Any danger with running without an engine cover?

[NetViper]

I am thinking of taking my engine cover off, but I have a couple questions first.

1 Is it dangerous to the engine or glass in any way?
2. Will the glass ever fog up? or whatever?
3. Is it a lot louder with it off?

Thanks

 

[L5-S1NSX]

Greetings ,

no problems without it ,

it is slighly louder , just a bit , not a bunch ,

there is a issue with your hoses , with sunlight they will have a shorter life , you can change them out to other types that will not wear , a gent in our local NSX club runs his without the cover , looks pretty cool, I will see if I can find out what hoses he switched too ,

Seattle-

 

[MAJOR STONER]

1. No, not dangerous. Honda's TypeR NSX isn't dangerous. The extra heat MAY affect the life of the shocks that hold up the glass, but you can bet it gets hot under the glass, anyway. The rear window defroster doesn't seem to be affected.

2. Yes, it may fog up after going through a puddle, but not as much as you would expect. Hot dry air blowing around, and any moisture can be handled by the rear window defroster.

3. Not much louder, but some more valve noise.

4. This subject has been kicked around a few times. Just do it! It is only four bolts, you can switch it back if you don't like it. Watch your fingers when closing the hatch glass for the first time, you WILL crush your fingers. Rubber bushings from Home Depot can raise the hatch glass to normal height, if you want. Do a search for instructions. See-thru covers are available from the usual suspects. Nothing like an engine under glass-IMO.

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by MAJOR STONER:
Watch your fingers when closing the hatch glass for the first time, you WILL crush your fingers.

And don't slam it when closing it. You won't have the rubber molding to cushion the impact any more.

[This message has been edited by nsxtasy (edited 22 September 2002).]

 

[Lud]

Originally posted by nsxtasy:
And don't slam it when closing it. You won't have the rubber molding to cushion the impact any more.

You should never slam the engine hatch closed, whether you have the engine cover installed or not! If you are closing your engine hatch correctly to begin with, this is a non-issue.

 

[nicholas421]

Originally posted by Lud:
You should never slam the engine hatch closed, whether you have the engine cover installed or not! If you are closing your engine hatch correctly to begin with, this is a non-issue.

i think what ken meant was (and i'm sure ken will correct me if i'm wrong)... with the cover on, you can let go of the glass and it won't slam shut. but without the cover, you have to very gently release the glass or else it will slam down.

[This message has been edited by nicholas421 (edited 23 September 2002).]

 

[5inchfatlip]

I agree- I've gotten my fingers smashed once and that is enough...

IF you've got some shiny stuff underneath, I would go without the eng. cover...I just like the unique look of it..

 

[Lud]

I must be closing mine differently... I honestly don't even know how you could smash your fingers or how the cover could slam shut on it's own unless you drop it closed.

I grab the side of the hatch glass by it's lower edge (whichever side I'm standing on), then lower it all the way down, then reach over and press down over the latch area until it clicks. Certainly this must be how other people do it though, so I am confused.

When closing it this way, smashing my fingers never seemed to be a concern even when the hatch struts died on my '91 and wouldn't hold the hatch glass up any more...

I've run without an engine cover on and off for many years on two different NSXs... I just re-installed the engine cover on my '98 in preparation for the drive to NSXPO since the trunk will be full of luggage and I may want to remove the -T top if the weather is nice.

 

[nsxtasy]

I close the engine hatch by pressing down firmly on the center of the hatch, with enough follow-through pressure that it latches. This is all in one motion, from raised to latched. I do not use two separate motions (as Lud describes) the way I do with the trunk lid - gently lowering it in one motion, then gentle pressure on the lid directly above the latch until it latches.

 

[FuryNSX]

Originally posted by Lud:

I grab the side of the hatch glass by it's lower edge (whichever side I'm standing on), then lower it all the way down, then reach over and press down over the latch area until it clicks. Certainly this must be how other people do it though, so I am confused.

I'm with Lud. This is the way I've always closed mine. Never a problem.



------------------
1995 NSX-T
1999 3.2TL
2001 Odyssey
1992 SC400

 

[wilsonp]

Originally posted by Lud:
I grab the side of the hatch glass by it's lower edge (whichever side I'm standing on), then lower it all the way down, then reach over and press down over the latch area until it clicks. Certainly this must be how other people do it though, so I am confused.

Seems to me I have to do it at the cutout or I'll catch my fingers between the cover and the rear vent edge...

 

[BadCarma]

I use luds approach as I found it stated in the faq when I first bought the car.no problems ever.but I thought all nsx'r did it this way but have seen lately lots just drop it from a foot high and was a little dismayed as they had very nice cars.but I use that gentle approach closing all my compartments.
david

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by BadCarma:
I use that gentle approach closing all my compartments.

This is NOT advised for the hood. You're supposed to drop the hood from a height of one foot, and you shouldn't need to press it closed to latch it.

 

[Lud]

OK I tried this last night.

If you hold the hatch glass by the middle section immediately over the cutout as wilsonp describes, it is NOT POSSIBLE to smash your fingers unless you are slamming it closed. The latch mechanism holds the glass higher than your fingers until you press it down to latch it closed. This is the case whether the engine cover is installed or not.

If you close it the way I do, grabbing it by the side, you need to sort of slide your fingers out right before the very bottom or it would be possible to catch your fingers in there. So I was wrong about that. I have just always done it that way unconsciously and never had a problem so I never gave it a second thought.

The reason I do it the way I do is that I am not particularly tall, so to reach the middle of the hatch glass when it is all the way up would require me to really lean against the side of the car. I do not like to do that. However, if I pull it down by the side then I can reach over to the middle and press it down without having to really lean on the car very much.

Wow, that is a huge waste of time and typing for probably the most inane topic in months!

[This message has been edited by Lud (edited 24 September 2002).]

 

[NetViper]

Originally posted by Lud:


Wow, that is a huge waste of time and typing for probably the most inane topic in months!

I was just asking a simple question!

 

[Lud]

I was talking about my issue re: closing the hatch, not your original question!

 

[NSXnBRLA]

My engine cover has been off for 2 months and I havent had one single problem related to it. Been through rain and shine. Of course, with Hurricane Isidore approaching, things might be different. It'll be wrapped up in my garage though.