Acrylic Spark Plug Cover

[InfiniteGSX]

I've been wanting one for a very long time. Tried to make one years ago but wasn't patient enough for it. Still kinda not. Well I got some scrap Acrylic from this local place, 3 bucks a .lb. Was two peices I got, screwed up the first piece but got a decent cover made. My friend is giving me 12 bucks for it since it wasn't really all that.

Started over with measurements and tools as I sat down so I could make sure it was flawless. Well it came out almost flawless. Its hard to turn a jig saw on acrylic. So I'll work on that on new pieces...

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Here was my first cut, traced from the stock spark plug cover:

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Flash really shows all the dust, It looks like the other pic without flash. Also holds down the wires quite well.

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Now apparently this stuff is good for decent heat temps, so we'll see. Everytime I've pulled off my spark plug cover (stock one) it has only been warm but not soo hot that I couldn't touch it. So only time will tell.

Was thinking about making a few to sell. To pay off the tools I just bought to do it. People could use them at shows. Or all the time if they handle the heat.

Anyway, thats my lil project on top of my build project. Enjoy.

 

[knochgoon24]

It will probably start to develop stress cracks if the bolts are tighter than finger tight. I found that running washers on both sides of the plexiglass with larger than normal bolt wholes reduced cracking. I've been running mine for a little over a year now. You may also have some problems with the one edge chaffing the spark plug wires where they exit the cover. Also, don't get any coolant on it, ever. It will eat into the plastic.

A dremel with a sanding wheels helps with the curves. Use it on the low speed. I finished smoothing the curves by hand with sand paper.

But good job. I get complements on mine all the time.

 

[rEclipserGST]

This is dope, I love it!!

 

[InfiniteGSX]

It will probably start to develop stress cracks if the bolts are tighter than finger tight. I found that running washers on both sides of the plexiglass with larger than normal bolt wholes reduced cracking. I've been running mine for a little over a year now. You may also have some problems with the one edge chaffing the spark plug wires where they exit the cover. Also, don't get any coolant on it, ever. It will eat into the plastic.

A dremel with a sanding wheels helps with the curves. Use it on the low speed. I finished smoothing the curves by hand with sand paper.

But good job. I get complements on mine all the time.

Nice, I've never seen them before. Just the metal ones or stock ones.

I have tons of brand new washers for them. I setup 2 washers under the plate to hold it up and a washer on top. Everyone on my facebook is asking me to make them one

 

[AK Maniak]

I would definitely buy one

 

[WES_393]

What thickness did you use?

 

[my dreamt dsm]

Interested!!!!

 

[InfiniteGSX]

I used 1/4" Thick.

 

[DSM_love_GST]

Next up, laser etched!

 

[AK Maniak]

Willing to sell me one?

 

[spyderdrifter]

With all the little crap I think of for my car and built over the years, I'm disposed I've never thought of doing this before. Now I got something more to try. Got all the cutting equipment at work for it, but I don't think we have acrylic thick enough. If I do this for mine though, I'll make it completely flush with my shaved valve cover. Gotta check now. Great idea by the way.

The only heat problems I could see being an issue is if the acrylic is too thin, it would warp, and over time it'll discolor.

 

[mchustle]

Nice. Turned out very good. I have the same oil cap , gotta love eBay "4g63 turbo". Atleast that's what it looks like from the angle I may be wrong.

 

[Gamble97]

That looks good!

 

[tay97gst]

Care to put those dimensions on like mspaint or something? I cant read all the numbers in the picture but would love to make my own cover.

 

[3kgt2nv]

forget laser etched. when i used to make plates like this for custom sub setups you would frost them and put wide diffusion leds under it so that only the frosted parts would really glow.

 

[sexystover]

ill take one!

 

[TSITurbo95]

It looks good.

 

[gprix1]

I'd like to see what a smoked acrylic looks like.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

Next up, laser etched!

I was thinking a tattoo free hand artist with a dremel .

Willing to sell me one?

Eventually I'll have a perfect way to copy and cut and will do that. Might sell the one seen in the pics when I made my next cut.

Nice. Turned out very good. I have the same oil cap , gotta love eBay "4g63 turbo". Atleast that's what it looks like from the angle I may be wrong.

Prob. I saw the Ebay one but couldn't order due to no guest checkout and I didn't wanna join ebay again. So I got it for a little more on Amazon.com

Care to put those dimensions on like mspaint or something? I cant read all the numbers in the picture but would love to make my own cover.

I'll work something out.

I'd like to see what a smoked acrylic looks like.

I only got scrap plastic for $3 per .lb. And the only stuff they had was this acrylic, some stuff that is replacing glass but is harder to repair if scratched, also harder to scratch too. And they had black Acrylic which wasn't transparent. They have tons of colored transparent stuff but not scrap, just full sheets. Which if I end up with a perfect way to cut and a trace, I'll buy a couple different colors, cut them, wrap them and throw them on ebay for maybe like 30 shipped with bolts. Just to make some cash for my build.

My original plan was to do some stuff like this to sell so I can help fund my build. I'm like 1000 dollars short from finishing my 4g64 setup (pistons, e85 injectors and little odds and ends).

Next up: Acrylic 1/2" OEM Style Cold Air Box

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[FIBA M - EC17PSE]

I was thinking a tattoo free hand artist with a dremel .

Eventually I'll have a perfect way to copy and cut and will do that. Might sell the one seen in the pics when I made my next cut.

Prob. I saw the Ebay one but couldn't order due to no guest checkout and I didn't wanna join ebay again. So I got it for a little more on Amazon.com

I'll work something out.


