Ray Man

I've looked at many forums for the answer to this question and have not found a satisfactory answer (so please forgive if it's been covered before). On the 2007 Shelby GT 500, the extractor hood vents I know are functional. What happens to any water that enters the vents because of rain or washing? Does it just drop on the top of the engine or is there some type of drain system to divert it?

Thanks for the info!

metaldrummer

yeah, what about the vents on the saleens

jaiasmit

I've been wondering this myself. My underhood temps have been high lately due to the new intake and tune, and I was thinking about going with a heat extractor hood like the Saleen or DCF (but, wow expensive), but am concerned about too much water getting into the engine compartment.

EDIT --> Well, I just found some more pictures of the DCF, and there is definitely NOT any type of drainage system on that hood. Looks like the water would just drip directly down on the engine. Or, in the case of the pictures I saw directly on the intake filter, because for some reason they crafted a special intake pipe that moves the intake to the back driver's side of the engine directly under the rear driver's side vent.

ANOTHER EDIT --> Well, after finding yet more pictures, it looks like they moved the filter on the car I saw because they have a ProCharger installed on it. Given the amount of money that's been crammed into that car, I'd say they aren't driving it in the rain or running it through a carwash.

Nichepi

For the most part functional hoods are pretty self explanatory. If the vents are open then water can get in. Does that mean your car will blow up not at all. Will water melt something, no. Will it roll over in the drive way. not that one either.
I've gauged this question with every person that asks me about functional hoods and I think most owners jump to conclusions just because some water might get in.

localgod11

Its my understanding that some of the function ones have a layer of foam in the vents in order to trap the water.

BTW the concern is not that water will get into the engine itself but water + hot intake/exhaust manifold or is a extremly bad combination! Dont believe me take a hot glass from the dishwasher and put ice water in it and watch what happens

Nichepi

I have yet to see a company implement foam cores in hoods as a way to prevent water from coming in, I had tried that from a structural integrity standpoint but it proved to be to troublesome and at the time I wasn’t gaining the level of stiffness I wanted.. Essentially if air is to get out it has to have a direct path. Now as unnamed company on this board that sells hoods I can tell you that by implementing a under hood panel that can be installed and removed has proven the best over all solution for owners looking for the best of both worlds. But for the most part with any functional hood, its pretty cut and dry. Or in this aspect dry or wet.

Now while also not trying to push a marketing agenda here I can say with over 700 hoods sold in 3 years on just 2 models, and many to racers in NMRA and SCCA that I have yet to see or hear from one complaining that while heading down the back stretch of gingerman or VIR that their manifold cracked due to water or other elements coming into the engine bay. Now I’m not just saying that about a so called product here, but I'm speaking in generalization that in order to crack a aluminum or cast manifold while racing or heading down the freeway in Texas during the summer that you would have to dump alot of water on that manifold all at once to have an adverse effect.
During most driving conditions water doesn't enter functional hoods anyway, unless that hoods is say a Ram air hood as opposed to a Cowl extraction hood.

localgod11

whats a VIR?

Nichepi

Virginia International Raceway. If you've never been you should. Its a awsome track.
http://www.virclub.com/vir/

Ray Man

Well I just saw another post on the GT 500 forum site and someone mentioned that when he picked up his Shelby from the dealer he was told how much water dropped onto the engine when it was detailed. My concern is that if I go with a hood with vents, everytime it rains or gets washed, complications my arise (in addition to extra cleanup) since I don't have garage room yet. It sure doesn't sound like it would be easy to keep the engine compartment clean. It just sounds messy to me.


Nichepi... do after-market under panels exist? What would be recommended for the 2007 Shelby GT 500 hood? I am very interested in a solution for this dilema.


Jaiasmit... I love the DCF too, it's very nice but sooooo expensive!


Thanks for all the feedback!

Nichepi

I think the key element here is under normal conditions of just basic rainfall, your engine bay may experince some water. Now if your spraying a high powered hose stream right on the hood I think common sense would tell us that, YES water will go in.You can always take a little saranwrap and put in over the GT500 vents if you feel it would rain outside. That would prevent water from getting in while teh car is in the driveway. (i'm serious, I've done it before)