I got this idea and inspiration from another jeeper, but I thought I would share my install. First I ordered black sea dog plastic louvered vents, about 5 bucks each, and painted them to match my other trim. Then I traced with a pencil where I would need to cut and used a cutting wheel on an angle grinder to cut the slots out. I then painted the heads of some .75" self tapping screws and gently installed them.
This is the final product:
They dont affect your coolant temp unless there is some other problem. They do reduce the temperature under the hood by 20+ degrees if properly located. They allow a greater reserve of cooling capacity as they allow the air to flow through the radiator easier.
The main benefit I noticed on my LJ was that the fan clutch did not need to lock up when driving in slow traffic in 115 degree phoenix summer heat. Before installing the louvres, you could definitely feel the loss of power from the locked up fan moving the air through the radiator and AC condenser. Once I installed the louvres, the fan could move the air easier and didnt see the high underhood temps that would lock it up
That looks great! I'm wondering if you turned one around 180* it would act more like a scoop and force air in while driving and let air out of the other one? Or maybe it would just look strange that way? Either way, you did a nice job.
actually quite a few people have added louvers to their hoods, the poison spider louvers are popular. I have a set I found in a junkyard off a datsun 280z.
haven't had any problems with water in my open element air filter and haven't noticed the motor getting any more dirt than before.
they don't really do much for cooling on the road, they do seem to help at slow speed off road.
I've heard guys say they also relieve pressure on the hood if you forget to latch it.
actually quite a few people have added louvers to their hoods, the poison spider louvers are popular. I have a set I found in a junkyard off a datsun 280z. haven't had any problems with water in my open element air filter and haven't noticed the motor getting any more dirt than before. they don't really do much for cooling on the road, they do seem to help at slow speed off road. I've heard guys say they also relieve pressure on the hood if you forget to latch it.
wasn't ment to say louvers are bad or people don't use them just that reversing them so they literally scoop all the crap off the road seems like a bad idea. Seems you also bring up a good theory that if you forgot to latch your hood and reversed your lovers that it would also create a wing to lift that hood up even easier. This is of course just a logical theory as well. Maybe I am just thinking out loud as well!
mijeeper: Easy killer, calm down..... just thinking out loud. Remember, just because someone else doesn't do something, doesn't mean it's a bad idea, there has to be a first for everything, otherwise the world would be pretty boring. Peace
The whole idea behind hood louvres is to allow hot radiator air to escape. You never want to scoop air into the underhood area. It will adversely affect cool air from flowing through the radiator. That's why you DON'T want to put the louvres in the center, or rear. The best place is above and barely behind the fan shroud, or on the rear sides.
Start your engine and wave your hand where the fan blows the hardest. That's the best place to put the louvres. Look at all the medium and heavy duty trucks on the road. The more modern(aerodynamic) ones have hood louvres. Usually on the sides and they usually correspond to where the fan throws the hot air and there is no reverse or turbulent air flow.
Thank you, that makes sense!! When I was younger, we louvered the crap out of our hotrods, more for show....... my 30' Ford runs no hood with a SBC
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