juanvaldez

Decided to see what the engine looked like without all the plastic. The parts with the Corvette on it just pop off exposing the black plastic the covers the coil packs. The come off with four star headed screws per cover. You have to remove a couple of hoses to get the off. The are quick release so it is something of an I.Q. test to get them off.

Hardest is the cover on the airbox/plenum. Four special bolts that the other covers pop into but under the plastic is an insulator. Since the engine is install from the bottom during the build that insulator won't come out in one piece because it is curved and under the lip of the body. In hindsight it would probably just be easier to cut it along the rear edge of the engine compartment lip.

The plenum cover also has hold downs for the wiring bundle that runs to the coil packs. These are special zip ties need to be snipped to get the cover off. I used four of the zip ties that have a eye for a bolt under the four special bolts that the Corvette covers pop into.

Bottom line, the engine looks like an engine with the plastic that doesn't seem to do anything is removed. You also lose about 5.5 lbs of weight.

lancekl

After all that work, how about a picture??

Team Player

You will also hear more clatter from the motor, that's why GM has most of it in place.

Scruff Vette

Agree 100%. My biggest complaint about the '08 LS3 I owned was the irritating, thrashy, nasty metallic clattering sound of the engine's valve train whenever I got on it. The new LT1 in my '16 sounds absolutely great in comparison.

dovervold

In my quest to reduce IAT's, I ended up ditching the plenum cover and blanket. However, you can still use the four bolts that allows you to maintain the coil covers. Here is what the factory intake looks like retaining the coil covers.

Kraz8s

Any noticeable returns in doing this? I've been thinking about doing the same thing since I live in FL and the temps get up there pretty quickly.

Thanks in advance!

dovervold

Not sure that just removing the plenum and blanket is going to make any noticable difference. Here is what I ended up doing that is working very well: 170 T-stat (summit racing), removed rear hood weatherstrip, removed plenum and blanket, coated headers, insulated lower radiator hose, lava wrapped the entire bottom of the AFE cold air intake.

Of course my car is modded and tuned so no warranty on the motor. But dang does it run, and sounds bad axx doing it. If you are happy with stock performance than probably better to keep it stock. If you want to transform your experience, for about $4,000 you can do a bolt on package with about 525 HP (at the crank)...

juanvaldez

I noticed no difference in engine noise but I have high frequency hearing loss from 20 years in the Army.

Kraz8s

Thanks! I've only had the car for three weeks so I'm still plotting out the mods. Modded the cr@p out of my last few cars, so this one is going to end up the same sooner or later.

fumbling

Can you post pics of how your engine looks with the plastic covers off?

juanvaldez

Yep, I will. I just got back from Carlisle. Talked to the engineers and they said the plastic was mostly cosmetic. Remember, the Z06 doesn't have most of it.

fumbling

Got any pics of the engine without the plastic?

Vetteman Jack

Actually looks pretty good with some of the engine covers off.

fumbling

Can you point me to some pics with the covers off?

Cleartastic

What a kawinkydink....my wires keep popping off so as of today I wanted to leave the plastic off. I like the way it looks but I did it for ease of access.