engine shroud

[jonnylippz]

Is it ok to take off the engine shoud on the R/T? Has anyone done so?
I would rather look at the engine than a plastic cover

[FlyByU]

ya, its fine. Just there for looks.

[RTjunkie]

Yep! :) It's only there for 2 reasons...

1) Aesthetics - looks nicer to most people

2) To dampen the sound of the lifters and valve-train ticking away

[navycharger]

i dont see why it would be a problem i think that the cover is purely cosmetic, although the look of the engine without isnt exactly pretty either..... but to each there i own i guess.

[mobriskie]

I know BMW and others have been doing the complete engine cover thing for years, and I agree it looks sort of nice when showing the car although being a gearhead I like to see the motor when I'm looking at somone's ride.

Question though... any of you thought about the long term affects of this cover trapping heat like a blanket over the engine.

Typically if it's really hot out (like Dallas TX lately over 100 for I don't know how many days) I will put the car in the garage and pop the hood and raise it letting the excess heat out overnight. I used to do this on my Cobra and Trans Am / Z28's in the past. These cars have their V8's crammed in with a shoe horn so there's not a lot of breathing room like in the engine bay of my RAM or Durango.

I'm just wondering with an engine cover if some 200 degree heat is just baking any hoses or plastic parts making them more brittle at a faster rate.

Obviously if I lived up North I wouldn't be concerned but the desert heat down here and that cover has to be a combination for accellerated wear and tear doesn't it ???

[broc2238]

Took mine of a month ago and liked the way the engine bay looked without it :cool:

[R/T Stunna]

yeah...and should help keep the engine cooler too. Im gonna have mine removed as well when i get my CAI installed maybe friday or monday.. :)

[Zero_Remain]

yeah...and should help keep the engine cooler too. Im gonna have mine removed as well when i get my CAI installed maybe friday or monday.. :)
It pulls right off. You don't have to have it removed by anyone.

[GO-218]

GOT PICS of it off?

[TNCHARGER]

GOT PICS of it off?


http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g62/ljlaguardia/SRT8MOPARCAI.jpg




Oh yeah, you meant just an RT.....:whistle: :wink:

[R/T Stunna]

yeah I know it comes right off but believe me when I say Ive tried this and havent achieved it yet..lol...and the RT engine looks almost identicle to that of the srt-8's, but ours is black coated..

[PaCharger]

Mines been off since nearly day one. Someday I'll decorate it for fun, a car show....but it's off for now.

[TNCHARGER]

yeah I know it comes right off but believe me when I say Ive tried this and havent achieved it yet..lol...and the RT engine looks almost identicle to that of the srt-8's, but ours is black coated..


RT is black plastic...SRT is aluminum...

[PRoBLeMz]

RT is black plastic...SRT is aluminum...


mmmm pretty sure he meant the intake manifolds ;) Friggin SRT people...geeesh ;)

[TNCHARGER]

mmmm pretty sure he meant the intake manifolds ;) Friggin SRT people...geeesh ;)


Right, the intake manifold is plastic on RTs.....dang SRT wannabes....:grin: j/k...

[R/T Stunna]

I feel like such a SE. :(

[PRoBLeMz]

what the? <sniff sniff> <crying>:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: *runs over and starts kicking all the srt cars!* BLAHAHAHA :D

[leftyturner]

PP Version

[mobriskie]

Uggg... The 5.7 Hemi isn't as neat and clean underneath as the 6.1L in the SRT-8s is it :(

[R/T Stunna]

Uggg... The 5.7 Hemi isn't as neat and clean underneath as the 6.1L in the SRT-8s is it :(

I second that...Guess my cover is staying on!.

::shutters in disgust::

[mobriskie]

Cleaner...
http://users2.ev1.net/~rigormortis/Martin/Vehicles/Cobra/engineleftvalvecover.jpg

[jonnylippz]

thanks, I though it was there for air flow and engine cooling. Apparently not

[althepa]

I also am concerned about trapped heat.

Shame they couldn't design a good-looking engine compartment, rather than covering up sloppy wiring and hose runs with a big piece of plastic. They know their target market, muscle car guys who like good looking engines.

I smell a project coming, Operation Pretty-up the RT Engine....

[GO-218]

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g62/ljlaguardia/SRT8MOPARCAI.jpg




Oh yeah, you meant just an RT.....:whistle: :wink:

Man.......What a pile of spagheti or is that angle hair??? That's ok ....what's inside that counts,,<<grin/wink>> I just won't open the hood and show you the goodies after the supercharger. CLEANNN

[jonnylippz]

hmmmm...took of the shroud today not sold yet, will take some getting used to

[TNCHARGER]

Man.......What a pile of spagheti or is that angle hair??? That's ok ....what's inside that counts,,<<grin/wink>> I just won't open the hood and show you the goodies after the supercharger. CLEANNN


Jealousy is such an ugly thing....:slapper: :) :grin:

[stealthrider]

just to clarify...you just have to pull the cover off? :confused: no clips, bolts, screws...:confused:

[Dan]

just to clarify...you just have to pull the cover off? :confused: no clips, bolts, screws...:confused:

Yeah it just pulls off. I usually have a rough time getting it back in place all perfect though :/

[str8frmw]

I took mine off I think it helps the thing cool off faster.

[Feros]

Yeah it just pulls off. I usually have a rough time getting it back in place all perfect though :/

Yup same problem.

[stealthrider]

Feros, Dan...thanks for the reply. I guess I have to go try this. A buddy came over and wanted to look at the engine, but I didn't know how to get the d@mn thing off...:confused: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Black Charger]

I just took mine off and I have to say that I like it better without the cover. I mean, why would anyone buy a HEMI Charger and then cover the engine with a cheesy plastic shroud? The engine bay in a Charger R/T or SRT is a work of art! It could stand to be cleaned up a little bit but it still looks way cool as is. I also agree with those who said that the cover traps in heat.

[Dan]

Yeah I initially thought it maybe served some purpose but now I'm thinking of just removing it.

[Bought_what_I_build]

Put alittle soapy water on the rubber boots on the cover. Thats what they do in the factory. Snaps in much easier.

Bri

[Feros]

Put alittle soapy water on the rubber boots on the cover. Thats what they do in the factory. Snaps in much easier.

Bri

thanx for the tip, that will come in very handy once I get my custom painted cover

[titan]

And to think I have just been positioning it and pounding on the thing with an angry fist every time I take it off. I always miss one clip and the thing won't stay completely down. I really need to clean this engine up because I am sick of having that giant cover on there covering up my engine, but I am disgusted by the mess of wires they left under there.

I like what he did:
http://www.chargerforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22563

[RTjunkie]

Just get some colored wire loom and cover the wires. :)

[titan]

Hah. Maybe if this were 2001 and I was building my own computer.

[Mcalpin]

I wasn't really thinking about taking it off, but there was one post from a guy with a top bannana charger that painted parts of his engine shroud the same color as the body. Looked pretty sweet, though it wouldn't look as good painted with magnesium pearl (my body color). I would think even a good paint job might crack or peel with the heat after a while.

[daytonajoemama]

It kind of looks like Robocop when he takes off his helmet.