more on cooling

[dave sutton]

Having done a few hundred sweltering miles yesterday, the tunnel cooling mod is definitely on my list of jobs for the winter. I take the point made in that thread that sending more air into the engine bay has to be balanced by getting more air out. Can someone point me to some pictures of vented wheel arches and whaletails so I know what I my options look like? (extractor fans feel a bit too drastic for me) Thanks

[ThatPhilBrettGuy]

Just to point out that vented arches are for aerodynamic reasons not cooling.

[Lucozade]

Been considering options on this too.

My engine bay is stupidly warm after a few laps on track.

It's no wonder things break.

I've removed the rear number plate, hoping that will help with venting and intercooler temps.

[R0162]

Venting rear wheel arches reduces wheel arch pressure but also reduces the ammount of air that passes from the arches to the rear of the engine bay, so venting them does help with engine bay air flow, as without the stronger force of air from the wheel arches stalls the air coming out of the engine bay.

Whale tail venting also allows more air to get out and reduces drag.

Removing or enlarging the rear mesh also helps pull air out as the negative pressure area at the rear of the car can play more of a role.

Your definitely on the right lines with getting the air out better rather than trying to shove more air in, as the air from the tunnel circulates around the front of the engine, you need to draw that air to the rear of the engine bay so creating as much of a negative pressure area at the back and positive to the front helps the air flow from front to back and out.

I say the word flow, this si what we try to achieve, but guaranteed at the moment it is like a vortex in there, air going in from the top vents getting caught in the whale tail and swirling, air from tunnel stalling and swirling as it struggles to get around and over the engine, air swirling and stalling because it cant get out of the back due to a stronger airflow from the wheel arches.


Its fairly simple, just mark out holes, get a dremel with proper cutting tool and hack away, clean up the edges with a fine dremel sander, then touch up with the cut edge with black paint to match the mesh.





The pic below is looking through the whale tail vents before mesh, you can see the direct route to the top scoops and you will see why air reciculates inside the whale tail and stalls air passing throgh the IC.





loads more pics on venting, cooling, airflow if you need them, i also did a bit of internal work to the clam to direct air better, i.e. removing any air traps that would cause drag or disturb smooth airflow.

[R0162]

you can reduce wheel arch pressures even further with these little 1mm aluminium deflectors, they bend up with slight pressure so the faster you go the more the angle is reduced, but i am going to change them for 0.75m to increase this affect.

[Lucozade]

Your a brave many with your Dremel Chris!

Also noticed these on Reverie's website:



http://www.reverie.ltd.uk/product_detail.php?searc...

£349+VAT

[dave sutton]

R0162 said:

Wow, I wasn't expecting responses so soon!

Your reccomendations looks good to me, so rear wheel arch vents and deflectors, whaletail vents, and tunnel mod looks like the way to go.
How well does it work?

By the way what's this "dremel"? Is it a hard material, I remember going through about four metal cutting jig saws taking some depth off the flange of my splitter.

[brb]

http://www.dremeleurope.com/gb/en/start/index.html

[andygtt]

Lucozade said:

Your a brave many with your Dremel Chris!

Also noticed these on Reverie's website:



http://www.reverie.ltd.uk/product_detail.php?searc...

£349+VAT

I prefer mine and they fit the clam a little better :-)

[chuntington101]

andygtt said:

I prefer mine and they fit the clam a little better :-)

So would everyone else but you wont sell them!

[R0162]

Lucozade said:

Your a brave many with your Dremel Chris!

Also noticed these on Reverie's website:



http://www.reverie.ltd.uk/product_detail.php?searc...

£349+VAT

Is that price for a pair?

[playalistic]

R0162 said:

Is that price for a pair?

Yep.

[D_G]

I'm curious as my car has never really had an issue with the hot handbrake / tunnel area etc, my grilles on the bottom both face forward so is this different to those who have hot tunnels? I also get a bit of ballooning of the handbrake gaiter at speed which I assume is normal?

[R0162]

facing forward is normal, its more of an issue when the windows are open, something to do with pressure areas which tries to pull the ir forward from the engine and into the cabin when the windows are open, the cabin is also linked to the sills from the footwells which alos links back to the engine bay so i think it all plays a part.
Definitely windows open that causes it, somebody once gave a proper explanation but i cant remember it properly, i thought best to just do it as i drive with my windows down alot.