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S130 bonnet/hood vents


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Yeh TC I quoted that series of Autospeed articles in my opening post but the problem is that Maxima has a blunt front and a fairly flat bonnet, quite unlike a 280ZX. So I'm wary about transferring those findings to mine.

 

Put some wool tufts on one of the existing vents as mentioned above. The results were strange because the indication was that air was exiting along both side edges but not the middle of the vent.

 

So at the moment I'm not sure where to go from here.

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What I'm thinking of is one large rearwards facing flush vent in the middle of the bonnet. Basically a hole 250 x 80mm, 10 x 3" for the Imperialists ;)

 

Located just in front of where the V6 engine sits, which would be ~ half way along the bonnet. One suggestion is that because the car has a wide V engine air flow past it to the OE vents is restricted.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Ordered up a pair of these today. In terms of vent shape I think they're better than a lot of what is being used. They have roughly the "alligator teeth" louver shape that you would find on a real race car. Price is right too!

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/SEA-RAY-VENT-LOUVER-EXHAUST-BILGE-SEA-RAY-17-SAVE_W0QQitemZ360135997932QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item360135997932&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A15|39%3A1|240%3A1318

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Ordered up a pair of these today. In terms of vent shape I think they're better than a lot of what is being used. They have roughly the "alligator teeth" louver shape that you would find on a real race car. Price is right too!

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/SEA-RAY-VENT-LOUVER-EXHAUST-BILGE-SEA-RAY-17-SAVE_W0QQitemZ360135997932QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item360135997932&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A15|39%3A1|240%3A1318

 

Where are you going to put them? Looks a bit stiff to form to the curve of the hood but looks interesting. Let us know how they fit as the price is definitely right.

 

Cameron

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Where are you going to put them? Looks a bit stiff to form to the curve of the hood but looks interesting. Let us know how they fit as the price is definitely right.

I'll pie cut them if they don't bend. I'm going to have a look at them when they get here. They're very narrow and long, so I'm thinking I might actually get two more and run two on one side and two on the other side of the "power bulge". Was thinking of running them closer to the front of the hood, maybe lining the front edge up with the core support or something like that.

 

I've got a lot of other things on my plate so I probably won't get to this for a while.

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If its plastic then a bit of heat and some bending will get a curve in them, not a problem.

I think they're fiberglass, and I think the flange on the bottom is going to have to be removed before they'll flex at all, but I'll keep the heat idea in mind if they turn out to be plastic.

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I think they're fiberglass, and I think the flange on the bottom is going to have to be removed before they'll flex at all, but I'll keep the heat idea in mind if they turn out to be plastic.

Got the vents in the mail today. They are plastic, not fiberglass, so I'm hoping a little persuasion and the heat gun will bend them to match the hood. They looked really tall in the photos, but from the flange to the top of the vent is 1" exactly. It would be great if they made another version twice as wide, but I think doubling up on these for the hood is going to be the solution in the meantime and I would think that would be plenty of venting especially with a radiator diffuser installed. The actual air vent size is 15 3/8" x 2"

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Got the vents in the mail today. They are plastic, not fiberglass, so I'm hoping a little persuasion and the heat gun will bend them to match the hood. They looked really tall in the photos, but from the flange to the top of the vent is 1" exactly. It would be great if they made another version twice as wide, but I think doubling up on these for the hood is going to be the solution in the meantime and I would think that would be plenty of venting especially with a radiator diffuser installed. The actual air vent size is 15 3/8" x 2"

 

I've had good results in bending f'glass and plastics as follows.

 

Lay a sheet of iron on the ground in the sun. Support each end of the item so its just clear and above the iron. Put a weight in the middle of the item to bend it in the direction you want. Let the sun do its thing for a few hours.

 

Keep a close eye on the process of course, it relies on heat soaking right through the item and the constant pressure of the weight.

 

All advise given but no responsibility taken :)

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I've had good results in bending f'glass and plastics as follows.

 

Lay a sheet of iron on the ground in the sun. Support each end of the item so its just clear and above the iron. Put a weight in the middle of the item to bend it in the direction you want. Let the sun do its thing for a few hours.

 

Keep a close eye on the process of course, it relies on heat soaking right through the item and the constant pressure of the weight.

 

All advise given but no responsibility taken :)

This method has a 99% probability of not working in Seattle... :D If it happens to be sunny and warm the day I get around to it, I'll give it a shot.

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Well the big central bonnet vent works, just keep in mind this is with a wide V6 engine, the vent is immediately in front of the engine.

 

Doing laps on the race circuit today the temp was perfect, driving around the burbs the thermo fan hardly ever turns on now. Just goes to show that air exit from the radiator is just as important as air entry.

 

pic

280ZXR lakeside 9 Apr 09 005_thumb.JPG

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Wow, sounds very promising.

 

Not having alot of success finding time to test vents on my car but I am thinking of putting flutes in the bonnet, next to the bulge on either side, perhaps 30cm long on each side. Then also some flutes on the inspection hood covers to help air flow past the carbies.

 

Another point of interest from reading the tunnel test data is the high pressure in the wheel well. If anyone has seen an XU1 torana, they have fluted vents behind the wheel, so i was thinking of doing that to help air flow past the rear of the brake discs. Thoughts?

 

Pic:

xu1-detail.jpg

 

Richard, what have you done to the vents on your car to stop water ingress when it rains? That's a problem i've been thinking about a bit lately. Have a few ideas but haven't done any research or testing as such yet.

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Whittie, on the water getting in problem I've done nothing and do not intend to do anything. My car is basically a track car that gets driven to and from, a bit of water in is not going to do any harm anyway.

 

On the other vent questions, I'm not up with the S30 bonnet area stuff but it has been discussed here before. On the mudguard vents, yes, do it, but those Torana vents are too small although they can be opened out.

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Wow, Cameron that looks good!

 

The thing about the inspection lids is that the air flows off the bonnet around the windscreen at that point so it's not a high pressure area, therefore in action these should work really well! Have you done anything about stopping water coming in through the vent though? that's the side with the brake booster and clutch master cylinder is it not?

 

Make sure you keep us informed with how it goes.

 

Richard, My car is a little more of a road car than yours and the vent locations im thinking of put the vents directly above the alternator on the drivers side and the distributor, MSD and carbies on the passenger side, so it's a bit more of an issue for me.

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