2002 GTI ....Not that it's a problem but, I live in south Florida (high summer
temps) and I was wondering. If I remove that plastic cover that covers the top
of my vr6 engine, will the engine run a bit cooler? It seems to me that that
flat piece of plastic would keep the engine heat from escaping. It looks nice
when you open the hood but, does it really serve any other purpose?

Your cooling system should take care of the cooling while running - even in
the florida heat with the A/C on max... The cover probably traps a bit of
heat when the engine is off, but your hood would be doing the same thing,
no? And it's good to start a car warm so why not keep the heat.

Serving a purpose? No... the Italians (Alpha, Lambo, Ferrari etc..) polish
their engine plumbing and make nice covers for everything... the Germans do
all the good work on the inside of the engine (function over form) and
surround it in a good looking car, and hide the engine with a piece of
plastic.... I took the cover off my TDI (oil change) and considered leaving
it off, then I realized I have a very ugly engine (ugly pipes everywhere...
and an interesting series of tubes and hoses, especially on the passenger
side), so I put it back on.

I like the engine bay in my parents car (Volvo 960, inline 6) - has a nice
plastic cover to sheild the spark plug wires (and to indentify it as a DOHC
24 Valve design), but then it's just the big aluminum block, and very, VERY
neatly arranged wires, hoses, tubes, and pipes (that don't seem to get ugly
and corroded with age!).

The plastic doesnt even get hot after a long drive I found... I would leave
it on. Unless you want to do like the Italian manufacturers and polish some
components ;-).


"Learstead" <learstead (AT) cs (DOT) com> wrote

I figured it was to reduce engine noise a little bit but I have a TDI.
There is plenty of room for heat to escape including through the
radiator system.

learstead (AT) cs (DOT) com (Learstead) wrote:


Jim B.

It thinks its there for marketing. To make it look pretty, and make a lot of
people take their car in for repairs, because they cant see their engine in
there somewhere........
<jimbehning (AT) doesthisblockporkmindspring (DOT) com> wrote