Engine cover MOD

[d69chris]

Here is what I did. It has been done, but it was fun doing it.

Big shout out to Sir Speedies Garage. Without his help and website. I would not have had the set of b@lls to try.

Take stock cover off:
Unscrew oil cap and set aside.

Pull up on right side. There is an angled post, so pull out a bit and up. Left side should pop straight up. Lift up front of cover to about 30 degrees and pull straight out the front.

Replace oil cap.

Put out a towel.Turn cover over and lay on towel. Use flat scewdriver to bend up a couple prongs on the retaining washers on the maxipad. Put pad and washers somewhere, but don't forget where. You could tape the washers to it, so they don't get lost. Remove rubber gromet from oil filler tube area. Keep with pad.

Draw out the pattern of the rectangles you want to cut out on top of cover. I held a sharpe in my hand like you normally do. They if you rest your middle finger on the angled portion and index on top, you can freehand a line all the way around the top. Pen will sand off later.

Drill 1/2 inch holes in all four corners inside area you want to remove. Best if holes are touching lines or just inside. Put duck tape on bottom of jigsaw, so it doesn't scratch or grove cover. Some may want to router it, but I didn't think I could see the lines well enough. Once the pieces are cut out, set aside excess palstic for later use. File and sand the rectangles until you are happy! Around the oil cap is the most fun. Once holes are cut, put maxi pad back in and cut. Remember you need to keep the four holes in it to be able to reattach. I put mine back in, because I did not know if cover would rattle or something. Maybe still soundproofing some too.

I went to Lowes and bought a piece of the expanded metal that covers your gutters to keep the leaves out. Some people have use the screen door protector, but this mod did not require that much screen and I am cheap. I even found an open pack of five pieces on the shelf and asked if I could only buy one. Cost me $1. Cut out 2 pieces to overlap the holes cut out of cover. Cut around the simulated screws in the top to get them to lay down better. Be conservative and sneak up on it. Once you cut it, you cannot go back!

This is where I took it to my local custom paint shop, along with my 2 plastic % 1 alum. CAI pieces and paid to have them painted. Used satin black on the center and side areas (2colors). $300

In the meantime I spent another $20 for etching gray metal primer and gloss black paint. Could have left them silver, but was not sure how the aluminum would weather under there. This way I can mask and touch up later if needed.

Remember the plastic you cut out of cover........I cut up a piece into little 5/8inch squares to glue in the screens later.

When you get the cover back, put down a towel, cover with newspaper, and set the cover on it. Put the screens in place. They tend to want to lift. I used a piece of two by two laying in the middle of the screen and a three pound weight from the bar bell set laying on top of the wood to hold screen in plasce. Mix up about a third of the JB weld tubes, put down 10 blobs into the area of screen where it overlaps the holes on one cover, and push the little plastic squares into the blobs. Thought they might give extra strenght to the holding power of the JB weld. then repeat the process on the other side. You could use half and half of the tubes, but be careful it does not run down the cover and out the opening onto the painted area. Let dry as recommended.

Lastly, drilled and tapped holes in the 10 simulated screws across the top and the 15 simulated screws across both sides. Used 1/4-20 x 1/2 inch chrome button head screws on top, you could use shorter if available (3/8). Used 10-32 x 1/2 on sides. $25 chromehardwaresupply.com mesa, AZ taylor was most helpful.

Lay the four pad washers on concrete and tap four time with hammer to flatten back out bent prongs. Install maxi pad and oil filler gromet.

Remove oil cap and set aside. Install cover at angle onto the two back mounts. Push dip stick to the left while lowering the cover. Pull cover a little right to install on right side angled post, then seat left side over oil fill tube and left mount. replace oil cap.

Stand back and enjoy the view!

[d69chris]

More pics

[d69chris]

Last pics, new at this stuff!

[SGOS252382]

Nice, did you also take off the intake cover? I removed both on my car.

[Andro]

Looking Good

[MaroSS]

that looks very familiar

[bluedevil02]

lol that's freakn awesome, great work and originality...

[NickPic]

looks great

[Gib]

Very creative!

[rharon]

Looks great buddy! Original.... I love it. I have been working on mine for a week now

[d69chris]

maroSS....look away from the light....

[d69chris]

SGOS, How hard was the removal of the fuel rails to get the plenum cover off?

Was not sure if I wanted to tackle that one!

[rharon]

You painted the roto-fab tube and maf holder also... Any tips there? Did you prime them or how did you go about that one?

[MaroSS]

Originally Posted by d69chris

maroSS....look away from the light....

once i look away from the light you hit me with your car and i end up with a corsa exhaust, roto-fab intake and a kick A$$ custom made engine cover on my car lmao