Any benefit

[drodkey]

Is there any benefit or con to using the plastic cover over the carburetor on the mercruiser? After cleaning the spark arrester today, I wondered if the engine won’t breather cooler air if the plastic shroud wasn't in place.

 

[alldodge]

Don't see anything changing with leaving or removing a cosmetic cover

 

[GA_Boater]

It's a handy place for tools and parts when working on the motor.

More importantly, the cover has the sticker with all serial numbers and usually doesn't get lost.

It's hot under the doghouse and a few degrees difference won't make any noticeable performance gain.


Other than that - It looks pretty I guess.

 

[Scott06]

I belive the purpose is to keep water out of the carb and distributor. Depending on your dog house or engine compartment I could see this helping, on others only a nuisance. My boat has a sun deck that the joint is right over the distributor and water can get in while swimming, on my old boat with a fiberglass cover it waste first thing I tossed.

 

[Scott Danforth]

its called a vanity cover. the main purpose is to have a place for the service decal and to make the engine compartment "pretty" for as little money as possible.

will it help the motor run better if you remove it. NO
does it make the motor look cleaner with it on. Yes
will it hurt to remove it. No

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... I've got several of 'em on a shelf in the garage,....

None on any of the motors I maintain,....

Same with the big aluminum cover that came on my pickup motor,.....
Just more junk to move to be able to fix what's under it,....

 

[thumpar]

It makes for a handy nuts and bolts tray when working on things.

 

[muc]

I belive the purpose is to keep water out of the carb and distributor. Depending on your dog house or engine compartment I could see this helping, on others only a nuisance. My boat has a sun deck that the joint is right over the distributor and water can get in while swimming, on my old boat with a fiberglass cover it waste first thing I tossed.

Scott06 is correct. They can be very important if water can drip on the engine. Before MerCruiser started installing these we used to install a Frisbee over the carb on engines that had a seam in the sundeck right over the carb.