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Plastic Engine Cover: Why Keep It?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Rebound, Jul 18, 2017.

  1. Rebound

    Rebound Senior Member

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    The Prius has an easily removed, silver-colored plastic cover on top of the valve train. Does this plastic serve any purpose other than appearance?

    Could the engine cooking be slightly improved by removing it? Any disadvantage to keeping it off?
     
  2. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    It keeps the airflow over the engine laminar. Removing it will result in loss of mpg. ;)
     
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  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Double posting, due to to flakey site?
     
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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  5. Tim Jones

    Tim Jones Senior Member

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    Take it off and see what happens........
     
  6. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

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    Beside just being an appearance cover it probably has some noise attenuation qualities.
     
    #6 BZzap!, Oct 31, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 31, 2019
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  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    It does have some padding. Just one small area though.
     
  8. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Depends on what you're cooking. Sometimes you want it to show those grilling stripes. The surface of the valve cover underneath it is more just flat.
     
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Found roadkill? :whistle:
     
  10. lenjack

    lenjack Active Member

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    Interesting. Would like to see more input on this.
     
  11. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

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    Actually, when you think about it, it’s just one more place the car maker can display their corporate logo. Think of it as a bill board under your hood.In the old days when you could actually see the unobstructed view of the engine, it was usually the valve covers that would display this identifier.
     
  12. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    And a way to sell another replacement part. Mine cracked behind the silver sticker straight down when I pulled it directly upwards from the rubber point end points, pulled it off many times w/o problems until the last time. At least this car doesn't have plastic panels blocking the engine bay like newer cars, I'd probably break all of them by now if I drunkenly buy a new car :p
     
  13. lenjack

    lenjack Active Member

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    I'll bet most folks don't realize it's just a plastic cover.
     
  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    It'll get lost and/or trampled.
     
  15. kenmce

    kenmce High Voltage Member

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    I think you would get a more even distribution of heat and thus baking if you lay down the cover on top of your dish. For something thick like leg of Groundhog, I expect it would help keep it properly juicy. This would of course matter less if you do thin slices or if you had something small like a squirrel. Leaving the cover off would be more like roasting and less like baking.
     
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  16. Rebound

    Rebound Senior Member

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    Every car has these plastic engine covers these days. Older engines had gorgeous, machined valve covers, and now the top of most engines is cast aluminum, so it’s cheaper to give a clean appearance with a piece of plastic.

    My six-cylinder BMW has a much larger cover, with a thick piece of rubberized foam beneath. Quiets the valve train. I remove it in the summer months and replace in the fall.
     
    #16 Rebound, Nov 9, 2019
    Last edited: Nov 9, 2019