Lets see your racelouvers

[TeeLew]

Race louvers do sell a baffle kit I think if people are looking to close up the grill. I talked to those guys about it, it's not like it 'adds' downforce, but reduces lift. it's a trade off though between cooling and removing lift.

Reducing lift *is* adding downforce. I'm not really understanding that last sentence, either? Reduced lift and additional cooling are both benefits of venting the engine bay.

Sponsored

 

[tosha]

How effective were the sides only vs. The whole package?

I asked this same question to Al from racelouvers, and his answer was that side louvers have roughly 2x surface area combined, and heat extraction is directly correlated to that, but center louver is in much more optimal and efficient position, so they end up having similar efficiency.

 

[TeeLew]

To be honest I don’t have any real data to go off of like a wind tunnel and I never had serious issues with engine temps on track.
I do know that they are too far forward so blocking off the first 3 blades will yield very very minimal but positive results.
I have an event in 2 weeks so it will be my first time with the center vent.
Sorry I’m not much help there

DAMMIT! I wanted F1-style, rolling-road, full-scale data!

Why do I even come here!?!



(BTW, Thx, just curious. I thought about doing the same. )

 

[Hack]

 

[RandomTask]

Reducing lift *is* adding downforce. I'm not really understanding that last sentence, either? Reduced lift and additional cooling are both benefits of venting the engine bay.

Haha, yeah Ok, I agree but don’t agree. The words are it that is doesn’t ‘create downforce’. It’s not like a wing that creates downforce. The vents are taking a component produced by the grill opening and hood- lift, and reducing it. But I do think it’s telling that you used the the term ‘reducing lift’ in your second second sentence. Either way. I guess it’s just how you look at it.

On that last sentence, I was trying to say Race Louvers have a handout that explains options for using a baffle kit with their hood vents, and the various ways to improve cooling vs reducing lift. They mention different setup options to achieve more or less bias towards cooling or reducing lift.

 

[TeeLew]

Haha, yeah Ok, I agree but don’t agree. The words are it that is doesn’t ‘create downforce’. It’s not like a wing that creates downforce. The vents are taking a component produced by the grill opening and hood- lift, and reducing it. But I do think it’s telling that you used the the term ‘reducing lift’ in your second second sentence. Either way. I guess it’s just how you look at it.

On that last sentence, I was trying to say Race Louvers have a handout that explains options for using a baffle kit with their hood vents, and the various ways to improve cooling vs reducing lift. They mention different setup options to achieve more or less bias towards cooling or reducing lift.

We're increasing the normal force on the tire. That's downforce in a relative, even if not absolute, sense. We're influencing the aero balance as well. Generally, shooting hot, low-pressure air over the roof and onto the spoiler, hurts body lift(increases) and spoiler efficiency(decreases). So we can see losses from good louvers, but they're often the least bad answer.

Gotcha on the last sentence.

 

[NightmareMoon]

Not raceluluvers, and not an 18-23 car, so definitely an orange to apples situation. But heres some video at speed with strings on some trackspec vents with wickers.



Those side vents are the real hero here. Speeds were like ?90 at the short peak. No special ducting under the hood. Non-stock closed intake.

 

[tosha]

Not raceluluvers, and not an 18-23 car, so definitely an orange to apples situation. But heres some video at speed with strings on some trackspec vents with wickers.



Those side vents are the real hero here. Speeds were like ?90 at the short peak. No special ducting under the hood. Non-stock closed intake.

Seems like middle vent isn't doing much compared to sides. Gread video, I should do the same for racelouvers. Interesting what the result will be

 

[NightmareMoon]

Seems like middle vent isn't doing much compared to sides. Gread video, I should do the same for racelouvers. Interesting what the result will be

Yeah it is what it is. I’d love to see a direct comparison at similar speed.

 

[tosha]

Yeah it is what it is. I’d love to see a direct comparison at similar speed.

It is going to rain for next 4 days where I am, but as soon as the weather gets better, I will run the same test.

 

[Ewheels]

I drove in the rain once and it very cool to see how the rain droplets behaved with the hood vents. It was very evident that the venting has a strong affect. No video sadly.

I also did the tuft test when I first installed my center vent and the strings were standing straight up, similar to @NightmareMoon 's video

 

[slowdown]

I used to have a fully louvered OEM hood with aftermarket pins and, while it worked, it would wave like an ocean down the straights. I hated it. So I bought an aluminum MP Concepts hood and had to cut a little away to fit over the airbox properly (see photo) and I cut one of the support ribs closer forward to the radiator to allow better air flow. Stopped using the hood pins. It doesn't wave at all and moves air very well. Also comes with a rain tray I never use

 

[Egparson202]

I used to have a fully louvered OEM hood with aftermarket pins and, while it worked, it would wave like an ocean down the straights. I hated it. So I bought an aluminum MP Concepts hood and had to cut a little away to fit over the airbox properly (see photo) and I cut one of the support ribs closer forward to the radiator to allow better air flow. Stopped using the hood pins. It doesn't wave at all and moves air very well. Also comes with a rain tray I never use

First, let me say that’s a clean and very pretty car you have there. Secondly, it’s interesting that your louvered OE Hood was susceptible to flutter. My experience was the opposite. Once the Race Louvers went in the high speed fluttering was a thing of the past.

 

[slowdown]

First, let me say that’s a clean and very pretty car you have there. Secondly, it’s interesting that you louvered OE Hood was susceptible to flutter. My experience was the opposite. Once the Race Louvers went in the high speed fluttering was a thing of the past.

Thanks man - yours is no slouch either.

Who knows but I know something had to change. It wasn't the cleanest install by the original owner (that's how I purchased the car used). The placement was a bit different than yours (side vents more forward) and I think the hood pins all conspired.

Sponsored