How to patch the plastic engine cover on my riding lawn mower

[Rot 911]

Subject line says it all. I have a 2002 Craftsman riding lawnmower. I really like it except for the plastic engine cover. Damn thing is made out of brittle plastic and I am rough on the mower. Last time I broke it, 5 years ago, a new cover set me back around $160. Now the same cover is $505!! So what I need is some way to patch the places where the broken plastic has left a gaping hole about 3 inches across. Also need to patch up the cracked areas. My first thought is just to use fiberglass and patch it like a rust hole, but maybe there is something better to use? Is there something like a plastic patch? Here is a picture of the $505 part:

[BReif61]

Take a page from old hot rodders and run without the cover?

[Flat Six]

Or go industrial/rat rod with it and rivet aluminum skid plate to the high wear/high impact areas.

[VincentVega]

Fiberglass or some sheet metal/aluminum and some rivets.

[HardDrive]

Fiberglass cloth is the way I would be going.

[johnco]

rat rodder would screw an old license plate over the hole. probably at an angle

[onewhippedpuppy]

I vote fiberglass or pop riveting on some sheet metal patches. The better question - why do a few holes in your engine cover even matter?

[Rot 911]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

I vote fiberglass or pop riveting on some sheet metal patches. The better question - why do a few holes in your engine cover even matter?

I'll need to take a picture of it. I need to patch it because if I bust it up any more the whole thing will just fall apart. I'm not very gentle with the mower.

[VincentVega]

[smartassreply]

You need some duct tape

[/smartassreply]

[T77911S]

Originally Posted by VincentVega

Fiberglass or some sheet metal/aluminum and some rivets.

thats what i was thinking.
fiberglass from the inside then finish up with bondoglass on the outside and paint if you want it to look good.
here is a trick i do with fiberglass.
put masking tape on the outside to form a backing for the fiberglass to shape it if the hole is big. pull the tape off when dry.

pop rivet some tin on for the real redneck look. or like my neighbor, just take it off all together.

[Evans, Marv]

Why don't you get some sheet metal and fab up a roughly duplicate/replacement cover? The plastic one is going to do nothing but degrade anyway, & it looks like it's just an inverted U shaped cover with probably a front on it which you could make & pop rivet on. You could even paint it the same color & nobody would ever know.

[Rot 911]

Originally Posted by VincentVega

[smartassreply]
You need some duct tape
[/smartassreply]

Been there, done that. Even Gorilla tape doesn't last long in the sun/heat/dust.

[Aragorn]

This article might be helpful for your plastic welding needs:

Tech tip: Solvent welding plastics | Hemmings Daily

Another guy I know used plastic zip-ties melted into an area for repairs.

[Nostril Cheese]

glass it.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Make bigger holes in strategic locations.

[Aragorn]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Make bigger holes in strategic locations.

I bet that thing is a b1tch on wet grass...

[john70t]

If the rest of the cover is only so-so:
Glue or rivet some strips made of metal or thicker plastic on the underside.

If the engine is running hot, however, any plastic won't have a chance.

[oldE]

Originally Posted by T77911S

thats what i was thinking.
fiberglass from the inside then finish up with bondoglass on the outside and paint if you want it to look good.
here is a trick i do with fiberglass.
put masking tape on the outside to form a backing for the fiberglass to shape it if the hole is big. pull the tape off when dry.
.

I'd do this.
I bought a used mower a couple of years ago, which had been "parked by ear" I'm guessing. The front "grill" was cracked. I used some two part epoxy over a couple of days (after roughing up the pieces to be joined) and built up the grill again. When I was done, I used a flat black undercoat for a matt texture. With the dark green body of the sheet metal, it worked OK and until you look you can't see the joins.

Best of luck.
Les

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

Fiberglass cloth is the way I would be going.

this, if you do it from the inside, you will get a more cosmetic result

I used fiberglass to reinforce the plastic hinge covers for my super beetle's convertible top. Worked great

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by Aragorn

I bet that thing is a b1tch on wet grass...

LOL, I was just thinking "I bet that thing's a blast on wet grass".