Hood vent project!

[SoCalMonty]

What do you get when you cross 2.5 hours of free time, with the desire to prep your truck for trail runs in the summer heat?

Ghetto-fabbed hood vents!!!













...my hood was already a mismatched black hood, a replacement that came with my truck when I bought it with the accident damage. So I figured, what the heck. It was already black, and leaving the vent and hood mismatched would have looked even worse. I really just wanted it all 1 color for right now, I was in a hurry to finish.

Total cost was:
14x20 air duct grill, $14.97
1 can BBQ black high temp, $4.97
Misc hardware to gap the hood at the hinges and fasten vent to hood, $15

...under $40 all said and done. Soon to come are aux trans and oil coolers (will either be running over-sized or dual trans and oil coolers, but I need to get some time to look things over and see what kind of space I've got first). I'm on the hunt for a front bumper too, as the style of my bumper may determine what kind of room I've got between the bumper and body to squeeze extra coolers.

 

[eurosonic]

do you have spacers on your hood hinges?

 

[SoCalMonty]

do you have spacers on your hood hinges?

Yeah, sorry for the ninja edit! It's just some stacks of flat washers and longer bolts (M8x1.25, 40mm).

 

[eurosonic]

Yeah, sorry for the ninja edit! It's just some stacks of flat washers and longer bolts (M8x1.25, 40mm).

i was thinking of doing the same thing to mine. Not sure how much it will help, but worth experimenting.

 

[SoCalMonty]

i was thinking of doing the same thing to mine. Not sure how much it will help, but worth experimenting.

I've read many reports of various vehicles adding a scoop/vent system, and oil/water temps being lowered measurable amounts (10-20 degs F is what I typically read). Coupled with the stories of overheating while on tough, technical sections of trail where you're in 4Lo and taxing the engine, I figure why not.

I've done this on a couple other cars, and you can feel the heat escaping from the lifted section if you hold your hand near it, so it probably helps a bit with under hood temps. I wanted to collect at least a little hasty data, but I can't find my infrared thermometer. I remember looking at it just last week when I didn't need it. Now, of course, since I need it, it's nowhere to be found. lol.

I'll do some testing by this weekend and see what we get.

 

[eurosonic]

yeah, let me know. Does you hood open fine with the spacers?

can you post more pics of how it sits closer toward the windshield?

 

[eurosonic]

I was thinking of installing these this summer.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jeep-Cherok...Parts_Accessories&hash=item27cbfc6d0b&vxp=mtr

 

[SoCalMonty]

yeah, let me know. Does you hood open fine with the spacers?

can you post more pics of how it sits closer toward the windshield?

Yep, it actually latches better now. There was a couple mm of slop in it before. I'll get a pic in a few minutes.

Here's a couple links I was just looking up...
http://oman4x4.com/hoodvents.htm#theory

http://hondaswap.com/forced-induction/vented-hoods-lower-underhood-temps-520260/#post1723746

Once the engine is up to temp there is 150-160°F air coming out of the vents. I have no real way of knowing how much cooler it is under the hood, but it is definitely cooler, and I'd say there is more air flow. You don't get hit by such a blast of hot air when opening the hood, and air intake temps have dropped by between 5-10°F on the highway.

On a wheeling trip over the weekend, I didn't see intake temps go much above 130°F, with an ambient air temp of 100-105°F. Previously they would get up to 150°F or so. This indicates to me that under hood temps are definitely cooler than before by a noticeable amount...

:
http://www.jkowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2748

the lower temps made a dramatic difference on my engine performance, torque and response times mainly. My intake is under my hood so it naturally gets way cooler air than without the vents...

:
http://www.timeattackforums.com/for...-advice-high-underhood-temps-aero-newbie.html

 

[SoCalMonty]

More pics...









...yes, the latch works great.

 

[JamesW]

A common thing to do here is to put on the vent from a trooper,think it's a fairly simple job

or get one from a 2.8 diesel pajero with the factory scoop already built in,which i recently realised you don't get in America. Looks like a power bulge from the drivers seat

 

[shov3lbum]

Or the diesel Monteros/Pajeros in other countries already came with a functional hood scoop. Most likely for the intercooler on the top of the engine?

 

[off-roader]

Most likely for the intercooler on the top of the engine?

Yes it's Definitely for the OE Intercooler.

 

[off-roader]

Nice ghetto fab although a hood scoop shouldn't be required since rigs are designed with desert travel in mind (Africa's Sahara, Australia's Simpson, etc.). Don on the 'wire regularly runs his at 110* temps w/out any issues whatsoever.

I'd spend the time fixing your cooling system before you try to band aid the situation with a scoop/vent.

also if others are looking for other examples you should search for this on 4x4wire where its been discussed before...
http://www.4x4wire.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB69&Number=880002

and done by others...
http://www.4x4wire.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB69&Number=988238

 

[SoCalMonty]

It was wayyyy faster, cheaper and easier to do this...than it would have been to source an OE scoop or hood.

I just went outside to get something and it was pretty neat...I parked not long ago, and though the hood was very cold to the touch (and there's no more insulation under the hood now), holding my hand over the vent felt like a heater! It's definitely allowing heat that would have stayed under the hood to escape.

Worth the 40 bucks!

 

[off-roader]

See my edit above... LOL, you were probably typing your reply as I was re-editing mine.

and to be sure we're clear, I'm by no means criticizing your mod. Just want to be sure if you feel it's running warm, then you should consider addressing the source of the problem as well.