Purpose of Motor Covers?

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Almost all cars come with covers that hid most of the actual motor so that is about all you see when you raise the hood. I recently pulled the cover off of my Kia Soul and it had a thick layer of foam insulation underneath. I can't hear any difference in the sound of the motor without it. Other than "looks", is there any real purpose for these covers?
 
So you cant hear the rod knock as bad when it's in warranty
 
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Lets people that care about cars know that you gave a flip during your ownership to keep up with them when they're looking at buying your used car?

I actually used that as a measure when I bought my TL. 8 times out of 10 the battery cover is missing and that was actually a turn off when I was looking.
 
It made a sound difference on a 2012 Mazda3 my wife had. The Mazda had a DI engine and the injectors were louder with the cover off.
 
I like the one from the first-gen Kia Sedona:

[Linked Image from images.hgmsites.net]


Originally Posted by ad244


So you cant hear the rod knock as bad when it's in warranty


lol.gif
 
I take it off in summer to improve airflow and put it back on in the cooler fall/winter months. Have I noticed an actual difference in coolant temps, no. Have I noticed a discernable difference in engine noise off or on in the cabin, no.

But I do it none the less.....‚
 
It's there for aesthetics, sure, but mostly it's there for sound deadening. The foam lining under the hood is what insulates the paint from the engine heat, the engine cover has little or nothing to do with the paint.
 
As mentioned sound suppression and aesthetics for the majority of the general public that don't know anything about engines, and just like the 'finished look' a cover provides.
 
I always thought those covers were 'maintenance deterrents'. As in, they want customers to think that engines are just black boxes that cannot possibly be at all fixed without fancy-dancy factory tools and training.

In the sales process, they may also reduce the perception of complexity, and thus, things that can break.
 
Helps keep the engine clean, helps with noise and in some cases it directs air over the cylinder head. I always keep them on for these reasons. Ed
 
When I worked for one of the auto manufacturers in the 80s, they had a task force called the Underhood Appearance Group, making sure the parts manufactured didn't look too odd when the hood is lifted. They didn't like the Prussian blue used on the cast aluminum master cylinders being built. It was there for crack detection during manufacture.

I guess they gave up and just went with an engine cover.

For two cars in my stable I took the engine covers off and put them on the shelf. They'll go back on when I sell the car.

Considering the troubling trend of tight underhood space and designers having more trouble trying to shed heat from the engine, and specifying more heat resistant materials, cars would be better off without these covers.
 
About 15 years ago, I read an article in either Motor Trend or Car and Driver that was talking about the trend towards aesthetic covers vs. cast and machined engine parts that were "beautified ". The article said that it was cheaper to design in a plastic cover to cover up an ugly engine, than compared to a pretty engine with nice intake, valve covers, hoses etc. About the same time, a similar trend was noted in the motorcycle industry. I am not sure if one trend predated the other, but it seems to be a reasonable explanation.
 
Originally Posted by Kestas
Considering the troubling trend of tight underhood space and designers having more trouble trying to shed heat from the engine, and specifying more heat resistant materials, cars would be better off without these covers.

My sentiments exactly ðŸ‘
 
Originally Posted by 02SE
As mentioned sound suppression and aesthetics for the majority of the general public that don't know anything about engines, and just like the 'finished look' a cover provides.
They're also less expensive than giving the actual valve cover a "finished look," as some manufacturers used to do.
 
I've seen a few new cars recently that have foregone the covers. May be a new trend.
 
I was in the "it's only for aesthetics camp too..."

"In cooler climates it helps warm up the engine faster. In hotter climates it helps dissipate heat from the hood to protect the paint, even if spec'd with an under hood lining."

This is what I was told by a KIA service tech when he noticed I had removed mine. Not sure I totally buy it but if I get hood paint issues while under warranty, I don't want to give anyone an easy "out". So for now it's back on.
 
Aerodynamics. Help lower the coefficient of drag. Less turbulent air under the hood coming in from the grill at high speeds. No manufacturer will waste money on anything underneath the hood unless it increases MPG
 
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