# Does engine covers matter to you and do they have a purpose? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** lexus\ **Created:** [July 27, 2009, 6:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-engine-covers-matter-to-you-and-do-they-have-a-purpose/34081 "2009-07-27T06:21:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alexv6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@alexv6](https://community.cartalk.com/u/alexv6)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 6:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-engine-covers-matter-to-you-and-do-they-have-a-purpose/34081/1 "2009-07-27T06:21:59Z")
My aunt has a 2004 lexus gx470 and her engine is completly covered in plastic coverings that to me look nice and my cousin at the other hand has a ford focus and his engine looks busy with stuff everywere, does the cover serve a real purpose and do people actually pay attention to stuff like that? ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 10:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-engine-covers-matter-to-you-and-do-they-have-a-purpose/34081/2 "2009-07-27T10:07:29Z")
To me it says, “don’t touch me” unless you’re a cert. Lexus mechanic. You’ll have to pay for the privy of looking under my skirts. Lexus like many over priced high end cars are nothing but money pits for those that think they can afford the marque. You know, the people that actually drink wine from a bottle instead of a carton with a spigot like the rest of us. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 12:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-engine-covers-matter-to-you-and-do-they-have-a-purpose/34081/3 "2009-07-27T12:13:02Z")
Those engine covers, which have also been appearing on lower priced cars for several years now, do serve one specific purpose, namely to reduce engine noise for the vehicle’s passengers. It is also somewhat of a “style” issue, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 12:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-engine-covers-matter-to-you-and-do-they-have-a-purpose/34081/4 "2009-07-27T12:39:16Z")
A potential downside of the engine covers is they reduce airflow around the engine and hold more heat closer to the engine. Is that an issue? Hard to say but I’d take cooler over hotter in most instances. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 1:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-engine-covers-matter-to-you-and-do-they-have-a-purpose/34081/5 "2009-07-27T13:35:12Z")
The cover has influenced your perception of the vehicle, so I would say it has done its job. I suggest that is its main purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Wha-Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9f8e36/32.png) [@Wha-Who](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Wha-Who)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 5:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-engine-covers-matter-to-you-and-do-they-have-a-purpose/34081/6 "2009-07-28T05:48:08Z")
Pure eyewash. We have two cars with the engine covers removed. They go back on when the cars are traded. I am a little uneasy with the covers retaining engine heat longer to deteriorate the rubber and important plastic components under the hood. When I open the hood, I want to see the engine. The engine already has a cover. It’s called a hood. This nonsense is pushed on us by airhead marketing pukes! ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 11:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-engine-covers-matter-to-you-and-do-they-have-a-purpose/34081/7 "2009-07-28T11:33:19Z")
Very little cooling taking place there. It is the radiator that does that and in a controlled manor. However it does reduce noise, and it looks cool. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 12:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-engine-covers-matter-to-you-and-do-they-have-a-purpose/34081/8 "2009-07-28T12:07:29Z")
Controlled Manor?? Hmmm…That sounds to me like a great name for a “rest home” (otherwise known as a psychiatric facility for the wealthy). ;-)) Sorry, Joseph, I just couldn’t resist this opportunity! ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 12:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-engine-covers-matter-to-you-and-do-they-have-a-purpose/34081/9 "2009-07-28T12:14:53Z")
History repeats itself. My 1954 Buick hid the spark plugs under covers. I never knew the purpose of these covers. When I bought a new set of plug wires with really good boots, I couldn’t put the covers back on. Getting rid of the spark plug covers and putting on plug wires with really good boots eliminated the stalling problem in wet weather. I suppose had the covers been plastic I wouldn’t have had this problem.