So I've put my car to sleep for the winter and preps are i/p to change TB with the porkensioner unit. I have a question about the reverse installation and please, no grenades. Why can't I leave the top covers off and only install the lower half to allow for future quick TB checks and piece of mind. Rationale: our cars do not have open frontal grills and the grill opening is at the bottom (hence the lower half install), with the bottom of the engine protected by the belly pans. Additionally, there are the rad and condensers in front of that upper half. I have been to several race meets and almost always, the OHC engines do not race with their TB covers for quick checks and we are talking about engines at redline most of the time and in an unfriendly environment. What are the technical (engineering) reasons for the upper cover or is it just tp prevent dust etc from contaminating the belt? If so, with this car and several others that are driven for leisure purposes only (on nice clear sunny days only) what harm in leaving the upper ones off?

 

I'm sure some have done it. I assume they are willing to take the trade off on dirt and grit getting in the tenisoner rollers, not to mention a rogue piece of flotsam jamming your belt. If you are racing, maybe worth it, compared to the stresses you are running anyway. Depends somewhat on the roads, but I get sand in the air box all the time, there must be pretty good up-draft at front of engine. Then there is the safety factor, Lots of stuff turning as it is in that front end. Someone suggested some kind of clear plexi replacement, but that doesn't solve the tension problem, which you are about to solve.

 

Iwould strongly recommend that you leave the covers in place, it will only take one small stone to cut the belt, and yes there are lots of debris that get blown back on the engine both from the car passing through the air and coolant fans running. It may look like its a cool thing to see the belt spinning but once your belt gets cut you will have many more problems than the covers being off can solve

 

Not to mention what might happen if you look under the hood and you're wearing a tie! (or loose wires that might be flapping around).

 

How do you mount the distributor caps if you leave the TB covers off?

 

You can leave off the center cover on a 32V if you want. (You can take them all off on a 16V.) You just need a small bracket to hold the dipstick tube to the lift (S4-), or fan (S3) bracket bolt.

Grit, dirt and sand can find it's way onto the belt, and it may wear the gears faster. Gravel roads are a danger. I have driven many miles with 32V cover off, and thousands with the 16V covers off without issue.

 

My thoughts exact,

 

Thanks for all the input. Yeah, I didn't think of the distributer mounting also.