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Body Modifications for "Airflow"....

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ThunderHawk

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While checking out the works of art that some people are running, I notice that there is a hole or holes bored in the windshield on the "air filter" side of the car....Common sense tells me that this is to increase air flow to the airfilter and hence to the carb....Is this right? Or is my common sense wrong with this guestimation....

My question is, Is this a racing tactic, or can a basher or recreational RC'er gain benefits from this?

Would it be beneficial for me to do this to a stock body? If so....I also plan on doing it to my crowd pleazer as well...

I am guessing that it would help the motor run cooler in the warmer temps of the summer?

Thanks for any help....


Hawk
 
The main reason is for engine cooling. It does help to get fresh air to the carb, but you will benifit more because of the increased air flow on the head.
 
Hawk,

hawk, :::Ups, already said by vbgagnon::: Unless you are experiencing high temps and have problems with this, I'd not do it.
Some of these guys really know how to lean an engine out to get the very last drop of fuel accounted for. Like in Airplane Engines... Lean from rich stay rich of peak..., Temps go up to a certain point (leaner = more performance, better RPMs, higher temps) Once you are over that point, you are "Lean of peak" which will hurt every engine.
Make any sense?
 
Hawk, you need to pop some holes in the windhsield to make sure the engine temp's don't get too high. Even when bashing, it's good insurance to insure an adequate airflow over the cooling head.

It's really not a performance issue, per se, but more of an engine protection issue. I'm a basher who races (as opposed to a racer that bashes) and on just about any rig (except maybe my buggy) I could count on the engine temp jumping 4-7 degrees with the body on as opposed to off. Cutting holes insures the temps stay where I want them when I'm driving and get it tuned in.
 
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I'm with Monkey on this. I cut a hole in the windshield on ALL of my nitro rigs. But I cut it directly in front of the cooling head, not the air filter. This allows fresh air to pass over the fins of the cooling head, keeping the engine temps down. I highly recomend you do this to any nitro vehicle.
 
I guess I should have been more specific. But I also cut a hole in all of my bodies. Also if you have a body that completly covers the engine you will want to cut a hole behind the engine so that the air can go through the head and exit the back of the body.
 
I ran 2 gallons threw my revo with the stock body untouched. Wierd aint it.
 
I vented the front and side windows even though I am normally running at around 230-240. "Why?" I hear you cry...because while it is 60 ish degrees while I am running right now, in the summer it is going to be hotter than all hell (100+) and I am going to need all the help I can get!

"What's the point of that little story?!" I hear you cry...just that whether you will see benefit from venting the body is going to depend mainly on a) ambient air temperature, b) how lean you tune your ride, c) the oil content of your fuel of choice, d) how hard you drive, e) phase of the moon. Ok, I made up e), my real point here is that it is completly situational and what may work just fine for one may not for another.

Cheers

HW
 
Airflow is agood thing......so the more of it the better.....I am currently building a truck that I dont want to cut the body on....its so nice.....but I eventually will give in and put some holes in there cuz the investment in the engines life takes priority over looks good.


SO vent away..... and as Vbgagnon says be sure to vent the back end as well so airt truly FLOWS threw rig as it runs...your engine will thank you for it.
 
I could definitely see the benefits of it....Common sense tells you that the more air that hits the cooling head the more it serves its purpose...Anyway, I took care of doing it today...Now the weather is going to keep her in the garage for 3 or 4 days...


Hawk
 
If you'd like to keep the windshield in tact, there's a company called Out Of Control rc Poducts that sells functional hood scoops for rc cars and trucks. You can use a couple of their kits to get the same cooling effect. They also sell a heavy duty stainless steel grill screen for making your grill useful as well. You can check them out at www.oocrcracing.com
 
I'm still a noob, but I have been cruzin the new Revo alot over the last 3 weeks. I put a whole in the stock body last week right in front of the head and saw a difference of about 5 degrees.
 
Also, A good point to throw in there, When you make your hole in the windshield, lave a small lip from where the hood area meets the upward slope of the windshield.

This tip actually spwans from Nascar and other racing buffs. If you put the hole too low the air will push down into the engine. Allthough this will cool the engine, it will also slow you down. By leaving the lip you let the air follow a slight curve up the hood, across the lip and directly into the shell, but you have very little to no drag in with the mix.
 

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