Thanks

 

Just a thought.......if there is no outside ambient air coming into the front of the car, i.e. all completely blocked by radiator seals,.....how can you have flow at all? I understand why radiator seals are important, but I think there needs to be some air coming in. What would the flow be like with the hood off? BUT.......I guess we need to remember these are water cooled engines, not air cooled engines. Just some thoughts to consider.

 

That was my thoughts in the beginning as well, that some air flow over the radiator could be a good thing, however there has been too many threads proving the opposite.
Trapping the air and forcing it to pass through the radiator still allows air, although hotter, to flow into the engine compartment.
Air also flows up from behind the radiator which causes a vacuum to pull air through at speed.
I like the hood vents because heat rises and the vented hood would allow heat to escape when stopped and aid in creating a vacuum to pull air through the radiator at low or highway speeds.
At least that is my thinking.
Look at all the vintage racers who had vented hoods.
I’m hoping someone who has installed a hood vent will chime in and verify my thinking and show their positive, or negative results before I purchase a vent system and cut my hood.

 

65 396 vette hood vents. Seems to work well

 

1 I have the same hood but did not install vents. What I did do was increase the air dam size since I had a 68 and the air dam underneath was oonly and inch to inch and a half. I made sure all the seals where in place and sealed tight. I have 2 temp gauges and the block below 180 on both heads and the top of the engine is about 180*. The increased air dam forces more air into the readiator increasing ist cooling effect which is what needs to happen at speeds on the highway where the fan isnt going to be effective

2. This has improved cooling immensely at the track on the highway and in beach traffic. I also have a single spal and a large radiator. No heat issues at all no matter the outside air temp

If you are looking for engine oreformance gains you want to keep the incoming air cool and the fuel cool. I have a fuel cooler similar to a heat sink for an oil cooler and I have the fuel lines insulated. What i did do to the hood was add the cold air intake plenum, It had to be modded and moved back to be centered over my small block. You should measure and idintify the center of the carb and wherre that is on the hood of you go that route. If you want to evacuate more air from under the hood add fans down in the gills or use the vents over the headers. If yo insist on the vents you do have pics of then I would shorten them to be in fron of the cold air intake so any air coming out of the fans would go out the top and maybe take some engine heat with it

 

My baldwin motion hood is open front and back with a filter between. Not sure if it effects engine cooling at all definitely supplies cold air to the intake..
On my old 96 lincoln mark VIII I installed viper gts louvers in the hood. At highway speeds under hood temperature averaged 12 degrees cooler. But that didn't seem to effect engine temperature at all. You just need to do it . It certainly won't hurt to vent the hood.
I do question how effective these long L-88 hoods can be with the back edge so close to the windshield. They were designed to be out past the wiper door.

 

I installed one on my LS swap. I can say hot air definitely rise out of it at idle which is exactly what I needed. While sitting at a red light i can see the waves of heat coming out of it. Never saw waves of heat coming off hood before before installing. My coolant temps would rise while at idle for 25+ minutes in 95*+ heat with the ac on. Add the vent and no problems yet. I'd do it again.

 

Thanks for the feedback.
The installation looks nice and clean and the vent itself looks to be top quality.
Is it aluminum or plastic?
It looks like it will do what I was hoping it would.
Can you supply the manufacturer and the part number?
Thanks again, Greg

 

that looks nice. I'm going to have to measure in front of my airbox and see how much I have. I was thinking of just opening the port there in the L88 hood where it rises up

 

Just FYI if you want to use sheet metal type vents they make them for Jeep Wranglers. Also on Pro-Touring.com I believe there is a guy that custom makes them.

 

This vent looks like it is actually a GM part for a C7.

 

I had the same thought, but I wondered if it would be big enough to actually do any good.

 

I have the trackspec vent for the l88 hood. It's a really nice looking piece, well made and good finish. Maybe a but pricey but impressed by the quality. Is aluminum. Hardest part was making sure it was centered on the hood front to back and side to side. Lots of blue tape and measuring.

https://trackspecmotorsports.com/c3-...s-l88-long-kit

Ryan

 

Thanks. I have my air filter for the ls where the l88 scoop/bird bath is. I was more concerted about getting caught in the rain more than anything. Too far forward and it rains on the filter or pulleys. I made a little cover for it out of abs in case it rains while it's parked.

 

I have been thinking about hood vents myself.
Have you thought about the 60 or 61 ? Chrome vents that were fake originally?
I'd like to make something similar, that is functional.
My concern is where the vented heat is going to flow when on the road. Will it follow the contours of the body right in the windows ?
And ya, the radiator needs sealed, to force air thru it.
Right now I'm running a Champion radiator, dual fans, and a 180* stat, and that's where it stays, all the time. Got lucky there, I guess.
Good luck
Jeff

 

If youre moving I bet rain doesnt affect it at all;
that trackspec piece would look even better moulded in and painted body color


Like the way you made the hood functional that has to draw some hot air out
It all helps

 

This morning I ordered the hood vent kit from trackspecmotorsports.
Nice guys to deal with and I should have it in a couple of days.
Thanks bluegtp for the tip and everyone for their feedback.

 

Keep us updated! Remember, measure 10 times, step back, look from different angles, get the wife out and cut once. Haha.

 

that site is great. Unfortunately there isn't enough room on the L88 hood with a cold air intake to put one on. Cutting the front of the vent is actually over my fan shroud. So the only vents I could use would be the long thin ones over the headers....😕

 

What do you do for water and rain, do you have a way to keep it off of the engine or how are you managing that?