why does everything have a plastic panel over it?

[Imported]

A clean, polished and wire tucked engine bay is so awesome to look at compared to the covered plastic garbage.

For example:

vs.

 

[michal1980]

Minimal plastic on mine. Not buying the dampening theory, 2mm of abs plastic won't do shit for noise.

what you belive and what is reality are two different things.

In most cars those covers are there for a reason. Be it for protecting wiring, or noise reduction.

for example. DI engines make much more noise then other forms of port injections. The covers can be designed to just target the reduction of the noise they make.

 

[deathBOB]

But I love the mechanical sounds...

I would much rather have a neat engine bay and be able to hear the parts working.

Oh wow, it's you! You're the guy they make all the cars for! So nice to meet you!

 

[JulesMaximus]

But I love the mechanical sounds...

I would much rather have a neat engine bay and be able to hear the parts working.

I couldn't possibly care less about that but I do care about noise. I much prefer a quiet interior than the drone of the engine or the wail of the tires or the rush of air moving over the cabin. Which is precisely why I haven't modified any car I've owned at all in the past 15 or so years.

If I modify anything it will be to add weight to the car with sound deadening materials.

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

Could they also have something to do with heat shielding and creating ideal air flow thru the engine bay?

 

[996GT2]

for example. DI engines make much more noise then other forms of port injections. The covers can be designed to just target the reduction of the noise they make.

Not all modern engines are totally covered up.

The FRS/BR-Z are DI engines and have minimal covers. On another note the BRZ engine bay gets my vote as one of the most disorganized and messy looking jobs out there:

The Honda S2000, on the other hand, has one of the best stock engine bays IMO:

 

[halik]

Not all modern engines are totally covered up.

The FRS/BR-Z are DI engines and have minimal covers. On another note the BRZ engine bay gets my vote as one of the most disorganized and messy looking jobs out there:

The Honda S2000, on the other hand, has one of the best stock engine bays IMO:

E46 M3 was great in terms of that also

 

[michal1980]

Not all modern engines are totally covered up.

The FRS/BR-Z are DI engines and have minimal covers. On another note the BRZ engine bay gets my vote as one of the most disorganized and messy looking jobs out there:

The Honda S2000, on the other hand, has one of the best stock engine bays IMO:

Aren't the injectors in the brz located on the side of the engine ? Couldn't really put a cover on them. Plus it's always application based. A majority of people buying the car might like more noise. Different cars will have different buyers, with most not caring what an engine sounds like, or even interested in hearing it at all

 

[Mermaidman]

Timely thread. I was looking at CTS and laughed at its engine bay:

EVERYTHING is covered up

 

[JulesMaximus]

Timely thread. I was looking at CTS and laughed at its engine bay:

EVERYTHING is covered up

I suppose you didn't buy it because of that right? :ninja:

 

[hanoverphist]

just because i would rather see this

than this

(same motor, 427ci)

doesnt mean i dont get why the covers are on there. i have seen my share of them working in a shop for years, and majority of them had sound deadening on them. unfortunately, that fiber used for sound deadening also retains a ton of heat. thats my main reason for not liking them. i prefer to hear the engine and the world outside, mainly so i dont find myself getting used to being disconnected from the road im trying to drive on. also, the DI doesnt usually get its noise from the throttle body end, its from the ram end, where the air comes in. putting a cover at the TB wouldnt do much for noise control, IMO. it would hurt the air temp tho, which really doesnt want to be high.

 

[Vdubchaos]

Minimal plastic on mine. Not buying the dampening theory, 2mm of abs plastic won't do shit for noise.

Audi doesn't have to put a plastic cover over the engine to force you to go a dealer.

They accomplish that task through "engineering".

:whiste:

 

[Midwayman]

Just seems that more deadening on the firewall or underside of the hood would be way more effective than plastic garbage everywhere if sound deadening is the real objective.

 

[halik]

Audi doesn't have to put a plastic cover over the engine to force you to go a dealer.

