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Hyundai ix 20 - Engine Cover - scot22

I don't remember when engines started to have covers. Nor do I know how important they are. I have read criticism of the ix 20 that it does not have an engine cover. How important is this ? and, if it is, to further my education why is it ? Many thanks

Hyundai ix 20 - Engine Cover - gordonbennet

A cover looks prettier than most modern engines, and can be polished up easily and quickly, also helps keep road filth off the engine, coupled with a full width undertray the engine bay should stay quite clean.

Other than that it helps keep noise in the engine bay (probably cheaper and faster to fit than proper insulation glued to the bonnet underside, also keeps prying fingers and dangling ties/coat belts/hair out of harms way when the engine is running.

Hyundai ix 20 - Engine Cover - RichT54

I have always assumed that engine covers were just cosmetic and there to hide the complex engine gubbins from the average car buyer. I was surprised that my Toyota C-HR doesn't have one, I think this may be due to the intercoler being mounted very high up on the engine and a cover would restrict its airflow.

Hyundai ix 20 - Engine Cover - scot22

Thanks both for your helpful replies. Should I expect to see an engine cover or doesn't it really matter ?

Hyundai ix 20 - Engine Cover - skidpan

Should I expect to see an engine cover or doesn't it really matter ?

It does not matter at all but why not go an look at some more ix20's and see if they have one fitted.

Daftest engine cover I had was on a Puma with the Sigma engine. The Sigma engine in 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 capacities fitted to Fiestas had a black plastic cam cover and no engine cover, it looked OK.

But on the Puma 1.7 (Sigma engine again) Mr Ford spent some money and made the cam cover in Magnesium alloy, not cheap nasty aluminium alloy as is the norm Then they went and covered it with a fairly hideous plastic moulding that did nothing. Problem was if you removed it you were left with hideous mounting lugs cast into the cam cover and even if you had them machined off (as a friend of mine did) you were still left with part of the threads on view.

The designer should have been shot.

Hyundai ix 20 - Engine Cover - scot22

Cheers skidpan. I think most designers nowadays should do something else.