Removing the windshield cowl for better cooling? Thoughts?

[Sourskittle]

So... I was doing some research and found that when you take the windshield cowl off ( the thing that covers up the wiper arms), it doesn't change the way the car looks, unless your standing in front of the mirror looking down into the back of the hood. Leaving it off seems like a great way to reduce under the hood temps. Anyone see a major problem with this?

 

[Sourskittle]

 

[rodmoe]

Did you take the bottom piece off too ?? about the only thing you might see and a side effect is sucking rain water into the HVAC intake or possibly a stary Chevy Sonic RS turbo that can't get out of the way ... LOL j/k about the rain water ... hehe

Ooop now I see the second bunch of pic .. nevermind about the Rain for sure now .. BowTies Bewarned !!!

 

[Sourskittle]

I took it off to measure up some area to build this... Have to copy 2J racings intake. Its not an option. Its just too bad ass to not copy and spend $300 on someone elses generic tubing and a basic cone filter...

 

[the duke]

The base of the windshied is generally a high-pressure area. The high-pressure creates a bubble effect which can help laminar flow from a boundary layer standpoint. Of course, being a high-pressure area it wants to equalize into a low pressure area, which would be the stagnant lower-pressure air in the engine bay. Chances are it would likely pull air into the engine bay, rather than venting outwards.

 

[Sourskittle]

The base of the windshied is generally a high-pressure area. The high-pressure creates a bubble effect which can help laminar flow from a boundary layer standpoint. Of course, being a high-pressure area it wants to equalize into a low pressure area, which would be the stagnant lower-pressure air in the engine bay. Chances are it would likely pull air into the engine bay, rather than venting outwards.

Lol. And that.... Is how babies are made son...

 

[bobjob]

Those foam pads above the inlet vents supposed to be there? I had mine when i drove off the lot then i noticed one was peeling off, so i went back and they took them all off saying that those are supposed to come off on final inspection before handing them over.

 

[FiestaBart]

I took it off to measure up some area to build this... Have to copy 2J racings intake. Its not an option. Its just too bad ass to not copy and spend $300 on someone elses generic tubing and a basic cone filter...

How did you plug in the sensor on the intake pipe if it is all the way on the right side of engine bay, with race intake on the back left?? or how will you?? lol

 

[stuntdoogie]

How did you plug in the sensor on the intake pipe if it is all the way on the right side of engine bay, with race intake on the back left?? or how will you?? lol

The sensor is not needed in the US spec FiST.

 

[Sourskittle]

I think the sensor has to be there mostly for ambient intake temp sensor

 

[Sourskittle]

So... The mirrors make more wind noise now . What ever that means

 

[scottiemac]

Those foam pads above the inlet vents supposed to be there? I had mine when i drove off the lot then i noticed one was peeling off, so i went back and they took them all off saying that those are supposed to come off on final inspection before handing them over.

Those foam pads are there (I believe) to keep snow and ice out of the plenum. I think they were added as a running change to the cars. You guys in warmer climates don't need them but there have been a few cases where ice and snow in the plenum has causes heating problems.

 

[Shmi]

Those foam pads are there (I believe) to keep snow and ice out of the plenum. I think they were added as a running change to the cars. You guys in warmer climates don't need them but there have been a few cases where ice and snow in the plenum has causes heating problems.

Huh... I have those foam pads too. Thought everyone had those.

 

[stuntdoogie]

This^^

 

[scottiemac]

Huh... I have those foam pads too. Thought everyone had those.

As do I. I think some of the very early cars didn't have them. If you snoop around there were some early reports of guys having no heat and also burning out their fan motors due to ice build up.

 

[RDgolfer]

Oh to be in the land of bugs 'n sand, and not snow regions areas places...we got reel probs up in the NE...can't be takin anti-snow retardant deevises from tha car....it would be like drivin' an igloo!

 

[bobjob]

ahh thanks for the info, i suspect the dealer just looked at the regular fiestas and saw they didnt have them so they pulled them off..... no wonder i dont use them anymore

 

[Viking Speed Shop]

It won't do anything significant.

 

[The Cuzi]

The base of the windshied is generally a high-pressure area. The high-pressure creates a bubble effect which can help laminar flow from a boundary layer standpoint. Of course, being a high-pressure area it wants to equalize into a low pressure area, which would be the stagnant lower-pressure air in the engine bay. Chances are it would likely pull air into the engine bay, rather than venting outwards.

I know very little about fluid dynamics, but this seems to make sense. I could see the negative space between the hood and the windshield creating a burble. I was thinking of doing something similar though on a smaller scale versus removing the whole top cowl. I was thinking of putting a series of a few small pipes/tubes through the cowl area (from the engine bay through the bottom cowl through the top and protruding slightly to avoid water and drainage issues).

I am running the 2J Cowl Intake so the OEM intake snorkel is pushing air into an empty space in the engine bay. My thinking/theory is that a small 'exit' through the cowl would allow air entering from the snorkel to pass through the engine bay and out over the windshield. Do you think something like this could produce a flow of air through the engine bay and over the windshield vs down and under the car?

 

[The Cuzi]

So... I was doing some research and found that when you take the windshield cowl off ( the thing that covers up the wiper arms), it doesn't change the way the car looks, unless your standing in front of the mirror looking down into the back of the hood. Leaving it off seems like a great way to reduce under the hood temps. Anyone see a major problem with this?

Curious about what your results were? Did you do any testing with before/after engine bay temperatures? Happen to stick any string and tape to the cowl area with a camera (full ford gt style) to see what the air was doing as @the duke cautioned on?