More on Hood Vents

[GTP]

Hood vents alone won't cause this. If the radiator is completely ducted front and rear, you'll start seeing some issues. Add in an oil cooler and you'll never get up to temp under street driving.

My oil cooler system has 180F sandwich plate under the filter. Still normal temp (~190F) on the street (when the flow to the cooler is closed), and typically 228F on track (when it is fully open).

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[EFI]

As long as you allow the engine to operate at its optimal temperature. Heat is both enemy and friend. Too cool

If you're driving properly in this type of scenario (road racing) then it's never too cool. Maybe some gutless low compression Miata engine might have a tough time getting up to temp with a lot of mechanical cooling, but not a 12:1 compression Coyote revving to 7,500rpm.

 

[Ewheels]

My oil cooler system has 180F sandwich plate under the filter. Still normal temp (~190F) on the street (when the flow to the cooler is closed), and typically 228F on track (when it is fully open).

Do you still have the OEM oil cooler/warmer thing installed?

 

[GTP]

Do you still have the OEM oil cooler/warmer thing installed?

Yes, I kept the oil/water cooler that is under the filter. I think it helps plenty. I might have towards 100kBTU total cooling. But it still overheated at Road America with sustained high-speed pulls on the 3 long straights, so I had to short shift and even use 8th gear!

 

[EFI]

Yes, I kept the oil/water cooler that is under the filter. I think it helps plenty. I might have towards 100kBTU total cooling. But it still overheated at Road America with sustained high-speed pulls on the 3 long straights, so I had to short shift and even use 8th gear!

It might have a bit of cooling effect (say 220* coolant going up against 260* oil) but IMO the heat load that the oil puts on the cooling system outweighs the benefit. You'll have cool coolant going right to the block after the radiator rather than going over to the oil cooler and getting heated up before entering the engine. I like my coolant as cool as possible and only cooling the engine. I'd rather upsize the oil cooler slightly to make up for the small loss of cooling coming from the OEM oil cooler.

Now for a street car, I'll 100% keep the OEM oil cooler as it helps with warming up. But for mainly a track car it seems like a waste and an added failure point.

 

[GTP]

Heard that theory multiple times on the forum and I still don't buy it.

 

[Ewheels]

Yes, I kept the oil/water cooler that is under the filter. I think it helps plenty. I might have towards 100kBTU total cooling. But it still overheated at Road America with sustained high-speed pulls on the 3 long straights, so I had to short shift and even use 8th gear!

Ah, ok. That's why. That'll certainly help keep the oil warm under street driving.
My little "ineffective" oil cooler makes it sometimes difficult to get warm enough on a cool day on the street.
Sounds like you got a pretty solid setup.

 

[GTP]

Ah, ok. That's why. That'll certainly help keep the oil warm under street driving.
My little "ineffective" oil cooler makes it sometimes difficult to get warm enough on a cool day on the street.
Sounds like you got a pretty solid setup.

I believe so. I have a lot of confidence in it. Steady temps (except for RA) since I installed it in summer 2025. And I only just installed the big hood vents this summer.

Does your cooler use a Tstat?

 

[Ewheels]

Does your cooler use a Tstat?

Yeah, I think it's also 180°

 

[brfdrums]

I understand all that...It seems if I add louvers I will cool the air going into my CAI as well as some other added benefits...My engine temp has always stayed at a decent temp, moving in the 160-190 and never above 220 sitting. Its that intake temp that gets me in the summer, when its hot the performance suffers.

 

[Oakley]

I wish someone made a nice molded set of vents that looked factory and required cutting the hood so we could get the benefit of the venting without the laser cut steel part look.

 

[GTP]

I wish someone made a nice molded set of vents that looked factory and required cutting the hood so we could get the benefit of the venting without the laser cut steel part look.

Me too

 

[Paul McWhiskey]

Race Louvers look that way because it is a very big part of why they work so well.

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