Your cooling system should take care of the cooling while running - even in the florida heat with the A/C on max... The cover probably traps a bit of heat when the engine is off, but your hood would be doing the same thing, no? And it's good to start a car warm so why not keep the heat.
Serving a purpose? No... the Italians (Alpha, Lambo, Ferrari etc..) polish their engine plumbing and make nice covers for everything... the Germans do all the good work on the inside of the engine (function over form) and surround it in a good looking car, and hide the engine with a piece of plastic.... I took the cover off my TDI (oil change) and considered leaving it off, then I realized I have a very ugly engine (ugly pipes everywhere... and an interesting series of tubes and hoses, especially on the passenger side), so I put it back on.
I like the engine bay in my parents car (Volvo 960, inline 6) - has a nice plastic cover to sheild the spark plug wires (and to indentify it as a DOHC
24 Valve design), but then it's just the big aluminum block, and very, VERY neatly arranged wires, hoses, tubes, and pipes (that don't seem to get ugly and corroded with age!).The plastic doesnt even get hot after a long drive I found... I would leave it on. Unless you want to do like the Italian manufacturers and polish some components ;-).
Jim B.
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.