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2018 / 19 XLT Explorer engine cover?

Hello,
I am new to this forum. I recently leased (May) a 2018 Ford Explorer XLT with the 3.5 liter engine. I noticed that Ford did not put an engine cover. My question is as follows. Can I purchase a 2017 engine cover? Will it fit? If it does will it harm the engine in any way. I’d like to get one only because the appearance looks nicer. Please let me know..
If it's under warranty why not discuss this with the Dealer or lease company, they should replace it if it's a new car.
 



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Hello,
I am new to this forum. I recently leased (May) a 2018 Ford Explorer XLT with the 3.5 liter engine. I noticed that Ford did not put an engine cover. My question is as follows. Can I purchase a 2017 engine cover? Will it fit? If it does will it harm the engine in any way. I’d like to get one only because the appearance looks nicer. Please let me know.

Thank you.
Welcome to the Forum Ashi.:wave:
I've merged your thread with this existing one. See if the dealer has any 2018 XLT Explorers on the lot and check to see if they have the cover. By no means should you have to purchase one, assuming there is supposed to be one on the engine.

Peter
 






Peter,
Thank you for your advice. You made a very good point. I’m going to stop by the dealer today and check. I’m just wondering if they didn’t come with one on any of the 18’s can I put one on. I will let you know what happens.
 






So I took pictures of the 2018 Explorer 3.5 liter V6 engine. Does anyone have a 2017 engine? I’d like to see if it looks the same as far as where the cover would mount. I seem to get mixed answers from different dealers. One says yes a tech at the dealer said yes and another said no.
 












Ford white bear lake’s website says the engine cover doesn’t fit my 2018 limited. Boo
 






If you read earlier in this thread, I was able to install the cover on my 2018. It uses the same mounting points but you will need the oil filler extension tube from a pre 18. You remove your oil filler cap, screw in the extension, slip the cover over it, then screw the oil filler cap back on. The cover is not a hard plastic cover like on an EcoBoost, but rather a soft polyurethane rubber like the sole of a running shor.
 






BTW jury is still out on whether I want to keep it, as it would keep some heat on the intake manifold, but I can at least wash the engine compartment to remove winter salt without worrying about the coil packs. EcoBoost engine covers are packed with sound insulation and if anything those are the engines that need the most heat rejection.
 






BTW jury is still out on whether I want to keep it, as it would keep some heat on the intake manifold, but I can at least wash the engine compartment to remove winter salt without worrying about the coil packs. EcoBoost engine covers are packed with sound insulation and if anything those are the engines that need the most heat rejection.
I'm guessing that the Ford engineers took all that into consideration when they designed it.

Peter
 






Will it fit a 3.7 on a 2017 PIU?
 












I'm guessing that the Ford engineers took all that into consideration when they designed it.

Peter

The police interceptors are designed for maximum heat rejection in all conditions, namely idling for long periods of time so there's not much airflow. Plus, their customer base isn't going to complain about engine noise, so sound insulation isn't a concern of theirs.

If you look at a SHO, there's a lot of sound deadening insulation on the belly pan and engine cover. On the Fusion Sport, there's even more sound insulation all over the place. On a N/A 3.5 Explorer, I'm just not a fan of having water that close to the coil packs especially when all 11-17 N/A Explorers had the cover and Ford just decided to not include it for 2018.

I'm not sure what the 3.7 looks like, but the 3.5 engine cover uses 3 mounting points. A tab on the intake manifold in the rear passenger side, a hole in the throttle body where a christmas tree plug "screws" into, and the engine oil filler (with the extension).
 






If you read earlier in this thread, I was able to install the cover on my 2018. It uses the same mounting points but you will need the oil filler extension tube from a pre 18. You remove your oil filler cap, screw in the extension, slip the cover over it, then screw the oil filler cap back on. The cover is not a hard plastic cover like on an EcoBoost, but rather a soft polyurethane rubber like the sole of a running shor.
Thanks! I don’t know how I missed that
 






Hello everyone. Newbie here to this forum, but have spent lots of time on the Ram 1500 forums with my previous 2 rams. I just purchased a 2019 Explorer, just a basic XLT. I went to check the oil and noticed there is no engine cover. (2.3L EB) I didn’t look under the hood when I bought it a few days ago. I can see where one would mount (3 ball mounts), but there isn’t one there. Is there suppose to be a cover or is this a way for ford to save $$ by not putting one on? Is anyone here missing their cover or do you have one?
 






