ARB Twin on Slee bracket under hood - photos on LX? (1 Viewer)

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I'm close to pulling the trigger on the Slee bracket for the ARB twin, but I've only ever seen photos of it mounted on the LC, and not on the LX. The LX has fairly large, plastic engine covers, and I'm curious to see whether anyone has managed to fit the covers with the compressor installed? I'd imagine some cutouts would need to be made in the cover. I'd rather not lose the cover altogether.

Has anyone does this? Could you share a photo or two?
 
Nothing to see it fits under the cover.

7E9B8187-46A7-49C0-B689-0567DFC46E8B.jpeg
 
I don't understand wanting to keep the cover personally. I pulled it off within hours of getting my LX, and it's been sitting in the garage ever since. You can't see anything going on under the hood with the cover in place, and there is no difference at all with noise with it removed.
 
Nothing to see it fits under the cover.

View attachment 1947854

Sweet! That's very unexpected (to me). Thanks for confirming!

I don't understand wanting to keep the cover personally. I pulled it off within hours of getting my LX, and it's been sitting in the garage ever since. You can't see anything going on under the hood with the cover in place, and there is no difference at all with noise with it removed.

Anything that helps keep my engine bay cleaner is a good thing in my books.
 
I wil never understand any good things associated with keeping even MORE heat inside the engine compartment by sealing it up even more with those excessive covers.

People talk about the folly of putting compressors in the engine bay at all for heat reason. While I personally have had no issues with mine...sealing the compressor with the engine's heat even more just seems nutty to me.

Ya, it looks clean when shrouded beneath a cover...but so does anything when its kept concealed.

??

If I owned an LX? The very first thing I'd do is figure out a way to dump the full engine bay cover....even before I looked for a way to dump the side steps! :)
 
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I ditched the full engine cover and have no problem with fitment. Pics in the "What have you done to your 200 series.." thread
 
I have no proof either way, but I doubt the engine side covers are insulative. Now the fake plastic on top of the engine had sound deadening in it and would potentially increase engine temps.
I currently use the left side cover to keep my 12v breakout stuff in place.
 
I never understood them covers, either.

:meh:
 
I have no proof either way, but I doubt the engine side covers are insulative. Now the fake plastic on top of the engine had sound deadening in it and would potentially increase engine temps.
I currently use the left side cover to keep my 12v breakout stuff in place.

Wouldn’t call it insulation either. -Just thinking of the basic idea of further-enclosing things like compressors with the engine block’s heat means hot air ends up lingering even longer and travel farther and mingling more with components before it escapes. If people think the hood does that (and it does, of course!)...man adding another barrier to airflow makes it worse. Trash bag over you on a rainy day isn’t insulated either, but you are gonna sweat like a horse. :)

But I get the basic idea why it’s there. Many owners like to look at a tidy engine bay. Same reason we get the engine covers. It looks neato. Beyond looking neato...it’s not particularly helpful.

But meh... Not life or death.
Just something I find interesting.
 
I wouldn't be so quick to remove the engine covers. The "engine bay heat" discussion is a red herring IMO. Besides, Lexus validated it so it's not causing any "more" heat to be of concern to negatively impact anything.

What is important is that the LX engine covers are a part of the airflow guides underhood. Specifically in the forward part of the engine bay where it covers the radiator. That's the part that really matters at speed to guide airflow into the radiator instead of over. And at low speed, prevents hot air from the engine bay being drawn and recirculated through the radiator. That's the heat management part that really matters.

It does also keep the engine bay cleaner as it has a second seal.

LC radiator cover:
1948244


Lexus radiator cover integrated with the rest of the engine bay:
1948249


So unless one want to chop the Lexus covers, I would keep them on. Doesn't hurt that they help the LX meet Lexus levels of NVH.

Unfortunately, doesn't look like the LC covers will work on the LX
 
I wouldn't be so quick to remove the engine covers. The "engine bay heat" discussion is a red herring IMO.

I'm no heat fanatic either...but if you believe heat is a red herring, then why did you tell us you mounted your compressor in front of your radiator to avoid heat??

I'm confused... ;)
 
I wouldn't be so quick to remove the engine covers. The "engine bay heat" discussion is a red herring IMO. Besides, Lexus validated it so it's not causing any "more" heat to be of concern to negatively impact anything.

