How important it the air dam?
Imagine all of the surface area of parts under the vehicle. Engine, transmission, suspension components, floorpan, axle fuel tank, exhaust, etc. etc., all of these parts (without the air dam in place) will provide some kind of wind resistance depending on their location and orientation. The air dam reduces the amount of flow under the car and redirects it towards a more useful area - into the radiator.
Less airflow under the vehicle = less drag.
mines off..came off when i removed the front bumper..i got 2 big holes where my fog lights used to be now..im also probley going to cut the center all the way out and just put a billet grill insert in..
Sure there is - never said otherwise. That low pressure created on the underside of the vehicle is designed for that purpose. By limiting the amount of airflow under the chassis of the vehicle, less drag is produced.
Imagine all of the surface area of parts under the vehicle. Engine, transmission, suspension components, floorpan, axle fuel tank, exhaust, etc. etc., all of these parts (without the air dam in place) will provide some kind of wind resistance depending on their location and orientation. The air dam reduces the amount of flow under the car and redirects it towards a more useful area - into the radiator.
Less airflow under the vehicle = less drag.
Imagine all of the surface area of parts under the vehicle. Engine, transmission, suspension components, floorpan, axle fuel tank, exhaust, etc. etc., all of these parts (without the air dam in place) will provide some kind of wind resistance depending on their location and orientation. The air dam reduces the amount of flow under the car and redirects it towards a more useful area - into the radiator.
Less airflow under the vehicle = less drag.
but the air damn is not on the front of the nose like a splitter is. the air it pushes up ward is already under the car, then once it passes through the radiator it goes back down under the car. and the air damn creates allot more turbulence then suspension/trans etc.. besides GM didn't design the underside of our cars or the air dam w/ aerodynamics in mind, the air damn is ther specifically for cooling purposes. and if mitch says the low pressure behind the air dam is the lift you feel at high speeds I'll take his word for it
Personally, I'd believe modern racing methodology, fluid dynamics, and aerodynamics - not some guy on a forum. My air dam stays on.
JMHO, of course.
I'd like some body to explain with actual science how the car can lift UP due to a low pressure zone UNDER it. Seriously, that would be one hell of an aerodynamic phenomenon that GM created. last time I checked, planes LIFTED because of the low pressure zone created ABOVE the wings.
Just goes to show, the interwebz is full of stupidity and people will believe it.
Just goes to show, the interwebz is full of stupidity and people will believe it.
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oh its definately going back on. it was kinda banged up from before i bought it. i just made arangements to buy a good condition used one. thanks for all the info guys
I'd like some body to explain with actual science how the car can lift UP due to a low pressure zone UNDER it. Seriously, that would be one hell of an aerodynamic phenomenon that GM created. last time I checked, planes LIFTED because of the low pressure zone created ABOVE the wings.
Just goes to show, the interwebz is full of stupidity and people will believe it.
Just goes to show, the interwebz is full of stupidity and people will believe it.
You believe what you want to believe. There's a reason every single production car produced today has an air dam, and it's NOT just for cooling purposes.
Personally, I'd believe modern racing methodology, fluid dynamics, and aerodynamics - not some guy on a forum. My air dam stays on.
JMHO, of course.
Personally, I'd believe modern racing methodology, fluid dynamics, and aerodynamics - not some guy on a forum. My air dam stays on.
JMHO, of course.
I'd like some body to explain with actual science how the car can lift UP due to a low pressure zone UNDER it. Seriously, that would be one hell of an aerodynamic phenomenon that GM created. last time I checked, planes LIFTED because of the low pressure zone created ABOVE the wings.
Just goes to show, the interwebz is full of stupidity and people will believe it.
Just goes to show, the interwebz is full of stupidity and people will believe it.
Last edited by z_speedfreak; Apr 2, 2010 at 06:39 PM.
uhh idk about that
last summer I got arrested doing this and they could only estimate my speed @ 140, I would hate to hand them evidence I was pushing 165
edit: just another point, a front splitter pushes more air up & over the nose creating a high pressure spot, creating more down force on the nose.
last summer I got arrested doing this and they could only estimate my speed @ 140, I would hate to hand them evidence I was pushing 165edit: just another point, a front splitter pushes more air up & over the nose creating a high pressure spot, creating more down force on the nose.
well theres only one way to find out, if I have the ***** to bring my car up to 160+ again this summer I'll take the air dam off first and see what happens.
mitch is no idiot, but how could we expect a newb to know who the experts are on the site. edit: I take that back in part just glanced at your post count, and now I see your join date.
mitch is no idiot, but how could we expect a newb to know who the experts are on the site. edit: I take that back in part just glanced at your post count, and now I see your join date.
Where's yours?
How fast you talkin, bro? The not-so-great aeros of these f-bods ain't helping you either. In addition to suspension/alignment, you should see improvements by making sure the front is lower than the rear, trimming the front air dam (chin spoiler) and maybe even getting a splitter for the nose.
