In the 'old days' before they started bolting on all the pollution equipment we have today, you could see the engine... The valve covers, the intake, the exhaust manifold etc. Throw on a bit of chrome and fancy valve covers and you had a thing of beauty. (Just take a peek under the hood of any pre-1970 vehicle).
But today, all you see is a mass of hoses, wires and plastic. No wonder they want to cover it up. I suppose it does reduce engine noise somewhat.
noise and for me more importantly if you drive in a lot of dusty areas it keeps crap off the engine. I am an anal sob when it comes to keeping the dust and grit out of the area down by the oil filter housing and all the other nooks and crannies. I thought it might run cooler without so I tried and I have the evic that gives coolant temps and there is zero difference in how the coolant temps run..perhaps oil temps might be a degree or two less but I figure if the coolant temps are staying the same overall engine temps are not a lot different. I suppose I will do a test someday running with it off and on and using my ir temp guy to check head temps.
Removed mine a few times to work on the JK. Think it serves well as a dust cover and makes the engine compartment look neat. Light-weight and easy to remove means it's a keeper.
It holds my burritos in place when I'm warming them on the manifold.
I think that they are a likely a part of the cooling system, and also attenuate noise. Personally, I am going to keep mine on. I wheel a lot when it is 100 degrees or above, and have never had an overheat problem with my current JK. My 2011, the transmission could overheat on even the coolest of days.
I live in hot as Hell Phoenix..:firedevil:.I removed mine, because it allows better air circulation across the top of the engine..IMO. Also during our Summer Months of high ambient Temps, I raise the hood when I get home and allow the heat under the hood to dissipate from the engine.
Now does it cause the coolant temps to run lower..not sure, but I really doubt it.
My neighbor has a 2014, he installed several lovers in his hood, trying to reduce coolant temps. It made absolutely no difference..
I wouldn't throw it out though... put it back on for trade-in time. It provides a handy place for mice and squirrels to make nests and chew on your wires.
Less clutter is great but Id pass on recyclimg it. Ill probably hang mine on the garage wall if i work on anything under it. Just looks for the customer. I cant imagine much noise reduction or heat issues, As for keeping it clean, well: my engine looked nice and clean but under that is cruddy. Ill be degreasing it on the weekend.
Aesthetics and noise reduction, it does hold heat too. I take mine off in May, and put it back on in October. Some might think that's a waste of time, and that's fine. Me, I'd rather not trap heat under that thing during the warmer months.
It doesn't lower operating temps by having it off, but with the louvers opened up it gets heat out of the engine bay faster. That might extend the life of plastic and rubber parts.
I was told that it is a fire safety feature. If your engine catches fire it will melt and smother the fire.
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