Anyone else say screw it to the timing belt cover?

[mach1soldier]

My timing belt cover is pretty soft from an oil leak and has holes and tears in it as well. Anyone run theirs long term without one?

I'm about to cut out just the part around the water pump where the holes and tears are, then install just a little bit at the top to keep the noise down a little from the timing belt.

[sketchman]

Toss it. I remove them and leave them off of every car I have to own and work on.

[drddan]

I don't use the top cover on any of mine. I like the bottom for timing marks.

[Damkid]

On my V6 I cut the cover right around the crank pulley so I can keep the timing marks, the rest went in the garbage, I even pulled off the plate behind the timing belt

[tooldude]

I leave mine on because I believe there will be a lot of wear on the pulleys and belt from grit and I don't have to remove them very often.

[bravekozak]

Just buy some new covers from Four Green. Nice.

[ricko1966]

I put them back on ome piece of kicked up gravel,a nut,bolt,socket,etc, dropped.in the wrong place while the car is running could be a problem.If I don't have them I don't panic but if I have a choice I run them.I have been an A tech at dealer and independent garages since 1984 I often have heard oh you don't need that, it's just more unnecessary junk.If every 1 million cars they left 1 dollars worth of stuff off every car they'd save a million dollars they do not put stuff on the cars they don't think are neccasary for something.

[David88]

The timing cover oil seals were swollen and poking out on my BP swap donor. I priced new seals for the cover and they were almost $45! I de-greased all the covers, then washed all the covers and seals in dawn dish soap and dried them well. I cut 2" out of the swollen area of the seal, then put black RTV in the channel and put the seals back in and taped them in until dry. Good as new. Ill be running covers because above post ^. My luck though it would be my finger as I grab for said "nut,bolt,socket,etc, dropped in the wrong place"

[mach1soldier]

I'm just going to put the top part back on and leave open behind the water pump. There wasn't anything left of it anyways to stop dirt.

I started the car and drove a little bit around the block. It's a little bit louder at idle with the cover off but not that noticeable while cruising.

[ottoparts]

I said screw it just yesterday. However I did put the bottom portion on.

[Studebaker]

Covers not only keep stuff away from the belt. But also oil from engine leaks off the alt. learned this after replacing an oil soaked alt.

[bravekozak]

lower cover $9.14 ea.
upper cover $10.67 ea.

+ Fedex fron Korea

[Movin]

After having snow get inside my cover, freeze overnight, then throw the belt the next morning making me late, I ditched mine. Pulled it all. No snow will stay there now and I have had it that way for 10 years or so. I like the way it looks. I can pop the belt off and on easy. My auto that the kids are driving will stay covered. I won't do it for anyone else either.

[scitzz]

One of the first things to go

[WmWatt]

I guess on a free wheeling engine damage to the timing belt is not critical.