Buuls eye Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 I took a closer look today on the engine. Unlike the previous generations, the front and back valve cover is now a plastic like material which I hope I am wrong. Does anyone know if those are indeed plastic not metals? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 I think they switched over to plastic covers starting in 2011. Not a weight savings measure apparently. On other cars where they have done this, the plastic stuff weighs MORE than the aluminum ones. 2011 2010 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRbillZ Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 (edited) It's basically a cap. A cover. What difference would it make if it were metal or plastic? It isn't structural. Yeah they said the same thing about plastic gas tanks on dirt bikes. Well, at least we don't have rust issues any more... or dents. Edited July 22, 2016 by DRbillZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 Ask the people with 2007 Edges that sat on dealer lots for 8 months waiting for a new gas tank whether plastic is better than metal...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buuls eye Posted July 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 Well not the news i was hoping to hear but WWWPerfA_ZN0W thanks for confirming it is indeed a plastic cover and nice engine pics. DRbillZ, i maybe wrong but i think gas tank does not go through the same heat cycle as the engine valve cover. My concern is that after a while the plastic cover start to deteriorate and develop leaks later. If 5 or 6 more years down the road no one has any plastic valve cover crack on their 2011 edge, then cheers I worried too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRbillZ Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 (edited) Ask the people with 2007 Edges that sat on dealer lots for 8 months waiting for a new gas tank whether plastic is better than metal......From what I've read it wasn't the tank. It was the strapping that was the problem. Most vehicles have plastic gas tanks now.Good point about heat and deterioration but lots of stuff under the hood is plastic already. Edited July 22, 2016 by DRbillZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 Yeah, we will have to wait a bit for the valve covers to prove out. Metal has a long history and so we take it for granted, plastic not so much. I don't see any reason why they should be an issue though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 From what I've read it wasn't the tank. It was the strapping that was the problem. Most vehicles have plastic gas tanks now. Good point about heat and deterioration but lots of stuff under the hood is plastic already. If it was only the strapping the tanks would not have leaked, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbwt Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 Well at 152,000 miles not one leak or crack on my plastic valve cover. I will let you know when i get to 200,000 in about 10 months and see if they are still holding up and not leaking or cracking. I am willing to bet they keep on trucking. Keep in mind you have a plastic intake on yours and it is how old? And exposed to a lot of heat. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buuls eye Posted July 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2016 Macbwt, well thats one less thing i need to worry about then. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enigma-2 Posted July 25, 2016 Report Share Posted July 25, 2016 (edited) Plastic engines have been around since 1980 when they developed a 2.3 liter Pinto engine. It weighed 152 lbs (vs over 400 for cast iron). There was also an engine developed for racing and had several top 5 finishes, finished 3rd once. "Plastic parts included the engine block, cam cover, air intake trumpets, intake valve stems, piston skirts and wrist pins, connecting rods, oil scraper piston rings, tappets, valve spring retainers and timing gears." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_automotive_engine Good article in Car and Driver on plastic engines of the future. http://blog.caranddriver.com/is-this-the-engine-of-the-future-in-depth-with-matti-holtzberg-and-his-composite-engine-block/ Article in Design News on plastic parts Ford replaced in the curent 3.5 and 3.7 V6's. http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?doc_id=270929 Edited July 25, 2016 by enigma-2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted July 25, 2016 Report Share Posted July 25, 2016 (edited) COOL! Would love to see ceramic engines as well. Haven't heard much about them lately. Edited July 25, 2016 by WWWPerfA_ZN0W 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waldo Posted July 25, 2016 Report Share Posted July 25, 2016 Here's a plastic valve cover on a 1996 Honda Accord. It's not like this is some kind of new revelation that Ford is experimenting with. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buuls eye Posted July 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2016 Walo, I hope the material ford is using is has the same quality as Hondas. Anyway, macbwt already had said his has gone about 150k without any issue so i think this will not be a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enigma-2 Posted July 26, 2016 Report Share Posted July 26, 2016 From what I've read, the plastics have only improved since 1996. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbwt Posted July 26, 2016 Report Share Posted July 26, 2016 (edited) I will add that the last car fire/accident I was at the plastic was holding up pretty good even though it was on fire. I had first hand observation because I put the fire out with my CO2 fire extinguisher. Edited July 29, 2016 by macbwt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omar302 Posted July 26, 2016 Report Share Posted July 26, 2016 This talk about the valve covers reminded me that there was a TSB for 2011-2013 models that might experience engine oil migrating into the air intake, replacement of the valve cover is required to fix it. http://www.fordedgeforum.com/topic/17714-oil-in-throttle-body/ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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