Fun Ways to Dress Up the Engine Bay

Who says the engine bay must always look dark and dirty? The engine can appear great and run smoothly. That way, you can look forward to seeing aesthetically appealing sights when you open the hood, even if it’s for a potentially messy chore like checking the oil level.

Here are some ways you can dress up engine parts to look better:

Use an Engine Dress-up Kit

The engine dress-up kit contains various parts that replace their boring counterparts in the compartment. It allows you to improve the engine’s appearance without altering its performance.

Older vehicle models tended to have engine parts with good-looking features. Their air cleaners and valve covers usually have decorative features like fins and ribbing.

Today’s car models have engines that prioritize function over form. However, you can replace their boring-looking engine parts with more exciting-looking parts.

A typical engine dress-up kit contains some of the following parts:

• Air cleaner
• Timing chain cover
• Oil breather
• Valve covers
• Positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve
• Wire loom

If you plan to dress up as much of the engine as possible, you can save on expenses by getting an engine dress-up kit instead of purchasing each part individually.

Get a New Alternator and Alternator Brackets

You know the alternator charges the battery and powers most of the car’s electrical needs. But why not give it a makeover worthy of such a critical part?

Install a new alternator with a chrome or polished aluminum finish. It will stand out more than a part with a drab finish. This change is easier if your vehicle uses a one-wire alternator.

While you’re at it, why not upgrade the alternator brackets that secure the part to the engine? Choose brackets that complement the looks of the new alternator. If you installed an alternator with a chrome finish, go for chrome alternator brackets.

Upgrade the Headers

Installing headers can increase the horsepower produced by the engine. But if you choose stainless steel or polished headers, they can also enhance the engine’s appearance without looking out of place. Ensure the new headers are 304 stainless steel, which holds on to its color much longer and resists corrosion far better than other steel alloys.

Alternatively, you can select headers coated in heat-resistant ceramic. The ceramic coating helps keep heat in the exhaust system, ensuring the catalytic converter operates more efficiently. Furthermore, the coating is available in different colors. Some ceramic coating products can put on a convincing impression of chrome.

Replace the Oil Pan

Why limit yourself to sprucing up only the parts on the engine’s top side? You can also dress up engine parts at the bottom, such as the oil pan that stores lubricant.

Install an oil pan with a polished finish and cooling fins. The shiny finish improves the pan’s appearance, making it look cleaner. Meanwhile, the cooling fins fulfill both practical and aesthetic roles. Their primary purpose is to radiate heat from the pan, cooling the engine oil faster. At the same time, the fins add sleekness to the pan’s contours.

Spruce Up the Radiator Hoses

When you dress up the engine, you might not consider radiator hoses as targets for sprucing up. But if you think about it, standard-issue hoses don’t look good to begin with. You can do better.

Replace the stock radiator hoses with longer, more flexible hoses that you can reshape to your liking. You can have them take a different path to and from the engine.

Don’t forget to replace the standard radiator hose ends with chromed or polished counterparts that match up with the new coolant hoses.

Install a New Water Pump, Coolant Reservoir, and Water Pump Pulleys

The water pump helps cool the engine. But it can also make the engine look cooler. Replace the stock water pump with a polished aluminum pump that uses an aluminum impeller. Not only is the metal water pump sturdier than a plastic one, but it also looks more rugged. Try to get an aluminum water pump with greater capacity and heavy-duty bearings to handle the increased volume.

If you want to go even further, consider upgrading the coolant reservoir and water pump pulleys to their polished aluminum versions. The interconnected parts will look better if they share the same sheen.

Upgrade the Fender Braces and Strut Braces

Braces provide structural reinforcement for parts. Fender braces support the fenders, increasing the rigidity of the body panels to prevent flexing that can damage the parts. Meanwhile, strut braces enhance the stiffness of the struts in the suspension.

Fender braces and strut braces aren’t found inside the engine bay. However, they can add or detract from the vehicle’s appearance. When you improve the appearance of the engine parts, consider getting fender braces and strut braces that look good in addition to supporting their body panels.

Tips on How to Dress Up Engine Parts

Keep the following in mind when you dress up the engine compartment of your car or truck:

Choose Color-Coordinated Parts

Different finishes might clash with each other. Therefore, select a single finish as the basis for the theme. If you go shiny and chrome, stick to that finish. Don’t put a polished aluminum part near the chromed parts.

Apply Powder Coating to Engine Parts

Not everyone can afford to replace multiple costly engine parts to improve only the engine’s appearance. Instead of getting new parts, you can treat the current parts with a powder coat that changes their color and texture.

Trusted auto repair centers can usually apply a powder coat on engine parts. If you take this approach, bring all the parts and have them treated at the same time. This ensures the same batch of material provides a single color.

Provide Regular Care For Metal Parts

Whether you choose chrome or polished aluminum, the new metal parts require maintenance. Otherwise, they will lose their luster.

Apply a metal cleaner to remove dirt and prevent corrosion. You can also apply a metal polish to maintain the sheen.