brillo

Rev-2-K mentioned that someone told him that it was to prevent the hood from warping due to engine heat, any truth to that?

I'm thinking that taking it off might help the engine run a little cooler. Any thoughts?

GooOnYou

It does nothing. Mines been off since December.

sferrett

There are a couple of threads floating around on this one. The general consensus seems to be that it serves no critical purpose. Some have speculated that it may assist directing airflow around the engine but there have been many reports of people running without it that have had no ill effect. Nor have there been any reported/backed benefits of running with out it (to my knowledge). So IMO it's an asthetic thing. I leave mine on since if I took it off it would just be another thing to clutter the garage up.

shelleys_man_06

brillo, why in God's name are you using the Longhorn logo as an avatar? Just kidding :D. The engine cover is mainly an aesthetic piece. Bevo is tasty.

brillo

careful there....all that diversity stuff I learned in school might go flying out the window.

hookem :D

RX-GR8

hook em horns. hey my son is going to UT. he's been there 3 weeks and is homesick already. poor kid i told him to go to rutgers or delaware.

terbeaux

I figure Mazda put it there for a reason and if it served no purpose they would not have engineered it and put it on. I'd hate to remove it and in three years have all the clearcoat on the hood start flaking off. To each his own...

paradigm

Since the MazdaSpeed strut tower brace requires removal of the engine cover, I'll bet that the cover serves no real purpose.

shelleys_man_06

Well, at least you're not an Aggie...

Boozehound

Brillo made the right choice... And RX-GR8's son probably did too, he just needs to discover Trudy's mexican martinis, Lake Travis, & Longhorn football... :D

And to make it seem like I'm not jacking the thread, the engine cover is probably vestigal, but who cares, I just assume leave it on and not have to store it or replace it ($$$) come resale time.

GooOnYou

Gig'em!!!!

BlackAero

I think it only serve as a cosmetic purpose, makes the engine bay looks neater. If you check out the Mazdaspeed version, with the 4 point strut brace the cover will not be able to fit in, so it should serve no purpose ... i am removing it after I installed the Mazdaspeed strut brace. Cheers.

epitrochoid

look in the canzoomer forum, there's posts in there by Maurice and his crew that suggest against removing the cover, as it aids in directing airflow

smrx8

iTrader: (1)

i think it there to keep the engine noise down has anyone notice if it runs cooler with it off?

mikeb

can you provide a link please

eclps0

I know how it feels to be homesick, I have been in Fl for almost a year. I miss my family, friends, ect. It was not easy to leave them behind.

Hey RX GR8 was is you son going to school for? My dad went to rutgers for pharmacy he loved it there its a great school.

P.s I love the greese trucks, i miss having a fat Bitch, or a Fat F***ing Drunk.

z1n

It seems to me that the cover just traps heat. I removed mine 4 months ago and have had no problems.

PoLaK

iTrader: (1)

Incorrect, the engine is 10 degrees cooler with the cover on. You can test this by putting your hand by the side vents when the cover is on and off you should feel more heat traveling out at a greater velocity with the cover on.

IPT's Cover fits over the MazdaSpeed Bar

Tony Orlando

Good point about the side vents. I always suspected that the cover helped move the hot air out through the fenders, and it's nice to see someone else has noticed the same thing.

thew

yes the cover is 1 to help direct airflow out of the compartment.. and to a look thing...
but they do want you to keep it on .. if they did not then why is it designed to stay on whil checking the oil !

Aerodynamics .. when the cover off the air entering the engien comparment is not forced back out thru the side vents on your fenders.

GooOnYou

I thought the side vents were just to hold my fender strakes on :D

And if you want to reduce engine compartment heat, just remove your hood along with the engine cover, of course, being in Houston, that would probably just make things worse

shelleys_man_06

I've seen certain turbo kits eliminate the engine cover. With this in mind, how are we supposed the vent some of the heat away from the engine bay?

PoLaK

iTrader: (1)

Its 10 degrees not that big of a difference.

shelleys_man_06

Ten degrees? I suppose the cover has to go.

thew

you can put an electric fan under the hood if you really want to force the air out.. you can even set it up on its own thermostat. .. just mount it on the hood with about 2 inches of space..

of course you could just leave the cover off.