Questions/Concerns regarding spark cover

[Xeiros]

I'm in the purchasing mode of some dress up modifications for the engine right now, and I wondered about this spark cover...

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I love the look myself, but besides the fact that it's likely to let more dirt or other crap into the spark plug area, would those holes let more heat into the spark plug area? I'd rather not get a cosmetic enhancement that's going to shorten the life of my spark plug wires. The guy also makes solid pieces as well, but I need a few opinions.

Do you think the amount of dirt and grim that would get in there could be worry-some?

Is more heat going to bombard my spark plug wires?


Thanks guys!

 

[rst95eclipse]

Yes it will trap heat. But I don't think it would be something to be concerned about. Many people have an enclosed wire cover. Some don't use one at all. Dirt and debris will get in using that cover. You'll just have to clean it out over time. Nothing will/should get into your spark plug chamber, since the wires should have a sealer to go around that raised area on the rocker arm cover.

 

[Talesin]

Er... actually those holes will let more heat *out* of the spark plug area than a solid cover would, allowing the engine to shunt heat a tiny bit more effectively. Remember, heat rises, and the plugs are at the top of the engine... so the majority of the heat won't be coming in from the ambient air.

Personally I'd rather get a spark plug cover with little heatsink fins on the top, and see if that'd help at all through conductive cooling. Though with my recent luck, it'd end up generating a huge temperature differential and crack the VC.

 

[LordZed]

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I run without a cover currently. I wouldn't think anything harmfull will make it in as it would have to get past the rubber plug stoppers and through the spark plug threads in the head. That design should work and not effect anything either way.
Note: My heatshield for the manifold is off in this pic but is back on now. Don't run without at least one half of the manifold cover or you risk melting your fan.

 

[Talesin]

You'll also kill alternators pretty damn quick if you run without the exhaust heatshields.

But yeah, similar... I run without a spark plug cover. Still have it, it's sitting on my shelf. Just see no real point in having it on there at all when it'll just trap heat... unless you're running without your upper timing belt cover (which is really stupid in its own right) and keep the plug cover on so none of them will get pulled into the belt.

 

[MrBoxx]

I also run with no spark plug cover. I'm thinking of putting it back on, or going with an aluminum cover, possibly custom CNC engraved or something.

One possible thing I was mulling over one day was simply drilling ventilation holes in the stock plastic spark plug cover. You get the stock look plus the ventilation to let out some of the heat. And there are a few other aluminum covers out there that look great, cover the spark plug trough well enough that most dirt and debris will stay out, but still are slotted/drilled for ventilation. Examples can be found at MachV: Linky.

 

[TSiAWD666]

I ran without a cover for a little while until I had a problem after a bit of snow. There were large puddles everywhere from the snow melting(large meaning maybe two to three inches or so deep) and I had splashed a few in some turns on the way to get some food. Before I arrived my car began sputterring/hesitating with throttle and sure enough water had splashed right on all the way up to the valve cover and filled those spark plug wells a bit. I had some NGK wires on there at the time for what it's worth but I don't remember how those covered the plug wells. I was pretty surprised myself that any water could get around the plug wire and into the wells but there must have been an inch or two of water in at least two of those wells. I used a towel I had in the trunk to soak up as much water as I could and after I picked up my food drove home and took care of the rest with a condensed air can heh. Since that odd occurrence I've opted to keep the cover in place.

I'm betting most people aren't idiots like me that like to plow through stuff just because he has awd