[mkent]

So debris doesn't get into the injectors? Fuel filters are what prevent debris from getting into the injectors. Engines didn't begin having "covers" until around maybe the 90's...they began more as an aesthetic device and then evolved to have a dual purpose with NVH (noise vibration harshness) engineers. Those are the 2 primary functions of an engine cover and therefore, if you don't want to look at them when you open your hood, and you don't care about hearing more sound from the engine, then you have no need for it.

Originally Posted by cleex024

thanks...and yeah thats what i thought but what about others who are saying that maybe you should have the cover on so debris doesnt get into the injectors or what not? i mean a lot of other companies like honda used to not put covers on and they still run til this day with over 300k miles so im assuming that really doesnt matter.



wow that is really expensive lol

[mkent]

Originally Posted by roundel335

As far as taking off the cowl and engine cover (and any insulation underneath it), I'll stick with my ER Sport oil cooler that's 3x the size of the OE cooler. The cover's there for more than just good looks. Funny how some people think they're way smarter than those German engineers who design our cars...

50 years of driving and working on cars (including building racing engines) says I'm probably right, but to each their own.

I use to be a back yard mechanic, too.

Also to N54_fan's comment regarding the "theory" of removing the engine cover, you are correct with part of the story. You don't want hot air trapped behind the radiator, as this could cause issues with the cooling system. Adding to that, think about all the heat that radiates off the exhaust system and the cylinder heads. Covers act as a barrier to heat radiating away from the engine (the engine being the heat source). The radiator cools the coolant and is more than capable of keeping the engine cool. However, watch your ECT and EOT temps if you have a datalogger. You will see the EOT is always hotter than the ECT once the engine is fully warmed up. This is because the oil is also helping to cool the engine. It is absorbing that engine heat and does not have an efficient fluid to fluid heat exchanger. Had BMW plummed the water through the oil heat exchanger rather than relying on air to pass through it would have significantly increased heat transfer. That would have been more costly, and may have required a larger radiator (again more cost and weight), plus hotter oil temps translates to lower viscosity which translates to lower BSFC (fuel economy).

So, we got an air to oil heat exhanger. It works well enough for a very high percentage of BMW drivers. The problem is the rest of us like to track these cars.

In my opinion, BMW COULD have been more customer focused and offerred a more efficient "severe duty" or "track" oil cooler at a small cost to the customer when all the customer complaints piled up for oil over temp events. Our fantastic aftermarket vendors will pick up the slack to meet our needs just as roundell335 has found with his oversized ER Sport Cooler.

[M3 Eater]

removing the belly pans, and the silencer cowel can help to reduce temps under the hood. Engine cover would help to keep heat in and away from the intake track so if you have dci then the heat would get sucked right in to the intake. I notice temps are about 15 degrees lower and my car has NO OIL COOLER.
I had a similar experience with Mobile 1 0-40 however when I began to look at ambient temps, they happend to be about 20degrees cooler after my oil change as well. If you plan to document a profound change in temps and want the info to be valid, make sure you take into consideration ambient temps as well.

[cleex024]

Originally Posted by M3 Eater

removing the belly pans, and the silencer cowel can help to reduce temps under the hood. Engine cover would help to keep heat in and away from the intake track so if you have dci then the heat would get sucked right in to the intake. I notice temps are about 15 degrees lower and my car has NO OIL COOLER.
I had a similar experience with Mobile 1 0-40 however when I began to look at ambient temps, they happend to be about 20degrees cooler after my oil change as well. If you plan to document a profound change in temps and want the info to be valid, make sure you take into consideration ambient temps as well.

well when my oil temps went down the ambient temps were hotter than before i did my oil change.

[MDORPHN]

I'd be cautious about removing the undertray and suspect it would be counter-productive to efforts to reduce underhood temps.

I may be wrong, but I believe it helps create a low pressure area underhood that helps suck air through the radiator.

