timing cover?

[grampy666]

I've been wondering about this for a while and have nothing better to do today...

Why do many of you take the timing cover off and appear to run your cars without it?

[Mike McCreight]

Likely 'cause they get brittle and break. Or a fashion thing.
I ran without one until I picked up a bit of gravel, and trashed the timing belt.

[MarkM]

Also if you're running an adjustable cam sprocket, it's a lot easier/faster to adjust if you don't have to pull the timing belt cover every time you want to make a change.

[dunhamr1]

A lot of people run without them, but with the open floor of the engine bay things can get kicked up from time to time.. Had this happen on a Honda rally car, and it skipped timing and almost tore the belt.

[John Brennan]

Likely 'cause they get brittle and break. Or a fashion thing.
I ran without one until I picked up a bit of gravel, and trashed the timing belt.

Mostly the former, but the latter is a genuine concern.

If one were to fit a lower engine cover, a la the Scorpio, or any number of other cars, that would both solve that, and, perhaps improve the airflow to the rear of the engine/trans, etc., thus aiding the air dam flap thingy... hmmm...