ditto. doesn't even look like it actually works, considering how it's mounted.

 

I wonder why Mopar do the HEMIs 3.7 and 5.7L covers in plastic and the heavy-duty 6.1 for the SRT8s in metal?
With this economy falling down I would say Mitsu is cutting cost, not cutting weight.
Also, I don’t thing that type of plastic is light at all.

 

On my old Lancer GTS, I painted the plastic valve cover with high temp. caliper paint that held up well for 2 years. My motor looked like it belonged in an S2000 lol. Even the intake on the GTS was plastic. The evo x however sports a metal valve cover and intake manifold.

 

the valve cover plastic is actually a clay plastic composite. the clay provides the strength/heat resistance the plastic provides the shape. i believe it was mitsu who first pioneered clay plastic composites for use in valve covers so the technology and understanding is there. clay is essentially dirt and plastic is cheap so it was mostly a cost cutting move (as it was intended when it was first pioneered) but it does bring some marginal weight savings.

of course like most polymers eventually...and much much eventually it will degrade and break down. it'll just be more apparent with the plastic cover than a metal one (which eventually will also).

 

jnz custom valve cover ftw

 

I see no other reason but to cut costs. I doubt its lighter and Aluminum is not cheap. I'm sure its fine on the lancer lineup but they should not have cheezed out on the Evo's.

 

guess he didnt win

 

im sure itll be fine , its just a valve cover no biggie, surely not a performance issue at all

 

It's definately lighter. The plastic ones weigh next to nothing but it's not like aluminum valve covers weigh much in the first place.

 

So what is the temperature rating of these plastic valve covers? Those with exposed tubular exhaust manifolds, or even wrapped, are going to want to be very carefull about melting a hole or deforming their plastic valve covers.

 

Forget about lighter. How much heavier could an aluminum valve cover be over the current plastic one? People keep yapping about how much lighter it "may be". I want to powder coat my valve cover for some bling, but now I cant because Mitsu went cheap. Mother f******!!

 

i had my 08 metal cover powdercoated to satin black and looks similar to that 2010 plastic one...but the powdercoated metal def looks nicer IMO

 

Don't count off powder coating just yet, believe it or not plastic CAN be powder coated. Once I get my hands on one, I'll see what I can do

___
Carlos Tirado
Tirado Custom Coatings

 

There's a company called Triple X that chrome plates plastic. They spray some type of nickel that sticks to plastic, then they chrome plate it in the same fashion they would metal. Im pretty sure it can be done for powder coat too. I just want a metal valve cover (is that too much to ask?)

Anyone wanna trade?

 

I AM old fashioned. I like a nice cast valve cover. Does anyone know yet if the '08 part will swap out for the '10?

I grew up surrounded by high performance cars that weren't made out of plastic, and just prefer the look.

Before I drove the car off the lot today, I pulled off the MIVEC red/black cover...eeeek!
I had an '08 X, so was expecting the South Coast Mitsu detailers 'debadging,' and my removal of the plastic 'engine cover' to be my first mods.