Front splitter again!
Discussion
The splitter seems to change the airflow in the engine bay - I'm sure someone can explain exactly how/why.
Mine came off a few months ago and I was driving around without it for a while. The temperature guage was reading 5 -10 degrees higher than it would normally without the splitter. Once I put it back on the guage went back to its normal levels (70 - 80).
I'm sure that when people complain about high temp that they probably haven't got a splitter fitted. So many cars don't seem to have them fitted any more.
Mine came off a few months ago and I was driving around without it for a while. The temperature guage was reading 5 -10 degrees higher than it would normally without the splitter. Once I put it back on the guage went back to its normal levels (70 - 80).
I'm sure that when people complain about high temp that they probably haven't got a splitter fitted. So many cars don't seem to have them fitted any more.
Mine is fitted pointy edge forward, but I actually don't think it would matter which way around it is. IIRC the idea is to create a disruption in the airflow behind the splitter to increase airflow through the engine bay, thus sucking more air through the radiator (I think).
I'm not sure about it aiding high speed stability, but my car runs cooler and cools down quicker with a splitter installed. I ran it for 2 years before fitting the splitter with no adverse results other than slightly higher running temperatures. I was not comfortable with how long the car took to cool down once moving off from a jam though.
T/.
I'm not sure about it aiding high speed stability, but my car runs cooler and cools down quicker with a splitter installed. I ran it for 2 years before fitting the splitter with no adverse results other than slightly higher running temperatures. I was not comfortable with how long the car took to cool down once moving off from a jam though.
T/.
I'm not sure either because many of the cars that don't have them don't overheat anyway!
The 520 does have a big spolier that is about 1/4 inch off the ground and that does have a big effect on the cooling as it creates a big low pressure zone behind the rad and a high pressure one in front. But we are talking of a spoiler that is about 4-5 inches in depth.
The 520 does have a big spolier that is about 1/4 inch off the ground and that does have a big effect on the cooling as it creates a big low pressure zone behind the rad and a high pressure one in front. But we are talking of a spoiler that is about 4-5 inches in depth.
Most cars have (should have) a "flip" underneath if there's a hole for the cooling airflow to escape to. As Steve said, it provides a low pressure zone to aid airflow through the rad and into engine bay and out underneath. Dropping the numberplate lower than the front also helps a bit, but it's a bit too far away from the exit. On most cars this is a rubber strip.
I know Chimaera is different but i have an air ram on my griff and i have to say it works great, big difference. I drove for miles with test gear to get max effect but not to underhang the car as much as the original. Not that i had a problem but if you can make something better! Of course others may disagree.
david beer said: I know Chimaera is different but i have an air ram on my griff and i have to say it works great, big difference. I drove for miles with test gear to get max effect but not to underhang the car as much as the original. Not that i had a problem but if you can make something better! Of course others may disagree.
The splitter on my V8S increases the air flow through the rad by a factor of approximately two and a half (based on the change in temperature rise across the matrix). This increases the available high speed cooling enormously, although that wasn't why I did it. The standard factory air dam strip you're talking about is relatively small and would have far less effect, but still enough to matter on a car with marginal air flow.
Cheers,
Peter Humphries (and a green V8S)
The front splitter is not really meant to aid cooling as when you are moving fast enough for it to have any effect you don't really need it and when you are staionary it does nothing!!, it is really for pre facelift models without the lip on the bonnet near the window. People with these cars and no splitter probably notice the bonnet flapping at speed. The splitter cuts this out completely and also helps downforce on the front. It faces sharp edge forward, the other way would create up lift!!!!!!, however the proper way also enables it to be ripped off easily!!!!
With a Chimaera it may have little effect on cooling, but on a Griff with the rad at 45 degrees angle, you need as much help in getting the air through the rad rather than "falling" out of the bottom hole. I began to investigate when by chance my half speed fans came on at 70mph and there was a noticable drop in temp. Without some sort of splitter/air ram you have to be going pretty fast to keep things down.In the winter its not so important but in spring/summer if you want to keep the rad cool it works.Ok, you will not overheat without it but when you pull to a standstill its better to have a cool rad.
david beer said:Without some sort of splitter/air ram you have to be going pretty fast to keep things down.
I'd agree with that. The front splitter on my Griff lives in the boot
and I find that unless I can do a steady 50 mph or above things gradually get warmer. And it seems much harder to cool it down than it does to warm it up in the first place, unsurprisingly.
It faces sharp edge forward, the other way would create up lift!
That would be crazy wouldn't it! Fortunately, it's only acting as an air damn not as a wing, so it doesn't particularly care which way it is angled. You would expect to get a slightly greater effect if you put the lower edge forward, but the other way round would work too (and be a damned sight less likely to get wiped off) on speed bumps!
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