Product review - Clear timing belt covers.

[DrGonzo]

Been wanting to get a set for some time now and missed it when Chinese was selling these on the board. When 3sx got them and the price went up I lost interest completely. Then on Black Friday they had them on sale for about the price they initially were when first introduced so I bit the bullet. I got them in the mail today and decided to fit them up. Pulled off my stock dipped covers and then began work on the clear ones.

First thing to note, I got two different boxes. one was a 3sx branded box and the other was the original HSXconcepts box that Chinese sold his in. The front was in the 3sx box and the rear in the HSX box.

The front one was the first one to be opened. It had three layers of saran wrap on it and after getting it off I noticed lots of vertical scratches on the face of the cover. Very minor but they are not crystal clear. Once mounted I don't even notice them. The front had clouding in the Poly in certain spots. I first thought they were cracked or stress marks, but closer shows its just a cloud in the plastic. May be the spot where the molds are filled. IDK. Kind of hard to get a good picture of with the light.



So the rear was a pain... plane and simple. Get the two bolts for the rear holes in and the front hole between the VC's doesn't line up. None of the tabs that insert into the lower cover line up and there is a gap between the cover and the lower. After a little twisting at the top I got the top bolt in place between the VC's. I turned the motor by hand to ensure they would not rub the cam gears or belt which I thought they might due to the twisting I needed to get the last bolt in place. Luckily they did not. I also noticed a hollow air pocket in the tab for the botl moun between the covers... Hope that doesn't cause that mount tab to fail.

Gap between the clear covers and lower stock cover:


Air pocket in tab:


The front cover bolt holes lined up better. I can't tell if the tabs to the lower are in place as the front engine mount sort of blocks it. The biggest issue is that the front should slide up the rear cover... Well it is not even close. It basically butts up to it and the bottom has a gap.







Looking at some of Chinese and 3sx photos of them mounted they all have that center alignment issue. Not sure why it was never addressed. My stock ones lined up just fine so it's not an issue with how my engine is. I'l probably have to fab up a centerpiece like what 3sx mocked up for the 3.5L engines using the covers to hide that horrible center gap issue.

As for the materials themselves, there is no Resin Identification Code on them but it is stated they are Polycarbonate on 3sx site. No RIC makes me guess they are made outside of the US "Not due to Chinese being the original creator " If they are PolyC then heat shouldn't be an issue unless you have a serious cooling problem. PollyC is moldable (Tg) at 297f which your engine bay should never reach. as far as yellowing goes. PolyC can and will yellow unless a UV stabilizer additive was added to the resin. but since they are not in direct contact with the sun you shouldn't see any issue I would think. UV is what causes the yellowing in PolyC. Arcylic will yellow through normal heat cycling. Guess only time will tell.

[Boomer3000]

Wow that's seriously disappointing on these. You would think they would have done a bit better R&D. Shame

[93STLTH]

With today's laser scan capabilities, you'd think someone could produce an exact duplicate of the stock covers.

[Chris@Rvengeperformance]

yes, that do not fit perfectly and due to the stress of the bolts lining up some cracks will appear around some of the bolt holes. I have serious doubts about their long term durability, but they look good for now and are holding up okay after 2 years.

[DrGonzo]

yes, that do not fit perfectly and due to the stress of the bolts lining up some cracks will appear around some of the bolt holes. I have serious doubts about their long term durability, but they look good for now and are holding up okay after 2 years.

Yeah that is what I was worried about with the bolt holes not lining up. Getting stress cracks in the Poly. I was thinking I may soften them in the powder coating oven a little and install them while still hot to see if that helps a little as they should cool into the position then need to be in. Never worked with PolyC so hesitant on heating them up.

[Chris@Rvengeperformance]

Might was close enough I wondered if reaming the bushings really thin would help.

[Unlogic]

Dont spill any petrol on them, it will cause them to cloud instantly. ...I learned that the hard way

[j2k4]

I've been half-close to buying them several times; gratified to see my instincts don't totally suck.

Here's hoping someone comes in with a "New, Improved..." set, and cheaper into the bargain.

[jba3]

Ugh. Petrol, or engine bay cleaner. One of mine is clouded up, and has 0 miles on it. I have that same gap in the middle, where it fits really poorly. I didn't check the lower tabs part yet, though. I think mine were both HSX, but bought through 3SX (I got them a couple years ago).

[Alan92RTTT]

IIRC the users Chinese aka HSXconcepts is the one making them for 3SX.