noise.

 

[Pete591]

Originally Posted By: oily boyd
They make the engine compartment look neat/upscale and they attenuate injector and tappet noise.



They only cost about 10 bucks..made in China..

 

[bluestream]

Ford Manual calls it an "apearance cover"

 

[JHZR2]

Ive heard the argument of lowering noise too.

 

[Hootbro]

In some applications, they take the place of "hood blanket" and keep the heat down off your hood paint job.

 

[Eddie]

Mine is the intake for the turbo charger intercooler. Mazda CX7

 

[oily boyd]

Quote:
Mine is the intake for the turbo charger intercooler. Mazda CX7


I think previous gen VW 2.0T had engine air intake integrated into the cover.

 

[pzev]

Because women and modern males are easily intimidated by an engine with "wires" sticking out everywhere.

Sorry, but those plastic covers just get in the way.

 

[92saturnsl2]

Originally Posted By: pzev
Sorry, but those plastic covers just get in the way.


Agreed... It adds an extra 5 or 6 bolts to take off. Plus on my last VW (VR6 engine), it routed the spark plug wires in grooves on the plastic cover. Sure, it looked cool with orange plug wires on the black cover, but every [censored] time I had to take the cover off, I had to pull all 6 plug wires.

 

[BrianWC]

Originally Posted By: oily boyd
Quote:
Mine is the intake for the turbo charger intercooler. Mazda CX7


I think previous gen VW 2.0T had engine air intake integrated into the cover.


Funny. The 94-98 2.3l non-turbo SAAB 900 had the same air intake integration.

 

[ekpolk]

The "hat" on my Camry has a layer of sound insulation material on the underside. Looks a lot like a thin layer of the same stuff that's up in your attic. I suspect it's mostly to dampen noise, as the exhaust, coming from the front of the block, doesn't even have a shield as the gasser I-4s (non-hybrid) do.

 

[smokey1]

removed the plastic cover on the 2000 PRIZM ( Corolla ) and made for more engine noise . Especially climbing hills or on the interstate . Put it back on and became quieter .

 

[robbobster]

The time it takes to remove it gives the mechanic an extra 15 minutes to bill you for.

 

[Shannow]

Some of the commondores had "appearance" covers that gave the appearance of DOHC, with a pushrod V-6.

 

[KrisZ]

Quote:
The "hat" on my Camry has a layer of sound insulation material on the underside. Looks a lot like a thin layer of the same stuff that's up in your attic. I suspect it's mostly to dampen noise, as the exhaust, coming from the front of the block, doesn't even have a shield as the gasser I-4s (non-hybrid) do.


My car had something similar that was glued to the back of the cover, but one day this stuff started to disintegrate and leave white flakes all over my engine, since it was spot glued to the cover I got rid of this stuff, I left the cover since it doesn't have any screws holding it and is easy to remove.

I'm not sure what this stuff is for (presumably heat/noise insulation) but I have just the bare cover for over a year now and I don't notise any less noise and the cover is just fine with no signs of heat damage.

 

[Canawler]

Engine covers are there so the mice have a great protected place to build their nests.

 

[BrianWC]

My parents discovered they have a preference for using o2 sensor wires for that purpose as well.

 

[Eddie]

I think one has to careful about making generizations. In some instances the cover is designed to do specific things-like a cool air intake-they can act as an air guide to flush air over the top of the enging during running. Noise reduction and looks are also mentioned. Sometime we can overlook the real purpose just because well think we know better than the factory. JMO. Ed

 

[ekpolk]

Originally Posted By: Canawler
Engine covers are there so the mice have a great protected place to build their nests.


You jest, but still I wonder. The mice clearly do look to inhabit certain, I presume less-used cars. Nesting under my engine's hat would be a losing proposition of the worst sort. I can't imagine mommy mouse believing that the noise and heat of my engine would make a great place to have her offspring. Unless she intended for them to be fried upon birth. . .

Then there was one of my HS girlfriends back in the good-ole 70s. Her parents had one of those classic late 60s land yacht station wagons with a mega cubes V-8. One morning, her mom started it, and immediately heard a combination of various horrible noises. Her dad, who was close by, opened the hood immediately. The all-metal, belt driven fan was still in the process of slicing and dicing the neighbor's cat which had found a perch somewhere up in there. I have long suspected that clutched cooling fans, and the later, more advanced electric ones, were really meant to allow critters time to be scared by noise and get away, instead of being immediately chopped and minced as the old fans would do.