Re: wheel arch holes for improved cooling
Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2009 5:31 pm
john.p.clegg wrote:Before I get the hole cutter out, isn't there a big hole underneath the engine bay that the sump dangles through??
My friend, John,
Yes there is a big hole at the bottom and that's where a lot of the cooling air goes before it hits the radiator.
As I see it, there are a number of issues that may or may not be relevant.
To get the maximum amount of air through the radiator requires that all the possible passageways around the radiator need to be blocked. This is a pretty obvious statement, but very difficult to achieve, so you have to do the most practical things with the ultimate objective in mind.
I have seen so many Elans and +2s with foam blanking strips across the top of the radiator, but very few with a blanking plate at the bottom to direct the air towards the radiator instead of it taking the line of least resistance and going underneath.
I am of the opinion that without the side air holes behind the radiator there will be a pressure build-up in the top half of the engine bay and venting under the car will be very inefficient. It is likely that stratification will occur resulting in the lower half of the radiator only working at maximum efficiency.
I?m still of the opinion that a grille in the Bonnet (hood) would be the most efficient.
I guess there?s plenty of room for discussion on this subject.