I really like those s2k vented hoods. I think they look great, but it rains an awful lot here in FL.

I took a look under my hood, seems like we can't do quite the style they did going on one side, but we have a decent spot in the front in the middle (biggest space available), could look cool. Who's good with photoshop?

Here are 2 pics i just took of the underside:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...N/IMG_6990.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...N/IMG_6991.jpg

Another good way to gain horse power from losing weight is to run on a treadmill. Cutting 10 pounds from your waistline is sure to help!

Fatties!

Simple venting like that S2K thread sounds prone to rain problems though. I don't want a storm pouring through the hole in my hood and soaking my pulleys or the electronics.

I agree Travis but personally I wouldn't do it since my Z will be a DD. Need those windshield wipers :icon17:

Actually, no one ever had any water problems. I had my vented hood for over a year and I live in NJ. I never saw water in my engine bay. I'm just theorizing here but I'm thinking that the water droplets evaporated as soon as they hit the mesh. It's very hot and you could actually see the heat rising from the vents. I'm going to try this when I get back in a month or so. I think the most heat would come from the exhaust manifold. Anyone else think different?

Hey Zeto,

I don't think there would be enough heat to evaporate a strong downpour, even when you see heating rising from those vents.

That being said, I believe a lot of water (perhaps "a lot" is a relative term) makes its way into the engine bay in any car, during rainy days, be it through the air intakes (and around the radiator), or from the bottom. This is a guess, though, as I have never opened my hood after getting home from driving through a storm to check.

I have :)

Yes, some water gets into a stock Z engine bay in rain regardless, but it's small amounts that manage to splash their way in past the seams near the wheel wells, the top edge of the hood, etc. The biggest holes in that regard are near the exhaust manifolds, but those will evap just about anything. Even in heavy rain, so little makes it in that it's inconsequential, esp given heat to evap it. You end up with some little splash/drop marks on the outer walls of the bay but that's about it.

But an open vent right over the engine area scares me a bit. In the storm we had last week, it would be like opening your hood and dumping 5 gallon buckets of water on your engine bay repeatedly. No way that's gonna evap off.

What would be the worst case scenario? IMO, the benefits out weigh the risks.

Engine bays have no real problem with water (as long as it doesn't snorkel in the intakes, obviously). When driving, air will be exiting through the vent anyway.

I'd be into venting, but wouldn't do it for the weight; I just don't see how you could lose much weight in aluminum. I'd think you'd be much better off with a good carbon hood, which they'll no doubt have out shortly.

I don't think there will be a big difference between aluminum hood and a carbon hood. It can't be more than a couple of pounds or so.

Most "carbon" hoods aren't really carbon. They are fiberglass with a carbon overlay. A real dry carbon hood will shave off a few pounds, but will retail for thousands of dollars. Your typical fiberglass/carbon hoods will weigh the same as stock most likely. Thats the way they were on the 350Z at least. I can't imagine it would be any different on the 370Z.

Ohhhh I didn't know that. I thought it was all carbon fiber. Yea I can imagine being really expensive if it was real dry carbon hood.

Worst case scenario would be me sitting stuck in traffic for several minutes at a stoplight, with sheets of heavy rain pouring down onto the car and the hood vent. Most of the electronics look pretty well insulated, so I suspect the only immediate fallout would be belt slippage, but it just doesn't sit well with me still. I wouldn't open my hood and dump a bucket of water on my running engine either, even though that too probably wouldn't really hurt anything.

The only thing I;d be afraid of is getting those MAF sensors soaked. A short there could be really really bad.

As far as the carbon vs stock hood thing... I kinda disagree, i think it depends entirely on the car. For example, the hood on the STI is super light and carbon ones don't do anything. However, the hood on a Supra, or a Subaru 2.5 RS are very very heavy. And I mean heavy. So a lighter carbon hood would do the trick. Frankly, I like Seibon's stuff...good compromise between lightness and price. The hood on the Z could benefit...I think we could lose a few pounds off the front end there....