Hot feet
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 400
Likes: 0
From: Location: at the right hand of Satan in Hell
Hot feet
Do my feet get hot from the exhaust under the floor or from the engine firewall?
I ask because I am switching to sidepipes and I'm wondering if that will stop my feet from burning up.
Otherwise I want to insulate the firewall with something like frost king, right?
Thanks guys,
Bryan
I ask because I am switching to sidepipes and I'm wondering if that will stop my feet from burning up.
Otherwise I want to insulate the firewall with something like frost king, right?
Thanks guys,
Bryan
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,496
Likes: 1
From: Lafayette Louisiana
I am not sure but I think it is a combination of problems. The air recirculation door often does not seal letting hot air into the cabin, you are sitting beside a transmission and above pipes creating heat and the engine is just inches away from your feet. Check the door and insulate; side pipes may help some but not much because the pipes are still going to be near your feet. There is an article written about sealing the door but I can't think of where I read it. Anyone?
Pro
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 625
Likes: 0
From: The Villages FL
Insulation
Anything you can do to keep heat out of the cockpit is advantageous. Even with sidepipes, the engine bay has is going to be hot, and the headers to the sidepipes do not help. As you have found, it does not take long for the heat to penatrate the firewall to roast your tootsies.
Spike
Spike
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,608
Likes: 3
From: Canberra AUSTRALIA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
I put a layer of Zeroclearance under my car along with some foil tape under my carpet. The zeroclearance made the biggest difference. Sealing up all the holes in the firewall also helps.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,366
Likes: 7
From: Las Vegas NV
I've got headers/sidepipes (Hooker Super Competition) and my feet still get cooked from the heat. If it ever decides to warm up (still snowing and in the 20's and my garage is not insulated), I'm going to be putting Reflectix ($24.99 at Lowes) under the carpet. I bought the stuff already (including 3M spray adhesive and aluminum tape for the seams), so not it's just a matter of waiting for the weather.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 690
Likes: 1
From: near Memphis TN
Make sure first it's not a heater circulation problem as Kevinator stated. I bet you will find all that hot air is from the heater box dumping hot air at your feet. Many of us have put bypass shut off valves from the engine block to the heater core and problem solved.
I have headers too, my hot foot problem was the heater not the headers. Bypassed the heater core and problem solved.
I have headers too, my hot foot problem was the heater not the headers. Bypassed the heater core and problem solved.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 252
Likes: 0
From: Shawnee KS
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 2,010
Likes: 3
From: Moon Twp. PA USA
Thread Hijack:
The engine and transmission are out, so now is the time to do something under the car. I have insulating material under the carpets, manual shut-off valves on the heater, Dynomax coated headers, and it still gets hot.
Is there anything I can do under the car to help the situation? If so, please be specific as to brands and techniques.
Thanks,
The engine and transmission are out, so now is the time to do something under the car. I have insulating material under the carpets, manual shut-off valves on the heater, Dynomax coated headers, and it still gets hot.
Is there anything I can do under the car to help the situation? If so, please be specific as to brands and techniques.
Thanks,
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 2,116
Likes: 156
From: Mid West
Cruise-In III Veteran
I bought that ceramic/aluminum insulation some of the corvette catelogs sell (I think I bought mine from Mid America or Eckler's ... been too long ago), and it really helped. Its very thin and doesn't affect the fit of the carpet.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,422
Likes: 792
From: Redondo Beach, California
All of my heating problems when away when I switched to sidepipes. As I remember, my 1968 stock SB (350HP/327), was painfully very hot to my right foot (gas petal). With sidepipes, there was no heat problem. My stock 1969 3X2 BB had a heating problem, the engine ran hot and I had to use the Air Con to survive even when the outside air temp was relatively cool. I replaced the engine with a piecepart L88 and hooker headers---no more heating problems. (even though you'd think the L88 would create heat problems.)
These are just my anecdotes. Maybe I don't know exactly why, but I've always thought that switching to side exhaust was the reason both of these cars suddenly ran very much cooler.
With the stock exhaust, look at those exhaust pipes that run along side of the transmission. Actually there's probably only 6 or 8 inches of separation between your right foot and the exhaust pipe line. Of course there's a little insulation and fiberglass between your foot and the pipe...but what is the temperature of the exhaust pipe? 500 degrees? It's easy to imagine that your foot is going to get really hot!! Especially if the air temperature is in the 90's.
These are just my anecdotes. Maybe I don't know exactly why, but I've always thought that switching to side exhaust was the reason both of these cars suddenly ran very much cooler.
With the stock exhaust, look at those exhaust pipes that run along side of the transmission. Actually there's probably only 6 or 8 inches of separation between your right foot and the exhaust pipe line. Of course there's a little insulation and fiberglass between your foot and the pipe...but what is the temperature of the exhaust pipe? 500 degrees? It's easy to imagine that your foot is going to get really hot!! Especially if the air temperature is in the 90's.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,198
Likes: 2
From: Eastern Connecticut
Is the trans tunnel insulation there or is it missing? See items H and I on this figure. Zip's sells it too. Joe
