Kent1999

I've always despised GM's habit of trying to hide it's engines with yards and yards of ugly rubbermaid covers, so of course I removed all of them... the injector covers, the plenum cover and the coil covers. Being a total gearhead, I *like* seeing the actual parts instead of fakey, plastic covers molded to *look* like parts.

I know I'm in the minority on this, but like the look without all the plastic much better. I may paint the coils red as I did with my C6 to help showcase it a little better.

Anyways, here it is in all its honest mechanical glory, in case anyone else was interested, curious or just wants to use the pic to frighten children and small animals:

Vetteman Jack

Everyone has different tastes. As long as you're happy with the look, doesn't matter what anyone else likes. I will say it doesn't look bad with the covers removed.

B177YB0B

very muscular

falconhulk

I like that a lot.

JerryU

Have to admit, when someone asks to see the engine in my C7 when parked in the garage, I say why bother, it's just plastic covers like most other cars!

I then open the hood on my '34 ProStreet Rod that is parked next to it and show them the 8.2 liter engine! That wide block with aluminum heads and manifold that just fits, the 850 Holley double pumper, polished aluminum valve and air cleaner cover, braided stainless hoses with AN fittings with long tube headers is what an engine is supposed to look like!

At least you can open the hood and show them yours-looks great!

YO-EL

I took off the beauty covers on my C5 as well..

guido7834

Today's engines are ugly without the plastic covers. Not like the old days with the painted valve covers!

falconhulk

Disagree. Thats not ugly at all.

Kent1999

Agreed about the 'old' days -- the look was awesome!

Even in the 80s' and 90's there were great looking GM motors, such as the Tuned Port V8's:




the original ZR1's LT5:




and even the lowly Quad4 and V6's got some attention to how the hardware looked:






Seems like GM went off the rails with plastic engine 'toupees' in the late 90's, and just said, "the hell with it... just throw a $1.99 plastic cover on there"










Nope. For me, I want to see hardware under the hood, not tupperware.

rmorin1249

Thanks very much for posting. I always wondered what it looked like under those plastic covers. I may remove mine as well. Do they covers serve any functional purpose?

Larry/car

Read somewhere that the covers isolate injector noise. Otherwise just cosmetic.

dbaker

and maybe keep a little heat off the hood?

\db2

Steve Garrett

Not bad at all.

97C5driver

Now you HAVE to get an aftermarket intake and coil packs .

Looks good

ZenicaPA

I agree completely.

I loved the look of the exposed intake plenum.

Kent1999

Thanks!

I'll leave the stock intake (I want my warranty), but next weekend I'm painting the coils red with some high-heat paint.

TKO Performance

Not at all. Mine are also off. I too like when the motor is all business and not covered in gaudy anything.
Originally I was told the motor would be too noisy without all of the covers.....Not true, its fine.

I also figured the engine would be a tic cooler without all of the covers to retain heat.

Regardless, nice job

Kent1999

I wondered about that too... since there is a sound mat under the main plenum 'beauty' cover that I removed. Honestly, in my few short drives since removing it, I haven't been able to hear a difference -- but then again, I drive around with my exhaust in Sport mode all the time, so a subtle change to the sound of the injectors might be missed.

hangman

I love the look of the C4 LT5 engine....

John Micheal Henry

I Love It. My next mod will be Katech valve covers, and a coil relocation kit..