Plastic Engine Cover: Why Keep It?

Neither has Disco Stu...

 

It is usually designed to keep water spray out of coil over plug ignition/ spark plug wells preventing shorts and rare sudden contraction cracking.

LG-H918 ?

 

Cover; engine; appearance. Nuff said.

 

That would be the non-cosmetic cylinder head cover bolted to the cylinder head.

That is certainly a 2G problem, so to the extent that #2 cover helps to keep water off the #1 cylinder head cover, that would be an excellent non-cosmetic reason for the existence of cover #2.

 

OK...so if the debate is centered around keeping it on or removing it....and nobody is REALLY sure?
I'm saying keep it on.
Because I'm pretty sure any heat dissipation benefit is pretty minimal. To the point of being...well..no benefit at all.

Keeping it on? Well, that's how the vehicle came from the factory. IMO it's looks nice. And if it keeps moisture from doing any damage to a vital area or part? I would take that chimerical benefit over the chimerical benefit of removal for heat dissipation.

Plus there is no argument that the cover keeps Gremlins from directly urinating on your engine. That benefit alone has me voting just keep the cover on.
Sometimes you can overthink something.

 

Yeah can we get onto something important, like how high to raise the hood before dropping it when closing?

 

It's for holding hobo steaks against the hot engine so the steak doesn't falll onto the exhaust and get overdone. 15 minutes at 65 mph then flip it over and another 10 minutes yields a perfect medium cooked steak every time. It also comes in handy as a water bowl for my dog. The inverter is perfect for pancakes with its large flat surface. Still trying to perfect a shish kebab method but with no fan belt or pulleys to use as a turner its become frustrating.

 

Of course, with plastic wheel covers, you now have to pan ahead!

 

I kept the engine cover from my previous Prius.

So, Now I have a spare one in the garage.

 

Hello. I would like to check the coolant in my radiator, but I can't because there is a cover over the cap! I can touch and see the reservoir but I am going to have to remove the "cover" to touch the radiator cap. Is this normal? Why?

 

Another reason I removed mine.

This could damage your car if you don't take action! #shorts - YouTube

 

You should only need to look at the side of the white plastic coolant reservoir. There will be min and a max levels indicated on the side. No need to remove the radiator cap just to check the level.

 

Cover is there to make the engine less noisey which these atkisson motors with solid lifters need and most new cars are GDI now and there high pressure fuel pump makes quite a racket so they all have a big cover.

I got a new GDI car and removed the cover the noise does not bother me. All that cover does is trap alot of engine heat. And creates a big heat soak too when the car is shut off since it traps the engine heat so well.

 

3rd gen doesn’t even have a radiator cap.

 

And yes you need to remove the radiator cover because on this whacky car the overflow plastic reservoir could be full and the rad empty
So you are on the right track
Just unscrew the plastic screws holding the cover on by snaking your hand behind the screw and push it out while unscrewing
Once screws out not neccessary to put them back in the hood will hold the cover in place without the screws
So it will be easy to check the rad levels
My cover has no screws for years and years

since your interested in the coolant side of things get a flashlight and look closely at the front of the engine where the engine water pump is it’s in the passenger side
You’ll see the water pump belt so look for green corroded flecks in that area that means the pump is worn out and water is leaking out of its weep hole hits the belt and is thrown all over that area
If the car is new to you I would replace that belt asap as it’s extremely critical. That belt tvurns the water pump no belt no pump
If belt fails and falls off you will never know as there’s no temp gauge. Engine will quickly over heat and the Only thing you’ll see
Is a thermometer icon on the dash meaning the engine is in severe over heat which sometimes will blow the engine.
You can easily lose an engine over a $20 belt in this car.
Btw you cannot see how worn the belt is till it’s off
Good idea to check the tensioner pulley with belt off as the pulley bearing tends to wear out

This is all just basic maintenance on this car

so if the rad coolant level is low you probably have a leak as the coolant level will stay the sane for years.

 

Thanks so

Thank you Ed. I had the Serpentine belt replaced recently. What is the name of the belt that you are referring to?

 

Ok, recent question is from a gen two owner, my mistake.

 

It’s the same belt it’s not a serpentine belt it’s actually a fan belt.

Only belt on the engine and it’s only job is to turn the water pump
That’s very good it’s been replaced but be aware it’s a very stiff belt and it’s a good idea too check it’s tension after it’s been driven a bit because after it’s been broken in
the stiffness goes away and it may loosen up and will need to be tightened back up.
Do not discount anything to do with this belt as it’s extremely important combined with a disastrous and horrible design with no temp gauge.
You will never know if it’s failed till you start smelling burning smell by then too late.

 

Apologies for posting in the wrong forum. Thanks guys.