Engine cover question

[Monotonous ONE]

Im sure it has been asked previously but i 1) Dont remember the answer...and 2) Dont feel like searching for the thread....but would it help or hurt to take off the engine cover??? I mean it really seems worthless to me...of course it channels are to the intercooler but mine is the lousy OEM peice anyway. It just seems bulky and like it would do more to HURT airflow in the engine compartment than it would to help...is it one of those things where its more to help keep out bugs and rain or something along those lines???



Its really a bulky peice of crap imo...so whats the verdict?

[erhayes]

The engine cover is the turocharger intercooler air guide. The purpose is to force air over the intercooler to cool the air charge going into the engine. Leave it on. Doing a "search" is good a thing to do!!!

[MAZOOM]

Yeah it's a necessity for the intercooler.

[Superstretch18]

Ditto to what everyone else said. The cover forces air through the IC and without that, the crappy stocker would work even less efficiently!

[Alpha Wolf]

Ah come on you guys it would be so much funnier to have him leave that off for a long time and wonder where the power went when the TMIC has no air to cool it... :D


Seriously you failed to note the intake portion and the portion that seals down on the top of the intercooler??? :confused:

[Monotonous ONE]

I mean it really seems worthless to me...of course it channels are to the intercooler but mine is the lousy OEM peice anyway.

Yea...well...thanks for answering my question




but i know it channels air to the intercooler but i wasnt sure how much and if its truly necessary. which is why i clearly stated that ahead of time.

[MattAveli]

leave it on unless you want to draw heat soaked air threw your ic

[Alpha Wolf]

Well you could take it off and drive around in hot weather with it that way.

Then put it back on and drive around again.

Even the stock POS TMIC needs as much cooling air as possible. Not hot engine bay air which is more likely to heat your TMIC up not cool it off. Without it the hotter the outside air the quicker you will heat soak at any speed and you will loose power. With it you only really get heat soak when you are stopped or going extremely slow in heavy traffic.

You could get a hood scoop mounted to force outside air in aka like the Subaru's do and then it would not be necessaryl

[erhayes]

In addition; I think the engine temperature would raise to a dangerous level.

[Monotonous ONE]

i wasnt sure...its why i asked



just seemed like a bulky part that did more to block airflow to the rest of the engine







thanks for the answers

[Raider]

Sawz all the hood, bolt on a hood scoop and you will be ok to take the cover off. If you have some fiberglass skills and a Subaru scoop, you can make a hood. But that is overkill.

FMIC is the only way you should take that cover off.

[erhayes]

I took mine off for a look and it is light and strong. I think it looks nice but, the cover & intercooler hids a beautiful looking engine.

[shadow1]

Without the cover, the TMIC efficiecy will be nearly non-existent. There is no way for air to flow through it otherwise. Boost temps would soar and the ECU would pull timing and boost to prevent knock. Remember, OEMs are cheap. They will do anything to save a dollar here or there. That engine cover costs at least $10-20 to make. If it wasn't important, Mazda would not have spent money making it. Remember when most cars had the dark tint going across the top of the windshield? You no longer see this anymore except on luxury cars. Why? That tint cost $3 per car. The OEMs save $3 in a place that the customer won't notice. When you build a million+ cars a year, $3 adds up quick.

[erhayes]

I bet the engine cover cost in volume is closer to $3.00. In days past manufactures opted for a 1/4 20 bolt instead of a 3/8-16 bolt to save 3 cents i.e GM come to mind after a lawsuit..