How necessary is timing belt cover?

[Kent McLean]

Christopher Gharibo wrote:
> Will my cars suffer any adverse consequences if I permanently remove the upper timing belt cover?  

Not at all, *IF* you live where there is no snow, or rain that can freeze, or gravel, or sand, or where a bit of gravel may kick up off a construction truck, or ...  

The cover is there to protect the belt. If a foreign object like a small piece of gravel gets in between the belt and the pulley, it can make the belt skip a tooth (or two or three). When that happens, valves hit cylinders and you are rebuilding an engine.

Now, you may drive it for years before that happens. Or it may be just a day or two. 
<Dirty Harry>Do you feel lucky, punk? Well, do you?</>

--
Kent McLean
'02 VW Beetle TDI, ex-Bad Puppy et alia