What is important is that the LX engine covers are a part of the airflow guides underhood. Specifically in the forward part of the engine bay where it covers the radiator. That's the part that really matters at speed to guide airflow into the radiator instead of over. And at low speed, prevents hot air from the engine bay being drawn and recirculated through the radiator. That's the heat management part that really matters.

It does also keep the engine bay cleaner as it has a second seal.

LC radiator cover:


Lexus radiator cover integrated with the rest of the engine bay:


So unless one want to chop the Lexus covers, I would keep them on. Doesn't hurt that they help the LX meet Lexus levels of NVH.

Unfortunately, doesn't look like the LC covers will work on the LX

I am going to choose to ignore this post because

A) anxiety
B) I’ve already thrown them away
C) anxiety
 
I am going to choose to ignore this post because

A) anxiety
B) I’ve already thrown them away
C) anxiety

Lol! How bout them Dallas Cowboys?!
(Trying to help...haha)
 
The point about controlling airflow through the front end is a valid one. With those covers removed the gasket that keeps engine bay air from leaking back around in front of the radiator is also removed. Or, at high speed, allows grille air to bypass the radiator making the fan do more of the job.

I doubt anyone with an otherwise working cooling system will suddenly start overheating if those covers are removed but they will help keep the hot and ambient air where they should be.

If I had an LX I’d probably chop the side covers just behind the core support.
 
The point about controlling airflow through the front end is a valid one. With those covers removed the gasket that keeps engine bay air from leaking back around in front of the radiator is also removed. Or, at high speed, allows grille air to bypass the radiator making the fan do more of the job.

I doubt anyone with an otherwise working cooling system will suddenly start overheating if those covers are removed but they will help keep the hot and ambient air where they should be.

If I had an LX I’d probably chop the side covers just behind the core support.

That all makes sense.

But one bottom-line thing that makes me question any real necessity is that the LC doesn’t get them...meaning engineers didn’t think it needed them—despite having essentially identical guts to the LX. After all...it’s LCs you see the UN driving in 120 degree desert heat...not LXs. :)

Makes me think it’s more likely just about making the engine bay look “up-scale Lexussy” than the LC’s engine bay....just like the LX’s interior is designed to look look more “upscale Lexussy” than the LC’s interior. A cover serving as sort of a sharp-hair-cut bling sort o thing...thing.

But ...

:meh: What I think matters not. YODA told me so when I visited the Degoba System in my youth... :hillbilly:
 
I don't think most drivers are as concerned about issues like this as we are on enthusiast forums.

I suspect most (non-IH8MUD) new Lexus buyers don't care if there is an engine in there as long as they can put gas in and drive. The fact that there is an engine is a problem for the dealer service bay for regularly scheduled maintenance and repairs.

My wife feels this way about her Honda CRV. It is transportation, not some marvel of mechanical engineering. She doesn't ever open the hood and if she does, seeing that cover and Honda logo gives her peace of mind. As long as it starts when she presses the button, goes when she steps on the gas, stops when she steps on the brake, and the infotainment works, she's a happy camper.
 
Makes me think it’s more likely just about making the engine bay look “up-scale Lexussy” than the LC’s engine bay....just like the LX’s interior is designed to look look more “upscale Lexussy” than the LC’s interior.

Completely agree.. it's just that the part that might actually matter, in front of the core support, is attached to the rest.

I suspect most (non-IH8MUD) new Lexus buyers don't care if there is an engine in there as long as they can put gas in and drive. The fact that there is an engine is a problem for the dealer service bay for regularly scheduled maintenance and repairs.

Well put.
 
I'm not denying that there's heat underhood. Just that engine bay covers are not in any way adding or trapping more heat from the engine. While benefitting radiator efficiency as mentioned earlier.

Chopping the covers would be interesting. Yeah, it may make better clearance for the compressor. As the ARB compressor is known to run very hot, I actually would chop what would cover that when mounted in the usual position. For better airflow around the compressor when in use.

Chopping the cover to retain the forward part but open up rear access may be interesting. It'd open access to the battery, airbox, and whatever other accessory. Most of the clips of the cover is in the forward part. Very few clips to the rear.

My preference is to retain and work with the cover (OBA port poking out near the battery position). For heavy towing and the incremental noise attenuation benefits when cranking up mountains.
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