anyone ever done this?

[Wing Nut OOA]

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs244.snc4/39521_1647934644132_1409933511_1721998_2691341_n.j pg


been thinking of doing some trimming and running my airfilter out the side of the fender...

who knows...

[Robyn]

Took the liberty of tweeking the piccy so we could see it better.

Never seen that done but, it would definately get the air feed into the cooler air.

[Wing Nut OOA]

i like the idea but i dont like that i have to cut a gaping hole in my fender.

its not really something thats easy to put back if it ends up not being feasible.

[DennisG01]

There isn't as much (good) air flow there as one might think. Air is a fluid, like water, and reacts similarly (although more compressible). Think of how a boat's bow wake angles away from the bow as it moves. The same thing happens with the air as it is deflected off the grill of the truck. The scoop would need to start at about 6" - 10" away from the fender to be of any help at regular highway speeds. In the picture, that scoop will actually be in a pocket of stagnant air.

However, there may very well be benefits by turning the scoop backwards and mounting it further aft of the filter (one on both sides would be great) as this would likely help to evacuate hot air. For this purpose, the "scoops" would not need to be nearly as tall - they could be basically flush with the fender surface, if you wanted.

[DmaxMaverick]

Looks cool, but.......

That location, like most "cool looking" hood scoops, is NOT a stable airflow area. The ram-air velocity and direction will change dramatically, depending on air density and velocity. Fender venting is great (and normally used) as an exit vent, not a supply. A raised louver type vent can, in many situations, defeat any benefit of a cool air intake, and actually cavitate your intake tract. There are very few stable positive pressure airflow locations on most trucks, and the fender isn't one of them. None of this takes into consideration the direction, density and velocity of ambient air (weather), which can also be very significant.

[Wing Nut OOA]

good deal. thanks for explaining this before i busted out the saw :)

if i were to put a couple just plain air vents in to keep the engine bay cool, would they be better suited in the fender or the hood.

[DmaxMaverick]

That depends on your driving habits. Vents such as these can work, but when the vent airflow pressure becomes positive, it will increase the air pressure under the hood, which can reduce cooling fan performance. Unfortunately, the airflow characteristics of truck models change from one year model to the next, to it's best to do some testing at different speeds under as many different climate conditions as possible. 4" pieces of yarn taped in place work well. Also, you should (temporarily) place any cowl/vent/louver during the test, as anything in the airflow stream will effect the results, as well. Generally, the ram-air effect on the grill area along with the cooling fan creates positive pressure in the engine compartment, which normally vents out/under the floor. Anything you do to change the pressure characteristics of the engine compartment may effect this in a negative manner. Unexpected hot-spots can result, which may or may not create problems. Underhood heat has always been an issue, and engineers have become rich with successful solutions.

One consistent positive pressure location is the frontal (grill) area. Many "cold air" (including ram-air) intake systems take advantage of this. One of our members posted his solution, which was a vent system that received air through the parking lamp slots, with the lamps (not OEM) behind a mesh-type cover. It looked to be an effective solution (and quite attractive). It was a very good thread with lots of pictures. Try a search (good luck....it's been a couple years since posted).

[Wing Nut OOA]

i do recall that thread i will look it up again.



also the "sound" or heat mat that's pinned to the underside of the hood, Leave it? remove it?

i would have to cut holes in it if i decided to do vents anyway. and since it doesnt ever get really below 20 degrees for more than a day i wouldnt figure being too cold will be an issue.

[DmaxMaverick]

Definitely leave (or replace, if necessary) the insulation under the hood. It does many things, including reduces condensation, corrosion and paint damage.

[NH2112]

Just hang a Donaldson-type canister off the fender, it should be far enough out to pick up good air and you get used to the blind spot pretty quickly. :D

[Wing Nut OOA]

you dont know how tempting that all is but i'm not wild about how wide it will make the truck especially with my girlfriend driving it most of the time.

[a5150nut]

Removing the hood mat will also release lots of engine noise.