Inspection Lid Vents

[cygnusx1]

With the turbo making the engine bay so hot and the fact that there is a high pressure area under the hood at speed, I figured I would try this mod.  I picked up a spare set of inspection lids and did some arts and crafts. I test drove it tonight, but without yarn to test the airflow and without a thermometer under the hood, I have no hard data.  However, when I parked it, tons of heat could be felt rising out of the holes.  I hope it also vents some high under hood pressure for reduced lift but I doubt it will have much effect there.  I plan on adding black screens or grills of some sort to fill in the holes.  I was also thinking that the drivers side one could alternatively be plumbed as a turbo cold air intake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[datsun723]

Very cool. Keep us posted!

[emeraldlion]

Functional or no I like the look.

[Tony D]

280Z hood would do similar.

And some 3" round holes under the brake/clutch cylinders and battery will work wonders without altering the exterior.

 

They do punch louvres in them as well...

[cygnusx1]

Yeah I didn't want to shell out the bux for louvered inspection lids or a vented hood painted to match, so I tried this.  Punching holes to let the bay vent into the wheel wells might be next.  Little by little.  I plan on doing a yarn test this week to see if the windshield pressure or the under hood pressure wins the flow battle.  My front end and splash pan are aerodynamically stock asides from the air dam.

[cygnusx1]

I installed a screen in them tonight.  I really would have liked slat louvers like the 77 hood vents but fabrication of those would require some welding and a lot of time.  Since I don't really weld...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[goodoldjam]

I added 280zx vents to my hood, I didn't much like the 280z style. Excuse the dirt and rust, it's waiting for me to do some repair.

They are mounted with tabs with strips of rubber. So they are semi adjustable.

They work though you can feel the heat pouring out.

Edited August 9, 2010 by goodoldjam

[cygnusx1]

I taped some yarn on the screens today and went for a drive.  The yarn does indicate that there is flow up and out of the screens.  The 2" yarn strands lifted about 1/2" off the screen at speeds of about 40+.  I also noticed that with the car parked, idling, with the e-fan blowing, the air came out of the vents pretty hard and made the yarn flutter.

 

To create more of a vacuum over the screens, I added a small "air-dam" just ahead of the screens.   This should kick the airflow up over the screen and draw more hot air out of the bay. I will test it more later.  I may be pissing in the ocean, but it keeps me out of trouble.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[heavy85]

I've got the exact same mod. It's fun to watch rain drops work their way to the vent and then all of a sudden take off vertical clearing the top of the car when they meet the outflowing air.

 

Cameron

[Whittie]

I found a shop with a die and paid $20 to have some 50mm louvers made up and then welded them into the inspection lids for the same reason and found, while not solving my problem, they certainly help!

 

I have pics here of the result, I love them! You'll need to scroll down a bit, linking to the direct post doesn't work

 

http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/74241-s130-bonnethood-vents/page__st__40

Edited August 10, 2010 by Whittie

[cygnusx1]

Love the look of the louvers in the hood/bonnet!     With the little air dams I added in front of my vents, the yarn stood up almost 45 degrees.    I am sure there is hot air being pulled out of the engine bay now.  I also went a head and wrapped my intercooler pipes and began planning some aero treatments to the grill area. 

 

 

[LoneStarS30Z]

I too have one of the louvered inspection lids, and in the Arizona heat of the day at a stand still, I can visibly see little heat waves rising from both my 280Z hood and the inspection lids.

 

What are you wrapping your intercooler pipes in, heat wrap I'm assuming?

[cygnusx1]

I too have one of the louvered inspection lids, and in the Arizona heat of the day at a stand still, I can visibly see little heat waves rising from both my 280Z hood and the inspection lids.

 

What are you wrapping your intercooler pipes in, heat wrap I'm assuming?

Foil backed fiberglass sheeting.