I have a 2023 C8 HTC and I'm about to add the engine cover as well as the clear engine bay cover. My question, has anyone noticed any increase in engine temperature due to adding the engine cover? I have the AMT cover which came without any underside insulation. The available OEM Chevrolet engine cover does come with foam insulation attached. Is reflecting that heat back down to the motor causing any temperature increases? Probably going to add Underside foam insulation to the AMT cover but wondering about the temperature increase across the board. Thanks to all.

 

I've noticed none whatsoever. My setup.

 

Is that the OEM engine bay cover from chevrolet? I'm going with the all clear from Rapid Rev. Yours looks great!

 

No, mine is not OEM, it is from a vendor who sells on here. It does have some insulation on the sides. I didn't do the clear, because I like the colored surround.
Be advised, if you go with an all-clear cover, it shows more dirt, you will be pulling it frequently to clean.

 

Completed the install today. Used a heat resistant barrier on the underside of the engine cover. Added some stainless steel and carbon fiber covers to the support braces, and used the Rapid Rev clear engine bay cover. Took the time to detail the motor and added cleaners and waxes as needed to help repel dust and dirt.

 

No Heat should not be an issue.

 

As you could see, I went with the all clear cover. I wanted to show off more of the motor including the support rails that I covered with stainless steel and carbon fiber. More than anything, I think the insulation applied to that cover you have is more for sound deafening than it is for heat resistance. Drove mine already for quite a while and the radiant heat with the clear cover does not seem to be any different than the original cover. I guess time will tell.

Thanks to all for the feedback.

 

My thought was that foam insulation is to muffle engine noise

 

Insulation will help muffle engine noise and will slow down the transfer of heat. Silvered insulation also "slows" transfer of heat by reflecting back IR. The reasons for the insulation suggested in the thread seem reasonable. While it slows (however significant it is or isn't) the transfer of heat, you will not likely see any effect on the engine temperatures. The cooling system has considerable excess capacity and is thermostatically controlled - so it will compensate for any slight change in heat transfer. And, the engine bay/compartment is cooled by fans that are also thermostatically controlled, so that maintains the temperatures in the engine bay. I would have no concern about engine temperatures with respect to the engine cover or engine bay cover insulation or lack of it. The concern that has been raised when aftermarket clear engine bay covers is whether or not that will transfer too much heat to the space between the engine bay cover and the tonneau, where the top is stowed, and where all the HTC components and other stuff reside. There has yet to be any evidence that there is any issue with that - although I have not seen what I consider complete studies of that. Studies that have been shared did not seem to reveal big issues. What I do know is that the GM OEM clear engine bay covers do have silver backed insulation - the fact that its silvered makes it clear that its not just noise insulation, but also for heat transfer. So, GM considered it necessary. Is its purpose to protect the engine bay cover itself, or to limit heat transfer to the space above the engine bay cover? I do not know.

 

I agree on the issue of heat transfer and how much is the question. I think it also matters about the materials used in the manufacture of the engine bay covers. I'm not sure of the material makeup of the OEM cover or the ones with the clear insert. The full clear one I installed from Rapid Rev is supposedly made from a very high temperature resistant & heat tolerant thermoplastic material. In contact with them, they assured me that he transfer was minimal. Time will tell. Thanks for the reply.

 

^^^
What would heat insulation be for?

Keep heat in the engine? No way. To protect the cover material that does need protection?

The reason for my SWAG being the foam is to reduce some engine noise. Yep the DI 3000 psi injectors can make a ticking sound some complain about. The high pitch ticking noise sound waves would bounce off the hard cover and increase the sound.

Same reason you add foam to the inside of speaker enclosures.

 

Did anyone disagree with that? I didn't. I said the reasons offered above were reasonable. But regardless of the reason it was put there, the material will slow heat transfer. The OP spoke of an engine cover and a engine bay cover, so I thought his question was about both. The foam on the engine cover seem more likely to be for sound like you and other said. The silver backing on the engine bay cover suggests its for heat at least in part and probably sound too. But is it protecting just the engine bay cover, or is it also slowing the heat transfer to space between the engine bay cover and the tonneau. ???

 

If it is protecting the engine bay cover then it is also limiting heat to what is above the engine bay cover.

There was a discussion with one of the team engineers posted on the other forum that stated the reason GM didn't go with a bigger window on their cover was because of heat concerns.

 

I agree. I should have worded it better. While it for sure protects the cover and slows heat transfer to the area above the engine bay cover, I wasn't really sure of GMs main reason for putting it there. In the discussion with the GM engineers, when they mentioned heat concerns, did they actually say it was heat transfer to the space above the cover? Don't misunderstand, I think that transfer of heat to that space is a concern, and I think that is GMs reason for it. I'm just looking for something specific.

Most if not all of the "aftermarket" or independent studies of heat transfer do not measure the surface temperature of critical items in that space to see if there is an increase when using clear or non insulated covers. I'd like to see the temperature of the headliner material, the top motors (modules they are called), the underside of the tonneau, and so on. GM probably does that or maybe even something more. The trick is it needs to be during actual operational conditions - top up and top down, with Tonneau closed, running in 100 degree ambient temps, stop and go cases, shutting off and cooking - etc. And, for those about to object - I know that we have had no reported issues so far with any of the aftermarket engine bay covers. My only data point is the GM did limit the window size, and did include insulation on their product - which makes me think there are conditions where heat is an issue - one way or another.

 

I don't remember if the GM representative (might have been Josh Holder) specifically mentioned what the heat concern was, I just remember he mentioned the concern was heat.
The non-windowed cover has insulation over the surface where the window was put in. I suspect it is just how much window they thought they could get away with. Since GM has to warranty the components in all conditions (including track use) I suspect their small size is conservative and a majority of users wouldn't have problems with a larger window size. But we don't know.

 

I have the factory cover on mine. When the C8 was first introduced I had a concern about engine heat with the engine and transmission all crammed into a small space without conventional air flow. My coolant and oil temps are surprisingly low at all times so I guess the engineers did a great job.

 

And, as you likely know, there is actually significant airflow through the engine bay, through the side scoops. And when necessary the thermostatically controlled fans on both sides back there kick in, forcing fresh air through that space. And, although its separated from the engine bay, air also flows through the space above the engine bay.

 

Just an update that I have driven mine several hundred miles over several hours in past couple of weeks. Opened the rear hatch today and found zero dust or dirt on the motor itself or the clear cover. Heat did not feel any greater than with the original bay cover as well.