hood inserts cut??
hood inserts cut?? I was wondering if anyone had done this or if this idea is stupid. Me and a freind were looking at my hoods 2 little fake hood scoops, i started to wonder if i cut the scoops so they actually function and let air in. Would it be worth it. Would the engine bay stay cooler?? any thoughts aprecciated
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From: Decatur, TN (N-W of Athens)
Well with their location, it wouldn't help since the air coming in would meet the air coming in from the front. It wouldn't exit out there. Now my 91 Firebird with the Turbo Bubble, that you could open up and worked VERY well to evacuate hot air, but it was facing towards the windshield so air wasn't being forced in it.
Well with their location, it wouldn't help since the air coming in would meet the air coming in from the front. It wouldn't exit out there. Now my 91 Firebird with the Turbo Bubble, that you could open up and worked VERY well to evacuate hot air, but it was facing towards the windshield so air wasn't being forced in it.
There's a few reasons it's covered up...GM intended for it to be functional but had problems with water leaks and ignitions being affected by the water. I also read from a post from Scott Settlmeire, I think, that the air vents, when opened, created a weird vortex that pulled the air from the air dam that is supposed to cool the engine away from where it is supposed to be and near the top of the hood. I'm no wind tunnel expert so it doesn't make complete sense to me. Just like what Formula350 said, only not only would it not help, but it would hinder the cooling abilities.
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i cut mine out.... it made sense to me... the heads r directly under those scoops so i said hell whynot? it prolly dosent make a difference at all... lol we were dead at work and i had nothing else better to do lol
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From: Decatur, TN (N-W of Athens)
If I am not mistaken I think you are wrong about the bubble, as the 2nd gen T/A's had the shaker scoop sometimes known as the reverse ram air. I read somewhere back in the day that at the base of our windshields there is a reverse airflow from turbulence that fed these setups. Therefore that design on your 3rd gen was for air entry not exit.
Agreed, so his 3rd gen would perform completely differently than a 4th gen. However, I could see the firebird mod working to help keep the engine bay cool as the air passing over the reverse vents would cause a vacuum effect pulling air out of the engine bay inessence cooling it. However, as they said earlier it could still screw up the air flow from the airdam can pull air away from the radiator, so its a catch 22. As to the Camaro, I don't think it would be worth all the extra work and would probably do nothing for you vs. a good CAI kit.
Keep in mind, guys, that the early 1st gen cars ('67-'68) had the "NASCAR Style" cold air duct pulling cold air in from the plenun that would normally have fed the heater/defroster. The duct was under the hood, and not visible. The '69s went to the raised, reverse facing duct on the hood that we've all come to love.
Second gen cars didn't look good with the raised, reverse scoop, or so the stylists thought, so they reverted back to the under hood system for the Camaro. The Pontiac T/A had the shaker, however Pontiac didn't participate as seriously in SCCA racing as Chevrolet did, so the placement of the scoop wasn't as important, as it was too far forward to get the "reverse ram effect" off the windshield.
It was more a cosmetic thing on the T/A, and if I recall correctly, only the 70 1/2s and maybe the '71s had the scoop actually functional. Federal "drive-by" sound regs forced GM to close off the scoop, however with a little careful work by hot rodders (like me, for instance, with my '77 T/A) the scoop could be made functional. Harwood and Moroso also marketed replacement scoops that attached to the hood instead of the air cleaner assembly, for easier tuning, and were open at the rear, for air intake.
Second gen cars didn't look good with the raised, reverse scoop, or so the stylists thought, so they reverted back to the under hood system for the Camaro. The Pontiac T/A had the shaker, however Pontiac didn't participate as seriously in SCCA racing as Chevrolet did, so the placement of the scoop wasn't as important, as it was too far forward to get the "reverse ram effect" off the windshield.
It was more a cosmetic thing on the T/A, and if I recall correctly, only the 70 1/2s and maybe the '71s had the scoop actually functional. Federal "drive-by" sound regs forced GM to close off the scoop, however with a little careful work by hot rodders (like me, for instance, with my '77 T/A) the scoop could be made functional. Harwood and Moroso also marketed replacement scoops that attached to the hood instead of the air cleaner assembly, for easier tuning, and were open at the rear, for air intake.
I cut mine out, took about 15 minutes without a dremel. No noticeable difference in anything. You do get some water on the headers though when washing it. I suppose rain makes it in there (I somehow doubt my hood was water tight before this). Overall, its pretty pointless, but I had nothing better to do. I also painted mine satin black while they were out. I think it looks good and matches the headlights and the top better. I've never had cooling issue's as mentioned above (well, after I fixed that water pump). My car runs just under the first mark on the highway and just over it in stop and go in 90 degree heat with the AC on. Overall, if your bored have a dremel and 15 minutes of free time, I dont see why not.
There is a long thread about this somewhere on here. From what I gathered, several people who cut theirs out witnessed a big decrease in under hood temps and engine temps in stop and go traffic and in situations where the car just idles. Several claimed you could actually see the heat escaping the vents (which I'm sure you would be able to.)
I can see the points about possible adverse affects at highway speeds however. Decreased airflow at speed through the radiator, letting water into the engine bay during a downpour, etc.
I'm pretty sure I will just leave mine alone if I ever get the 95 Z running. I don't wanna chance any extra water anywhere around my opti. LOL Besides with a 160* stat and the fans coming on earlier than stock, I have never had a temperature problem anyway. I bet making sure your headers/exhaust are coated would have more of an effect on underhood temps than this mod would.
I can see the points about possible adverse affects at highway speeds however. Decreased airflow at speed through the radiator, letting water into the engine bay during a downpour, etc.
I'm pretty sure I will just leave mine alone if I ever get the 95 Z running. I don't wanna chance any extra water anywhere around my opti. LOL Besides with a 160* stat and the fans coming on earlier than stock, I have never had a temperature problem anyway. I bet making sure your headers/exhaust are coated would have more of an effect on underhood temps than this mod would.
I cut mine and I could definitely tell a difference, much cooler on the highway, and especially after cruising and opening the hood.
Because only so much air can exit the car under the engine bay. The guys who road race these cars have tested pretty much every cooling method extensively. Take a loot at all the race cars out there. They have vents on the front of the hood to extract the air that just went through the radiator. None of them have scoops to force air into the engine bay.