I first thought I should start a new thread so as not to intrude on the fantastic
DaveW - Mr Bumble series but this is about my attempt at an engine cover so I thought I would toss it in here.
My 2011 4/4 engine bay always looked rather dreary and like DaveW I was not keen on the water accumulating on the cam cover. I began with a cardboard template then an aluminium sheet mock-up to be sure of fit and presentation.
I fired the final design off to a friendly stainless steel man who laser cut the cover and laser etched my chosen text on a .9mm single sheet. The whole lot came back as flat pieces which included the pre drilled mounting brackets. I bent the cover and brackets to fit the required curves. The mounting brackets used the existing bolts around the cam cover to firmly fix the engine cover plate. Light weight aluminium mesh was etch primed and sprayed flat black to make the vents that are held in place with a heat resistant glue.
I have now put on quite a few Ks with no sign of heat build up or vibration. The unit was designed to be light weight and sits about 50 mm over the cam cover to allow good air flow.
I made no provision for the oil filler cap as I am happy to undo the two extra bolts and remove the cover at service time.
So far I am happy with the form and function of the cover but will be keeping a close eye on the temperature gauge during the Australian summer just in case.
Really enjoyed this little project!
