Not funnel related, but what is up with the big, stupid covers they are putting over some engines nowadays? I'm talking about the one like the OP's car has in the first entry in this thread. Do they serve any purpose other than making the engine look not like an engine? Can you just take it off and leave it off?
I was working as a design engineer at Ford when this started back in the early 1990s. BMW and Volkswagen (those darn Germans) were cleaning up the engine compartment by paying attention to how they routed hoses and wiring, and "stylizing" the valve covers and air cleaners. The next step, (because it was cheaper), was to cover up the chaos with a molded cover. All of this was done to make the vehicles more marketable in the showroom. The thought was, if the engine bay looked organized, the buyer would assume that the vehicle was thoughtfully designed and engineered.
I agree these covers are mechanically unnecessary, add incremental cost to design and make, and are in the way for service. In other words, they're a PITA. But they do help sell new cars to those that don't have to work on them.
My pet peeve is the aero panels that are placed under the engine compartment. (Once again, BMW and Volkswagen were the initial culprits.) The intent is to smooth the airflow under the car to improve fuel economy. However, they're a major PITA for oil and filter changes, especially after the fasteners get some corrosion on them.
Dale