I only got scrap plastic for $3 per .lb. And the only stuff they had was this acrylic, some stuff that is replacing glass but is harder to repair if scratched, also harder to scratch too. And they had black Acrylic which wasn't transparent. They have tons of colored transparent stuff but not scrap, just full sheets. Which if I end up with a perfect way to cut and a trace, I'll buy a couple different colors, cut them, wrap them and throw them on ebay for maybe like 30 shipped with bolts. Just to make some cash for my build.

My original plan was to do some stuff like this to sell so I can help fund my build. I'm like 1000 dollars short from finishing my 4g64 setup (pistons, e85 injectors and little odds and ends).

Next up: Acrylic 1/2" OEM Style Cold Air Box

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Looks good and funny thing is your innovate sticker is in the same place as mine haha. Its like a perfect fit for it. Ive had a few ideas like this for awhile aswell but as always im too busy to make them come to life haha keep up the good work buddy

 

[dsmTripp]

It will probably start to develop stress cracks if the bolts are tighter than finger tight. I found that running washers on both sides of the plexiglass with larger than normal bolt wholes reduced cracking.

Also use a spacer sleeve. You would need to drill the bolt holes in the plexi bigger to accommodate the spacers but if they are the same thickness as your plexi they will take the load of the bolt and not let you over tighten and crack it.

 

[talon2gbuyer]

Looks good and funny thing is your innovate sticker is in the same place as mine haha. Its like a perfect fit for it. Ive had a few ideas like this for awhile aswell but as always im too busy to make them come to life haha keep up the good work buddy

Did you run into any issues with temperatures in the engine bay? I have worked with acrylic before and know that it is subject to melting and warping with high heat. Have you run into any issues with this yet? and if so, did you use a specific type of acrylic?

Looks great though! Love the see through look, and its a clean install as well. nicely done

 

[knochgoon24]

I haven't had any problems with the heat other than some stress cracking when I had the bolts too tight. Metal sleeves cut just a hair thicker than the Acrylic would solve that problem.

Next up: Acrylic 1/2" OEM Style Cold Air Box

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Like this?

Well, I guess it's not exactly OEM style. But I used 1/4" stuff. I heated and bent the sides down. I've adjusted it a little better since I took that photo, and the gaps are no where near as big. But even with those large gaps, it does its job and lowers intake temps substantially.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

I haven't had any problems with the heat other than some stress cracking when I had the bolts too tight. Metal sleeves cut just a hair thicker than the Acrylic would solve that problem.



Like this?

Well, I guess it's not exactly OEM style. But I used 1/4" stuff. I heated and bent the sides down. I've adjusted it a little better since I took that photo, and the gaps are no where near as big. But even with those large gaps, it does its job and lowers intake temps substantially.

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Yeah I know how that is. IDK why people do their intakes the way they do. the Stock Intake box minus the 3" hole restricting flow (cut open to accommodate the flow) keeps engine temps down compared to aftermarket setups. I want mine similar but going to set it up to bolt to the MAF sensor and maybe run the stock filter if I can pull off some sort of idea. When I go SD, I will just get the 4" MAF Filter Adaptor and bolt it onto the air box or the 4" Oval adaptor (I like that one better) Not sure if I can fit a 4" filter inside the air box. But a flat filter I can fit.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

So I have my Airbox setup and ready for Acrylic...

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I have enough Acrylic left over from my $12 buy that made me the couple failed Spark Covers and the one that I am now running. I just need this to be perfect. JIG Saw wont cut it. Get the pun. ha ok anyway. I am going to see if my pops will bring his table saw down and I'll locate a perfect blade for it. Not sure if I can run water over my dads old table saw. He'd have a heart attack if I killed it in one swift swoop . Its older than I am haha. Which is saying a lot cause I'm in my late 20's. I know the table saw will provide a lot of heat, even at a slow cutting pace, just because of the friction between the non cutting portion of the blade.

But my plans are. The top corner closest to the MAF, will have about an inch thick wall, then two triangle sides, square top, square front. Since they will be cut perfectly, I'll sand or torch to polish the edges enough to use Acrylic Weld. I hope that stuff is strong enough. Before I weld it all together I am going to drill out a 4" Hole on the main front wall. I'll then weld them all together and glue the plexiglass portion to the frame I cut from the original cover. I remember seeing tight 90 degree Acrylic Pipe Fittings at the place I got the scrap. So maybe they have something in 4" Tight enough to go down into the hole , From there I can run normal stuff to the bumper and then onto my carbon induction.

***EDIT***
I almost forgot. A lot of people ask me "Why the stock air box/filter?" Well In my eyes why not? IT looks clean. I don't see any restriction in air flow vs. a cone filter except the 3" hole the stock air box has. I know the benifits of cold air over hot air. Hell when I was a kid I used to build intakes for the older Accord Group in a strike against high priced intakes that didn't do much, fully ceramic coated inside and out achieving colder air temps. Colder air, more air. People put a filter on in place of the air box and the hot air inside the engine bay is always first to get sucked in unless the person has a blockoff and or some sort of ram air setup directing air to the filter. I also know that the stock air system is mainly restricted due to the way its routed into the fender. So that ofcourse is eliminated with a large 4", Hard to fit 90* tube into the bumper area taking in all that cold air. The Stock Air box will block most. of the heat from the engine bay.

So if I decide to not run the stock filter, maybe not even a oem K&N Filter, The air box is large enough on the inside to run a cone filter using the adaptor bracket:
http://www.amsperformance.com/cart/images/P/ams DSM intake 02.jpg
Or the oval filter if I could find one.
http://www.octanemotorsports.com/images/K&N-57-5504-1.jpg

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Eventually I wont have the MAF Sensor, so I can just get another one of the adaptors, and bolt it to the other side also, and get a short 4" Pipe to couple with the FP Intake I have.

I just like the way the stock K&N Looks:

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