They accomplish that task through "engineering".

:whiste:

http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/

Probably the best aftermarket car diagnostic out there. Who needs the dealer?

 

[Vdubchaos]

http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/

Probably the best aftermarket car diagnostic out there. Who needs the dealer?

You realize you talking to a VW enthusiast of over 20 years right?



Mark my words, just a matter of time before your wallet is raped (even if you do things yourself).

 

[JulesMaximus]

Audi doesn't have to put a plastic cover over the engine to force you to go a dealer.

They accomplish that task through "engineering".

:whiste:

Is "engineering" also why they're so reliable?

:whiste:

 

[eng2d2]

They used to put pads under the hood for sound deadening but people remove them. The plastic does not look nice in corvette.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I love how you guys accuse me of being a dash stroker but you guys are stroking part of a car you rarely even see.

I can count the number of times I've opened the hood on my car in the past year on one hand. Open hood, pull out dipstick, yup, it's good, put dipstick back and close hood. The number of hours I've spent driving it, on the other hand, is enormous.

We've owned my wife's Lexus for 8 years and I've probably opened the hood on her car a dozen times maybe? Maybe... it may not even be that high.

 

[NutBucket]

Elitist.

 

[halik]

You realize you talking to a VW enthusiast of over 20 years right?



Mark my words, just a matter of time before your wallet is raped (even if you do things yourself).

I've put over 150K miles on various used/high mile audis (A4, S4, A6 2.7t etc etc) in the last decade, had no issue. Maybe it's just you?

I'm pretty sure we've had this conversation before, where you freak out about the timing back of the S4 v8 block and how it will costs million-jillions to fix, and I tell you the rebuilt kit cost $800 and I did it in my 1 car garage.

Having a ragged out golf with "stretch and poke" mad yuro as f*ck sticker does not an enthusiast make...

edit:
Yes, we did:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?p=35615975&highlight=audi#post35615975

 

[Vdubchaos]

I've put over 150K miles on various used/high mile audis (A4, S4, A6 2.7t etc etc) in the last decade, had no issue. Maybe it's just you?

I'm pretty sure we've had this conversation before, where you freak out about the timing back of the S4 v8 block and how it will costs million-jillions to fix, and I tell you the rebuilt kit cost $800 and I did it in my 1 car garage.

Having a ragged out golf with "stretch and poke" mad yuro as f*ck sticker does not an enthusiast make...

edit:
Yes, we did:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?p=35615975&highlight=audi#post35615975

Nice assumption there, cause EVERY VW enthusiast does stretch and poke....quite the opposite, I hate people that do that kind of crap. Look I've had good luck with my VW as well. But I've also worked on these cars and know them pretty well and have seen HUNDREDS of people go through some major headaches that should've never even happened.

So let me ask you a question. If you put 150k miles on 3 cars past "decade" and they are SO reliable.....where are they now?



You clearly don't understand what I was implying with 4.2 timing chain. I don't care if you bought the kit for $1, it's the poor engineering and location of the timing belt as well as the fact that you have to remove the WHOLE engine out of the car that's the problem.

Is "engineering" also why they're so reliable?

:whiste:

Reliable to very few.....unreliable to most/many.....

 

[jtvang125]

I think it helps keep a lot of the dirt and dust off everything. And when you do need to clean it it's easier to wipe down a bunch of plastic panels than every nook and cranny.

 

[Vdubchaos]

I think it helps keep a lot of the dirt and dust off everything. And when you do need to clean it it's easier to wipe down a bunch of plastic panels than every nook and cranny.

Cleaning engine bay is for wussies....

Engine is suppose to be greasy, dirty, dusty etc

:biggrin:

 

[exdeath]

I think it helps keep a lot of the dirt and dust off everything. And when you do need to clean it it's easier to wipe down a bunch of plastic panels than every nook and cranny.

Diluted simple green in a spray bottle. A hose. Some plastic shine on the rubber and plastic bits, and looks brand new again.