Neil

[zerep1]

I will say that removing the cowl did lower my temps a bit it does have some science behind it as it creates a area of low pressure near the windshield that helps move air through the engine bay

[cleex024]

Originally Posted by MDORPHN

I'd be cautious about removing the undertray and suspect it would be counter-productive to efforts to reduce underhood temps.

I may be wrong, but I believe it helps create a low pressure area underhood that helps suck air through the radiator.

Neil

im not removing anything under the car as i feel there is more than looks and noise reduction behind that...but the engine cover is a different story.

also im not removing the cowl either...just the engine cover.

overall with the high ambient temperatures i am really pleased as to oil temps...now i have to move onto going either 50/50 distilled water/coolant and water weter to get my water temps down...might even do as much as 75/25.

[guru_method]

Somebody mentioned the Motul 300v, the 10w40 Chrono 2L can is going for 25.77@ Pitstopusa.com





EDIT: They seem to only have 2 in stock :S

[mkent]

Originally Posted by cleex024

im not removing anything under the car as i feel there is more than looks and noise reduction behind that...but the engine cover is a different story.

also im not removing the cowl either...just the engine cover.

overall with the high ambient temperatures i am really pleased as to oil temps...now i have to move onto going either 50/50 distilled water/coolant and water weter to get my water temps down...might even do as much as 75/25.

I don't think anybody said anything about the underpanels being for noise reduction--noise reduction only applied to the engine cover. The underpanels are simply for aerodynamics...to reduce the coefficient of drag.
As MDORPHN stated a few posts ago, a proper aero design will promote a lower pressure under the car. For the air that does make it under the car, the belly pan (under panels) make for a smoother surface for the airflow to follow. Less turbulent airflow means less drag.
Since manufactures began adding these belly pans, they basically eliminated a major engine compartment vent. That low pressure region under the car was creating a vacuum to pull heat from the engine compartment underneath the car and out to atmosphere. Now the aerodynamic underpanels sealed off the bottom side of the engine compartment and blocked off access to this low pressure region.

There are a hand full of solutions to combat the poor ventilation of the engine compartment. A vented hood may be the most obvious. Everyone has seen turbocharged supercars with vented hoods...there is more to a cooling SYSTEM than a radiator and waterpump.

Another method would be to vent the underside of the engine compartment by giving up a little drag.

If I were tracking my car often, I would be investigating one of these 2 solutions AND running a larger than OEM oil cooler.

[cleex024]

Originally Posted by mkent

I don't think anybody said anything about the underpanels being for noise reduction--noise reduction only applied to the engine cover. The underpanels are simply for aerodynamics...to reduce the coefficient of drag.
As MDORPHN stated a few posts ago, a proper aero design will promote a lower pressure under the car. For the air that does make it under the car, the belly pan (under panels) make for a smoother surface for the airflow to follow. Less turbulent airflow means less drag.
Since manufactures began adding these belly pans, they basically eliminated a major engine compartment vent. That low pressure region under the car was creating a vacuum to pull heat from the engine compartment underneath the car and out to atmosphere. Now the aerodynamic underpanels sealed off the bottom side of the engine compartment and blocked off access to this low pressure region.

There are a hand full of solutions to combat the poor ventilation of the engine compartment. A vented hood may be the most obvious. Everyone has seen turbocharged supercars with vented hoods...there is more to a cooling SYSTEM than a radiator and waterpump.

Another method would be to vent the underside of the engine compartment by giving up a little drag.

If I were tracking my car often, I would be investigating one of these 2 solutions AND running a larger than OEM oil cooler.

why are you arguing with me? im not saying the underpanels were there for reducing heat and for noise...i was saying that its not like the engine cover for just looks...maybe i worded it wrong but you know what i mean.

anyway im not removing the underpanels or cowl because i think there is more to that than just looks...only engine cover for me.

[mkent]

No argument, Cleex. I am only trying to inform all what the functional purposes of these components are so others can make an educated decision on whether or not it's safe to remove something from their car. Some people are making comments that show they fear it will physically damage their car because they dont Understand the primary function Of the design.