I went from stock to the aforementioned mods (except the splitter), and saw a huge improvement at all speeds, especially north of 140. I'm running Strano springs/bars, Konis, and Mitch's alignment specs, but I left the isolators in the rear to keep it a bit high, and then put the front Konis on the lower perch to drop the nose more. I originally trimmed the air dam bc it would scrape on everything, and some people told me it would hurt aero, but I actually think it helps. It doesn't seem like its in the right location to help aero; it just forces air up to the radiator and creates high pressure under the hood which creates lift and hurts handling. My logic might be off, but my car is rock solid at speed (and doesn't overheat either).
I went from stock to the aforementioned mods (except the splitter), and saw a huge improvement at all speeds, especially north of 140. I'm running Strano springs/bars, Konis, and Mitch's alignment specs, but I left the isolators in the rear to keep it a bit high, and then put the front Konis on the lower perch to drop the nose more. I originally trimmed the air dam bc it would scrape on everything, and some people told me it would hurt aero, but I actually think it helps. It doesn't seem like its in the right location to help aero; it just forces air up to the radiator and creates high pressure under the hood which creates lift and hurts handling. My logic might be off, but my car is rock solid at speed (and doesn't overheat either).
Last edited by z_speedfreak; Apr 2, 2010 at 08:09 PM.
About the post you referenced from "chevynation"
F-bodies have terrific drag coefficients of .34 for both the Pontiac AND Chevrolet (same as a Porsche 911, Ferrari 360 Modena, Aston Martin DB9, etc.) The "not-so-great aeros" comment is opinion.
He says you "should see improvements." Once again, opinion, not based on fact or scientific evidence.
He also says "I actually think it helps." Once again, opinion, not based on fact or scientific evidence.
Then, "It doesn't seem like its in the right location to help aero; it just forces air up to the radiator and creates high pressure under the hood which creates lift and hurts handling. My logic might be off, but my car is rock solid at speed (and doesn't overheat either)."
OPINION. "Doesn't seem like its in the right location to help aero" isn't too much of a convincing argument. Not to mention, he isn't even confident of his own conclusions! "My logic might be off" - that's real convincing.
It's also ironic that on that webpage you referenced...every 4th gen vehicle has an air dam. If that doesn't say it, I don't know what else could...
Bye bye!
F-bodies have terrific drag coefficients of .34 for both the Pontiac AND Chevrolet (same as a Porsche 911, Ferrari 360 Modena, Aston Martin DB9, etc.) The "not-so-great aeros" comment is opinion.
He says you "should see improvements." Once again, opinion, not based on fact or scientific evidence.
He also says "I actually think it helps." Once again, opinion, not based on fact or scientific evidence.
Then, "It doesn't seem like its in the right location to help aero; it just forces air up to the radiator and creates high pressure under the hood which creates lift and hurts handling. My logic might be off, but my car is rock solid at speed (and doesn't overheat either)."
OPINION. "Doesn't seem like its in the right location to help aero" isn't too much of a convincing argument. Not to mention, he isn't even confident of his own conclusions! "My logic might be off" - that's real convincing.
It's also ironic that on that webpage you referenced...every 4th gen vehicle has an air dam.
If that doesn't say it, I don't know what else could... Bye bye!
Who's even bringing their cars up to a speed high enough for this argument to be relevant for any length of time anyway? The poor OP just wanted to make sure if it was ok to leave the air dam off and has been pretty much majority told to put it back on. If it is not a road racing/track only car, none of this is really important. At speed...over 100 mph for more than a second...stuff like aero from air dams/splitters/wings/etc. matters. For most of us driving to work and around town and occasionally romping on the throttle, not so much...
Who's even bringing their cars up to a speed high enough for this argument to be relevant for any length of time anyway? The poor OP just wanted to make sure if it was ok to leave the air dam off and has been pretty much majority told to put it back on. If it is not a road racing/track only car, none of this is really important. At speed...over 100 mph for more than a second...stuff like aero from air dams/splitters/wings/etc. matters. For most of us driving to work and around town and occasionally romping on the throttle, not so much...
lol not having it up there aint going to make your front lift or cause more drag..
if it makes your front end lift at 70mph why are there so many stock bodied drag cars running 150-210mph and not taking off like planes..lol
leaving it in there scoops the air up at speeds and drives it into the engine bay..so now your craming air into a engine bay where there is no where near cubic feet in exit holes for the air to escape out of..
will that cause your front end to have a tad more down force yes...will it be enough to really matter and delete the turbulance going on inside the engine bay from you ramming air into it no..
if it makes your front end lift at 70mph why are there so many stock bodied drag cars running 150-210mph and not taking off like planes..lol
leaving it in there scoops the air up at speeds and drives it into the engine bay..so now your craming air into a engine bay where there is no where near cubic feet in exit holes for the air to escape out of..
will that cause your front end to have a tad more down force yes...will it be enough to really matter and delete the turbulance going on inside the engine bay from you ramming air into it no..
i drove it 10 miles or so 1 way to a friends house earlier this evening and the temp gauge wouldnt drop below 210. that in itself is reason enough to put it back on. and btw..........whats an op? original poster?