Is this ok? I searched but couldn't find anything. I had mine off to get to the waterpump and forgot to put it back on before reinstalling alternator and p/s pump belts. So, can I drive with it off until I retension the belts?

I am guessing it will be okay, but the only thing I'm worried about is junk getting in the timing belt and balance shaft belt + gears. that would be crappy!

I think I've heard of someone doing it, but I just want to make sure what the group on here thinks.

 

I have read a few members have done it for short times and one with an '83 944 keeps it off permanently.

I retension a new belt after about 300 miles and then again at about 1200. I found the new belt cogs will settle in the gear groves earlier than the suggested 1000 to 1500 mile retension. It is difficult to tension a new belt correctly even if you use the Porsche specs and over tighten a new belt.

Actually having the cover off for a few hundred miles may be a good thing. You can do the WP pully test without having to remove the top cover. "If the WP pully, on a cold 68F engine at TDC, can be turned easy with one clean hand------the belt is too loose." Works good on a NA from the top. Turbo ??

GL
John

 

some say its ok, do it. Others say no way. Ive run for awhile w/o the upper cover on but i usually have the rear cover and lower on. For street use w/ the lower sheilds its prob. fine. If you are planning on doing some rally cross on some gravel, i would say put it back on.

 

I haven't had any belt covers on my car for about 40k miles. There are some pretty good threads about this subject over on the turbo side.

 

I think if you are driving in good weather all the time it might be a good idea. The ability to pop the hood everyday and give things a good looking over might save an engine. Of course on the other hand the small chance of a stick or rock getting up there could ruin an engine. Each person needs to decide given there own driving needs, but I can see valid reasons either way.

 

I have been doing this on my 944-spec car for 10 years. Never any issues, but I always run the front under tray to limit crap getting in there. I like it because I can inspect the belt quickly and timing belt tension adjustment takes 2 minutes. I would not do this on a street car and never without the under tray.

 

In honor of Campeck.... NO BELT COVERS BIATCH!!!!

In slightly more civil terms, I have not run covers on my race car for the last 4 years without issue. Like Joe I run the belly pan to keep crap out of the engine bay. Makes it easy to check everything out at a glance. We've also run a full 24 hour ChumpCar race in another car with no belt covers. Last year I had two issues in my club race car that could have hurt me but didn't.

The first I lost an oil cooler line right at the cooler inlet, which resulted in oil spraying all over the front of my engine while at speed on track. After a good cleaning I did change the belts to be sure but no problems from that dirty mess.

The second I had a pretty high speed off at the new Oregon Raceway Park. Missed a blind turn-in point and went off sideways fast through a lot of gritty volcanic ash/dirt. Again, a really really dirty car, but everything was fine and I ran the rest of the session without issue.

So far I have never heard a story of someone running without and breaking a good belt due to debris or foreign object entry.

 

woo!

found a few. |This first one is more like a bunch of little kids smack talking each other.
https://rennlist.com/forums/924-931-...vers-on-6.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/924-931-...ls-inside.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/924-931-...ing-cover.html

There used to be a big thread with lots of people who knew what they where talking about. From the moment I ever rebuilt my engine to the moment my dad sold his Turbo both of our cars ran without belt covers. I drove and spun on dirt and gravel roads and went cross country twice. Nobody can tell me the belt covers are there for a reason. they aren't. so s*ck it.

hostility directed at haterz, not you!

 

My opinion (as if it matters)... its a personal choice thing.... do they have to be there, no... is is a nice insurance policy and a safety device, yes. It keeps things out of the belt travel area (including fingers and shirt sleeves) and keeps other FOD out of the belts and rollers. There are all sorts of different vehicles out there that run without a TB cover (namely a bunch of 2.3T for guys and Honduh crowd)... either way... I like having the covers on, you could just cut an inspection access in the front cover and still keep the clean looks of the engine bay... just a thought.