Engine bay cooling improvements? DIY?
 

It's super hot out at 109F today, and the car is stuck in the garage. Last week I was working on one of the turn signal bulbs and felt the intense heat coming from the engine bay. I'd like to see if anyone know of DIY mods or ways to increase airflow to the engine to lower engine bay temperatures.

All I've done so far is remove the fang covers, and it seems like the car is not "losing" power as often. In fact, 1+ hour drive in 95+ F ambient temps is actually much more enjoyable now.

How about fender lining vents? I see DIY mods for brake cooling, but can it improve engine bay temps as well?

I thought about vented hoods, but they don't look that great. DIY mod like SIMOTA is nice since it retains the OEM hood, but I'd like additional or larger vents of some sort. Whatever is functional.

Maybe I'm just OCD about it...

Better cooling under the hood would be great, or more airflow.

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BTW, I was in Houston all of this week and visited Baker Nissan. It was nice to meet Brad, Paul, and Justin. Can't wait to get the TT kit from Sam so I can ship the car. :excited:
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Yea, short of getting a CF hood I think there's plenty of heat to remove.

And you did not let me know? Though I was pretty busy this week, when you are scheduled to get your kit?
A good hood design can help with air flow through the car but only to a certain degree.

Haha Paul called Justin as he was getting off work. Heard it's supposed to be sometime this week.

Wonder if anyone tried making a vent in the fender well.

Today I decided to enlarge the fang duct. I used a Dremel to cut out the remaining parts of the opening. It doesn't look too bad.

I'm going to research vents for the fender well cover. My fat tires already shredded a tiny portion of the cover. It'll be nice to get an after market one that's a bit stiffer with vents. Do you guys remember the preproduction 370Z? It had vented wheel well liners. That's something I'd like to get my hands on:
http://www.370z.com/Portals/0/Magazi...e-oil-cool.gif

Here are pictures of the enlarged fang vent:
http://www.the370z.com/members/digit...-fang-duct.jpg
http://www.the370z.com/members/digit...-fang-duct.jpg

While looking for wheel well liner with vents, here's another mod I'm looking for: center bumper air duct.

I contacted Z1 to see if they can get something that fits the 370Z. Hopefully it doesn't look too tacky.
http://www.z1auto.com/images/espritbumperz332.jpg
http://www.caranddriver.com/assets/i...2005223421.jpg

[EDIT] Z1's response is none available, but there is no guarantee of this one fitting. I requested measurements if they have one in stock. It would need to be flipped upside down to follow the contour of our bumper. If all else fails, I need to find another solution (some sort of box with trim bezel to hide the cut out).

If you're in a dry climate, you could vent your hood a bit. Maybe go as far as a vent with a fan to pull heat out.

Hood with inlet/outlet vents. Inlet vents closer to the nose/outlet vents closer to the windshield?

I have my fender liner vented on the passenger side where my oil cooler is mounted. I also removed the fang covers and have aluminum ducting directing all the air into the passenger side fang go straight to the oil cooler. My car also has 2 custom Flexalite fans: 10" and 18".

I'm with you on preferring the OEM hood, but I still need to lower the engine bay temps, so now I'm looking into the VIS AMS hood.

-create louvers
-making more holes in the front is not effective and creates lift (which is why louvers are needed)
-move radiator to the rear
-relocate fuse boxes and all plastic covered computer / electronic parts for more room in the engine bay - make walls (compartments) in the engine bay to direct the heat out to the louvers efficiently.
-wrap exhaust manifolds, intake manifolds, etc.
-front v mount and radiator shroud is a choice
-more suitable viscosity fluid for your motor and trans
-keep the heater running constantly as it uses heat from your radiator

if you want to use a fan or make louvers, try making walls (paths) for the heat to travel through before pulling out through the louvers. a fan spinning freely without walls to channel the air is ineffective.

also depends if you are building a race car or a street car.. it's all about channeling the heat.

it would cost less, be more effective, and unique if you build your own custom radiator shroud and hood louvers that work together as one cooling system. this way the air that the fan brings-in won't touch the motor.. the air passing through the radiator will have pressure pulling it in 1 direction = efficient cooling. this will also benefit downforce character because now you have the entering-air being pulled upward and out INSTEAD of going underneath the chassis and through the wheel wells working against the df and causing turbulence.

shroud and compartment:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5129/...7f0b235ee8.jpg

louvers:
http://www.bearmetalkustoms.com/imag...louvers002.jpg

This is for a daily driven street car with Stage II TT on the way.

So perhaps there's enough air coming in from the air dam?

Hood louvers? I would love to mod my OEM hood with louvers provided I can find something that's not too tacky, but functional. Hmm... I would love to get the manifolds wrapped. These two ideas shouldn't be too cost prohibitive.

My fans are pushers now, not pullers. With the downpipe crossing the front of the engine, there is no room for pullers. Unfortunately, this idea won't work.

98, are they doing any modding to your hood or engine bay to help with cooling since your turbo is up higher and in front? Not to mention the exhaust pipes coming back into the engine bay instead of out the rear?