Doing the ali panels at the moment. With the bike engine install there is LOTS of free space in the engine bay. I would like to ali panel it all over except where the bike engine is, to keep at the cr*p out. Are there any reason - aerodynamic/cooling that I shouldn't do this???

From an aerodynamic point of view its an excellent idea. Smoothing airflow is always good for reduced drag, and doing this underneath will help reduce the air pressure under the car and thereby increasing downforce (more like decreasing lift really, but you get the point).

Not sure about the cooling issues, but I'm sure you'd have to be careful from that aspect.

When I get there, I intend to make the underside as flat as possible.

MAC 1 have a metal sheet desigend to go under a blade car. i'd imagine they would be able to make one with al the correct bends etc for your engine.

When i asked about them they did point out about the cooling being a potential probelm. give them a ring

Jim

Thanks Jim, I do speak to Mark at Mach 1 regularly when I get stuck anyway!

It would be very easy just to cut flat pieces to fit, it's the cooling that worries me a bit - but I think the rad should take care of that - it's bigger than the bike rad, with a much more powerful fan.

Have you allowed for an exit for the rad cooling air?

If not you could get overheating problems as well as poor engine running due to hot air being drawn into engine.

Terry

Good point, I was gonna leave an area in front of engine open, but maybe this isn't much a good idea....

I also plan to panel as much of the bottom of my car as possible. My rad air is gonna be ducted out the bonnet just behind the nosecone (I think I've seen some w***fields like this). I'll also duct some air in from somewhere to run past the engine/exhausts (I was thinking maybe naca ducts but people'll think I'm a posey ponce). This'll exit with cool looking dax-style vents at the back sides of teh engine bay - like this...



liam

i would have thought you needed an open area at the rear bottom of the engine compartment open at least, or there will be a heat pocket.

atb

steve

There will be one their anyway as that's where the engine sits just below the bottom chassis rail.

As for other ducts it's a nice idea but my ali panelling is at a pretty basis stage and I want the car finished b4 Le Mans!

on the xj-s (i used to have one, thats why I quote it a lot!) there was a heat problem undr the bonnet.......

the front 'splitter' under the front valance is apparently vital to cooling. It creates a vacuum under the car to help the air flow from the rad, past the engine, and out.


as far as pannelling around the engine is concerned - a lot of new cars seem to like putting plenty of plastic crap over the engine and surrounding area to look good - or cut the noise down?

atb

steve

After thinking about the Dax's side vents they would be pretty easy to make, maybe that's the way to go.......

I read somewhere that the louvre vents on top of a bonnet are purely decorative as they are in an area of low pressure and vents placed at the side are much more effective at removing hot air. I found that before I boxed in my pedals the hot air usually found its way into the cockpit and made my feet sweat.

yours, Pete.

After spending most of the day cutting all the holes for the suspension in the ali side panels and making it all fit I can't be assed to do any vents! Just not gonna bother panelling the bottom.....hopefully by keeping things simple I'll have it on the road this summer!

As to the bonnet loovres being in an area of low pressure. This is true but aids cooling because they are in an area of low pressure on the outside therefore will suck out air from the high pressure in the engine bay caused by the ram air effect of the open nosecone.

The side exit duct's as shown on the dax will work fine for cooling with fully enclosed engine bay as we at procomp have been doing it that way on westfield' for 16 years.