Your car’s engine cover safeguards the engine against dust and damage, and some even come with added filters. Learn whether engine covers are safe to remove.
Some car enthusiasts see the engine as its centerpiece, the jewel in the crown that should be proudly displayed wherever possible. Modified, high-performance cars often have a blower, shaker scoop, or velocity stack rising above the hood, while classic hot rods do away with hoods and engine fairings altogether. At car shows, the hood is invariably raised so fellow enthusiasts can drool over engines in all their muscular glory.
For decades, production cars were not much different: raise the hood, and you would see radiators, fans, valve covers, manifolds — along with the plumbing and electricals. Lift the lid on a car today, and you’ll likely see a heat-resistant plastic, aluminum, or carbon fiber engine cover — from fender to fender, front to firewall – usually highly stylized and bearing the manufacturer’s logo.
Engine covers serve a similar purpose to a carpet or a hubcap. It looks tidy and keeps parts underneath clean and undamaged, while reducing heat, dust, and noise in the cabin. Just like a carpet or hubcap, if an engine cover is removed, your car will keep running just fine — in most cases. While tossing out an engine cover is safe for most models, it is not recommended for others. Some covers have breather tubes or air filters built in, so it is best to check with a qualified mechanic before throwing caution — and your engine cover — to the wind.
