Engine cover

Boozecruze17 · 2016-03-29

Can I still drive without my engine cover?

chevrasaki

· #2 · Mar 30, 2016

I'm sure it's possible, but weather or not there will be repercussions later on I'm not sure. If GM could have saved money by not putting it on, I'm sure they would have.

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Boozecruze17

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 30, 2016

Thanks.. I was just asking because I kinda broke off the snap in clips and now it's making this bad high pitched ringing/whistling noise..

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NickD

· #4 · Mar 30, 2016

Had the opportunity to see a 1903 Buick overhead valve engine run and it didn't even have a valve cover. The reason it didn't, you had to stop every hour and with an accessory oil can, had to oil all the valve train parts. Had, the opportunity to do this, that was fun.

Since then seen thousands of engines without any cover whatsoever, wires and sensors, fuel lines, etc.m going all over the place, tractor engines are completely exposed to the environment.

Only thing I can say about the Cruze camshaft cover, its purely decorative, not even a dust or a water shield, completely opened on all four sides. It is pretty, but can't see where it serves any other function. Ours was touching the front of the camshaft cover with an annoying rattle, put a piece of weather strip under it. And you never want to pull this cover off when it is cold. That plastic becomes very brittle, should be a warning sign on it.

Can still get dust and debris in the spark plug wells, should blow those out with an air compressor first, so whatever is in there doesn't drop into the combustion chamber. This has not changed for years.

From a practical stand point, both the engine camshaft cover and this thing that covers the engine camshaft cover should have been made of cast aluminum, and that top cover should be bolted down. This would entirely shield the entire ignition system to shield from EMI, electro-magnetic interference. We had to do the same thing with alternators, before just a front and rear cover with the stator exposed. Also made assembly a lot easier.

Essentially you have 40,000 volts interfering with all that high impedance 5 volt logic running all over the place. But plastic is a heck of a lot cheaper. Was really a problem with spark plug wires running all over the place. If a guy installed an after market set with wires too long would run into all kinds of interference and wonder why he was getting codes.

Yeah, that thingy that barely covers the engine camshaft cover is purely decorative.

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Merc6

· #5 · Mar 30, 2016

yeah i'm on my 2nd engine cover as well. it seems like it gets looser the more you remove it to access plugs. I kinda been trying to justify the DDMworks piece and matching heatshield.

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NickD

· #6 · Mar 30, 2016

Even I could afford this. So its called an engine appearance cover. Should be able to pick one up from your friendly Chevy dealer for 11 bucks. Doing a net search, shipping is the major cost for this part. Ha, print this out and show him the price.

[ 1 ] ENGINE / ENGINE / TRANSAXLE / ENGINE APPEARANCE COVER / Engine cover
Part Number: 55568393 engine cover 1.4 LITER TURBO	MSRP	Core ?	Online Price
$10.98	$0.00	$7.01

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NickD

· #7 · Mar 30, 2016

It does help to coat the inside of those four U clips with dielectric grease. Could also drill four holes in the bottom center of those clips and countersink the top for four #6 flat head stainless steel sheet metal screws. Use those holes as a guide for drilling the holes in those dowels in the camshaft cover. Wouldn't go any larger than a number 6.

Getting to the point where kids don't even know what a screw looks like.

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UpstateNYBill

· #8 · Mar 30, 2016

NickD said:
Ha, print this out and show him the price.

[ 1 ] ENGINE / ENGINE / TRANSAXLE / ENGINE APPEARANCE COVER / Engine cover
Part Number: 55568393

engine cover 1.4 LITER TURBO MSRP Core ? Online Price
$10.98 $0.00 $7.01

That's what I do for every part I get from my dealer. Depending on what it is, and whether they have it in stock, occasionally I get it cheaper than the online price.

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Robby

· #9 · Mar 30, 2016

Boozecruze17 said:
Thanks.. I was just asking because I kinda broke off the snap in clips and now it's making this bad high pitched ringing/whistling noise..

There is a better than average chance the whistle you can hear with the cover removed is a leaking pcv diaphragm.
With the cover off, you can see a round(ish) piece glued onto the cover.
There is a small vent hole visible on the side of that disc......with the engine running, put your finger over the hole.
If you can feel suction, and the sound disappears, the pcv has failed and a cam cover replacement will be required.

The coil cover that you damaged should be replaced as it is there to shield ignition components from excessive moisture intrusion.

Rob

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NickD

· #10 · Mar 30, 2016

The coil cover that you damaged should be replaced as it is there to shield ignition components from excessive moisture intrusion.

Ha, how does this compare with about a billion other engines, one example, that 350 CID engine in my boat. Plenty of moisture in there and the ignition system is scattered all over the top of the engine, even the sides. It ain't got no cover.

One thing you could do with that "appearance cover" is tie a wire on the back side of it and hang it on your wall. Would really add to your room.

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jsusanka

· #11 · Apr 1, 2016 (Edited)

Robby said:
There is a better than average chance the whistle you can hear with the cover removed is a leaking pcv diaphragm.
With the cover off, you can see a round(ish) piece glued onto the cover.
There is a small vent hole visible on the side of that disc......with the engine running, put your finger over the hole.
If you can feel suction, and the sound disappears, the pcv has failed and a cam cover replacement will be required.

The coil cover that you damaged should be replaced as it is there to shield ignition components from excessive moisture intrusion.

Rob

So it doesn't always throw code when the pcv is bad? I guess I am just asking because I would like to know if the dealer will replace it with no code under warranty or if it is possible it is bad with no code?

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redvelvet

· #12 · Apr 1, 2016

That's an interesting thought

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Robby

· #13 · Apr 1, 2016

jsusanka said:
So it doesn't always throw code when the pcv is bad? I guess I am just asking because I would like to know if the dealer will replace it with no code under warranty or if it is possible it is bad with no code?

Initially, depending on how severe the diaphragm has ruptured, (small hole VS big hole) there would not be a check engine light.
As long as the ECM can command enough fuel (pulse width) to satisfy the o2 (first o2) to cover the lean condition a code & light will not set.

As the rupture gets larger, the vacuum leak will reach a point that the ECM is calling for more fuel (because the o2 is screaming LEAN!) than the injectors can provide......hence, the P0171 lean code.......and poor running due to the lean condition.
This will then set a whole stack of resultant codes, such as a misfire.

So, yes, a failed diaphragm will not always set a code.

Rob

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jblackburn

· #14 · Apr 1, 2016

I had a CEL, and then it went away as I was trying to take it to the dealer...

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jsusanka

· #15 · Apr 1, 2016

Robby said:
Initially, depending on how severe the diaphragm has ruptured, (small hole VS big hole) there would not be a check engine light.
As long as the ECM can command enough fuel (pulse width) to satisfy the o2 (first o2) to cover the lean condition a code & light will not set.

As the rupture gets larger, the vacuum leak will reach a point that the ECM is calling for more fuel (because the o2 is screaming LEAN!) than the injectors can provide......hence, the P0171 lean code.......and poor running due to the lean condition.
This will then set a whole stack of resultant codes, such as a misfire.

So, yes, a failed diaphragm will not always set a code.

Rob

cool good to know thanks Rob!

just checked mine this morning and is quiet as a mouse and no suction knock on wood (hand hitting head

). still on the original and just turned 48,000. power train warranty expires April 19th. so it is on me now if it fails. at least it looks easy to change and won't take that long or cost that much.

gets dusty underneath that eco tech cover

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