Anyone leave their timing covers off? What do you think?

[TwiceSHOwn]

I have seen an SHO that has run great for years without any timing belt covers here in North Carolina. Seems like a great idea to me since it allows you to SEE the timing belt, the water pump, your oil seals etc...

Changing a bad water pump or CPS would seem to take alot less time with this setup plus it begs to have adjustable cam sprokets put on...

Anyway what do you guys think of this? I recognize that those covers are there for a reason and you really shouldn't have to see the above stuff i mentioned... however i just am trying to figure out if anyone else has run without them long term etc...

Thanx Guys

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********
93 Silver ATX 57K
LPM
80MM MAF
Y Pipe
Eibach + Tokikos
Front and Rear STBs
Cold air snorkel
TCE SHO stopper brakes
Due for its 60K sigh...

 

[jthomas68]

My top cover`s been off for over a year with no problems.

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Jeremy Thomas
Modified 91+

 

[RStalveyARFF]

My middle one is off. I got too ****** at trying to get it off without taking the bottom of(which would mean taking the damper off and everything else) and it broke. I'm not taking all that off just to put a new one in, so it's staying like that, and I don't notice any ill effects.

 

[EX-SHO_man93]

from what I saw, looks like its there to 'protect' the cps for outside water damage maybe?

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Ryan

98.5 SVT Tour
Mods: KN, Pro-M 75mm MAF, Tweaked Airbox, B&M, Mintex A/F Pads, KVR Slotted Rotors, Ford Blue Calipers (5hp per), Removed Door Dings, Sidemarkers, BN Motorsports HVAC Gauges

EX 93 ATX SHO
Mods: KN, 73mm MAF, UDPs, Magnecore Wires, SHO Shop LPM & Y-Pipe, Dynomax Exhaust, Tokico Struts, Eibach Springs, Subframe Connectors, Doug Lewis 96 Brake Upgrade, Black Powder Coated Slicers, Police Interceptor Badge

 

[Blast7]

Ryan, that SHO looks great! Did you have it repainted when you had the car? Do you have anymore pictures?

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1991 Black MTX
K&N Filtercharger
PP Motor Mounts
Rod Shifter
Blazer Tech Fogs
Want to Buy:
~1st Gen Black rust free trunklid
~1st Gen Black rust free front door mouldings

 

[sdpatt]

If you look at the timing belt covers, you will notice that they have rubber seals on them. You have to figure that those were included to help seal out something. The timing belt covers are designed to keep out the normal underhood mix of road grit and moisture (from splashing through the rain). The grit alone will shorten the life of the timing belt from the abrasion of the debris. I wonder also, if the timing belt sprockets will show some pitting and erosion over time from exposure to these elements. Yes, it looks cool to see the belt and sprockets, but you should think about doing the belt maintenance more frequently due to the exposure.

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Scott

1991, 252K miles, glass hood, police grill, SVO shifter, Catz fogs,
K&N, 73mm MAF, Superchip, PP Y-pipe, Borla cat-back, 190 lph pump
Eibach/Tokico/polyurethane, SHO Shop front & rear strut braces,
16x7.5" Moda R1, 225/55ZR16 Bridgestone RE730, -1 deg camber x 4,
Class II hitch, Silver award at the SHOklahoma Car Show

 

[EX-SHO_man93]

Nope, that was the 7 year old pain (at that time) just after one of my many many washes/waxes. That pic was taken on River St. in Savannah Ga, at sunset....

God, I miss her.........

Originally posted by Blast7:
Ryan, that SHO looks great! Did you have it repainted when you had the car? Do you have anymore pictures?

------------------
Ryan

98.5 SVT Tour
Mods: KN, Pro-M 75mm MAF, Tweaked Airbox, B&M, Mintex A/F Pads, KVR Slotted Rotors, Ford Blue Calipers (5hp per), Removed Door Dings, Sidemarkers, BN Motorsports HVAC Gauges

EX 93 ATX SHO
Mods: KN, 73mm MAF, UDPs, Magnecore Wires, SHO Shop LPM & Y-Pipe, Dynomax Exhaust, Tokico Struts, Eibach Springs, Subframe Connectors, Doug Lewis 96 Brake Upgrade, Black Powder Coated Slicers, Police Interceptor Badge