^^ Welcome to the Forum. :wave:
Your thread was merged with this one. I guess the 2019 is the same. I believe you can probably install one if you want. Thread title was amended.

Peter
 






I have an inquiry about my 2017 XLT Explorer (3.5L w/ Sport Appearance Package) "missing" an engine cover.

**I apologize in advance if there is a 2017 XLT Explorer engine cover thread for my inquiry or if the specifics that I am seeking clarification on have been fully previously addressed and/or established in this thread

I bought my 2017 used from a Ford dealer in 07/2019 in Arizona. I saw that it had no engine cover but was not aware that it might be "missing" until after I had purchased the vehicle and about a month later noticed that most pictures of 2017 Explorers 3.5L have an engine cover (the only 2017 pictures I could find that didn't display an engine cover was for PIU's, which have a 3.7L). I contacted the original sales person to see if the vehicle was missing the engine cover, maybe the AZ dealership had removed it when prepping it to sell and forgot to put it back on (or was this model/trim not suppose to have one, possibly since it is the XLT Sport Appearance Package, or it might really have the 3.7L engine....zoom, zoom...lol :) Of course the dealership didn't know and was no help. It only had 1 prior owner (purchased new from a California dealer in 07/2017) when it was sold to the CA auto auction (in 06/2019) and then was picked up by the Arizona dealership (more possibility of it originally having an engine cover and then being lost along the way). NOTE: I was able to locate pics on the internet of the vehicle sitting on the CA auto auction lot (it was pre-sale auto auction bidding pics), but it didn't include any under the hood...boo.

I did notice that from the my 2017 XLT manufacturing specs that it didn't roll off the assembly line in Chicago until 05/2017 and then was shipped to the California dealer. So, if it is true that Ford stopped issuing 3.5L engine covers for 2018 XLT's, I wonder that since my 2017 XLT was manufactured so late maybe it came from the factory with no engine cover (due to the 2018 XLT protocol)?

Any insight or logic provided back to me for my "Was it lost along the way or it never had one" question will be greatly appreciated!
 












This thread caught my eye because I rented a 2018 Limited Explorer this past week and opened the hood for fun to take a look at the engine and noticed there was no cover. The first thought that came to mind is that someone either stole it or mechanic misplaced it. It's sad to think that Ford is not putting engine covers on Explorers to save money and I hope that's not the case. If so, it makes one wonder what else they are doing to cut costs.
 






This thread caught my eye because I rented a 2018 Limited Explorer this past week and opened the hood for fun to take a look at the engine and noticed there was no cover. The first thought that came to mind is that someone either stole it or mechanic misplaced it. It's sad to think that Ford is not putting engine covers on Explorers to save money and I hope that's not the case. If so, it makes one wonder what else they are doing to cut costs.
You need to keep in mind who the majority user is of these vehicles. Many are used by 'soccer mom's', folks that don't change their own oil or do their own maintenance, lessees, and such. Many are not very knowledgeable about their vehicle.

All manufacturers cut costs somewhere. The interior is not high quality - lots of low cost parts and hard plastic.. There are also a lot of exterior quirks and electronic/mechanical quirks. Even as an enthusiast that is involved with my vehicles and their maintenance, an engine cover that I may see or interact with once or twice a year is not high on my list of must haves or concerns. I'd rather see more money spent on better materials and parts that I interact with on a daily basis.

As a side note, some believe engine covers are just a cheap way to pretty up an engine. Even though they may mitigate some noise, the same can be done with sound proofing elsewhere.
 



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Although mine has an engine cover, it wouldn't bother me at all if it didn't. I think they're mainly for looks which may be why they only come with the newer platinums. I just had to remove it to change the plugs and if I had to remove it very often I would probably just leave it off.
 






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