Dress Up Your LS Engine

A Trip to The Beauty Salon

When it came to form vs function, it is clear that the GM engineers favored the latter when designing the LS series of engines. That is not to say that staring at a stock LS motor will cause you to go blind, but they seem to lack the panache and simplicity of the classic first-gen small-block Chevrolet V8 when compared side by side. That said, there are a number of options to make the LS more appealing to eye for those wanting to display their engine.

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Coil Covers

Perhaps one of the most unsightly features of the LS engine is the exposed ignition coils. Mounted on top of the valve covers, the coils, their electrical connections to the wiring harness, and the spark plugs wires are all in plain view. While their locations may be good for repair and replacement, their positioning does not make for a clean looking engine. One of the quickest and easiest ways to tidy up an LS engine is to add a pair of coil covers. Coil covers can be had in a variety of sizes, colors, and materials, and easily attach to the top of the engine to create a cleaner look.

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Coil Relocation

As an alternative to coil covers, ignition coil relocation kits are a popular modification for LS owners. Simply put, a coil relocation kit will provide remote mounting (typically hidden out of sight) of the ignition coils to move them off of the valve covers. Kits are available from various manufacturers for multiple vehicle applications that often provide the necessary brackets, wiring extensions, and lengthened plug wires. Similarly, many folks have fabricated their own relocation kits as materials are available to make this a straightforward DIY job.

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Valve Covers & Valve Cover Adapters

Relocating the ignition coils opens up an unlimited number of valve cover options to make the engine really pop. Aftermarket valve covers are available without the provisions for coil mountings, thus they have a much smoother and overall cleaner look. They are available in various materials such as carbon fiber or billet aluminum and can be painted or anodized in virtually any color. Similarly, an old-school look can be achieved on the LS engine by installing a set of adapters that allow for classic small-block Chevy valve covers to be used.

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Plunum Cover

The LS intake plenum has taken some criticism for being drearily dull in its black plastic finish (nylon composite). Although it performs relatively well, is inexpensive, and is fairly lightweight, plastic does not scream "hot-rod" to car enthusiasts. An easy way to add a highlight to the engine is to install a simple plenum cover. These covers are designed to fit perfectly over the runners and require no modifications. They are available in various colors, but carbon fiber seems to be the material of choice. Similarly, some individuals have successfully removed, prepped, and painted the entire plenum with good results.

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Full Engine Cover

One of the easiest things that one can do to dress up some of the unsightly LS features is to install an entire engine cover. Sure, they may make the engine look nothing like an engine at all, but some pretty crafty things have been done with engine covers to give engine bays completely custom looks. They look nice, are simple to install, and cover the coils and fuel rails without any modifications. Solid one piece covers that incorporate a plenum cover and fuel rail covers into one unit are available, but some have successfully painted up some older Corvette fuel rail covers and the stock plenum as a less expensive option.

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Intake Tube

The stock accordion rubber intake tube on most cars does not make for a very good look in the engine bay, so this can be a target area when looking for dress up ideas. Many individuals often install a cold air intake for performance purposes, but this also provides an opportunity to add a little flare. It is easy to color coordinate the intake tubing with the rest of the engine bay motif. Likewise, a little carbon fiber always yields a bit of flash.

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Accessories and Pulleys

Depending on the vehicle in which your LS engine sits, the exposed accessories and their pulleys can impact the look of the motor. Accessories such as the air-conditioning compressor and alternator are typically raw cast pieces that get soiled, dusty, or even stained over time. Some choose to paint or polish these items to make them stand out amongst the other components in the engine bay. Additionally, there are pulley kits with specialty designs to replace the drab stock pieces. If the rest of your engine is pretty well dressed, giving a little attention to the accessories can make for the icing on the cake.

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Supercharger

If you have more of a performance focus for your LS engine, engine bay dress up may typically take a back seat to horsepower. That said, a supercharger will give you the best of both worlds. With a shiny blower sitting atop the engine, there is really no need for any covers or additional bling as the supercharger is the focal point for onlookers. If money was no option, this is likely the route many of us would take, but seeing as a supercharger is exponentially more costly than everything else on our list, it is probably not for everyone.

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For help with service of your car, check out the how to section of LS1Tech.com