Cutting bumper for Cooling, need opinions

[Bluefire16]

Hey guys, so i drive a 99 GST Automatic. I want some ideas of how to CLEANLY cut the front bumper to add more AIRFLOW to help cool the car.

My tranny tends to get a little warm, and im sure this is due to the FMIC block the tranny cooler. So first, i plan on installing a colder tranny cooler and mounting it where the stock IC was.

The car was also getting hot sometimes (i did the normal tricks, thermostat and rad cap), and still hot so its getting overhauled. Im pulling the head, new studs, water pump, t-belt ect ect....

I also am putting in a 20g turbo and its going full blown weekend warrior.

So what ideas do you have for better air flow, but needs to be clean.

 

[RiGs2G]

Do you have an ebay link?

 

[joyfil2001]

Just search 350z air duct

 

[RiGs2G]

Thanks!I searched ti tec and got a bunch of bicycle parts.haha

 

[joyfil2001]

. The cheapest one I found was $45 buy it now with free shipping.

 

[RiGs2G]

I have the 97 talon front bumper,so myabe ill photoshop the vents before I order them and start cutting.I really like the 97 talon bumper,and would rather not cut it up but I may have to to keep it cool

 

[joyfil2001]

I may just save the money and cut slots myself. I trimmed my bumper for the FMIC and I think that came out pretty good.

 

[Bluefire16]

I want mine to look as clean as possible, and with a cf hood, this would be great. ^^ thanks mate for the link!

Im gona purchase one or 2 of these so when i get home i can start digging into my car and instal them.

 

[gixrman]

^^ This isnt a appearance mod, this serves a function. I think its the cleanest way to have them and to serve the most purpose and effectively help direct airflow.

I get what your saying now that I see the openings are more directional. But I still don't like it because your killing the aerodynamics.

 

[nek]

I get what your saying now that I see the openings are more directional. But I still don't like it because your killing the aerodynamics.

I dont think there is any proof that these would be aero deficient. The air is getting sucked through the radiator anyways, its not building up pressure between the fmic and the rad. Im pretty sure that creating a bigger breathing space in your front bumper can only help cooling.
I have my entire fmic box ducted to my ac condenser but ducting only helps under cruising. At idle, the rad fans have no breathing air except for the air that is drawn through fmic-ac-rad.
By adding ducting up top your bumper, as seen in this post, the hot air can either escape when your fans arnt running, or cold air can enter when they are running.

 

[nothingfiction]

I have the 97 talon front bumper,so myabe ill photoshop the vents before I order them and start cutting.I really like the 97 talon bumper,and would rather not cut it up but I may have to to keep it cool

id like to see that photoshop (wether good or bad)
im not a big fan of the talon front bumper but i would like to see how it works with the eagle logo

 

[69_luv]

I think that cutting into your bumper and adding those "snouts" is a bad idea if your purpose is for cooling. I can't tell for sure but isn't there some shiny sheet metal behind the cf openings that shows someone made sume duct work? At stop and go traffic, which is probably the hardest on the auto tranny's those openings arn't going to do anything. The space between your FMIC and oil cooler/condensor isn't sealed. Its not like there isn't any airflow at all.
If you are wanting a sure fire way to cool the automatic then get an aftercooler with a small fan connected to a temp sensor. That way when the fluid starts to get hot the fan kicks on the aftercooler. That was the point of this whole thread from the start wasn't it? A way to cool the tranny fluid because he wasn't getting enough airflow over the stock cooler that was behind his FMIC.

Your talking abot spending $100 on two of those CF vents and tranny coolers start at $40, B&M for $60 and fully tricked out with fans for $200. Those are going to give your cooling results over cutting your bumper up.

 

[gixrman]

I dont think there is any proof that these would be aero deficient. The air is getting sucked through the radiator anyways, its not building up pressure between the fmic and the rad. Im pretty sure that creating a bigger breathing space in your front bumper can only help cooling.
I have my entire fmic box ducted to my ac condenser but ducting only helps under cruising. At idle, the rad fans have no breathing air except for the air that is drawn through fmic-ac-rad.
By adding ducting up top your bumper, as seen in this post, the hot air can either escape when your fans arnt running, or cold air can enter when they are running.

I state that on the pressure differneces that will acure at speed. Since air, like water, follows the path of least resistance and will choose to go around the rad. and not though it if its not ducted. This means air will flow though the ducts and slow down causing a high pressure area inbetween the FMIC and rad. since it will have no place to go fast enough. This will cause the high air coming though the FMIC to stall since the pressure on both sides will be the same.

The way to get around this is to directly duct those vents to the radiator so it HAS to go though it. Look at any race car besides maybe short track, and 1/4 mile cars and there are no hugh opens on the front.

http://www.automotivearticles.com/123/Ducting.shtml
http://fsae.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/125607348/m/776106224/r/190107324

 

[nek]

You guys arent getting the big picture, even though between the rad and fmic isnt totally sealed, you want as much air getting in there as possible at all times if your overheating. Sure you can go about it a matter of ways but personally I do think that those vents look pretty sweet. And matching them with the talon logo might look even better! To each their own but Im probably going to do this eventually. And Im tired of people looking at the front of a car as a face.. What is this first grade? Jj the jet plane or thomas the tank engine?

 

[69_luv]

And Im tired of people looking at the front of a car as a face.. What is this first grade? Jj the jet plane or thomas the tank engine?

What??

 

[Bluefire16]

First, the aerodynamics, there is really only a handful cars on this website that make enough power for it to really become a factor. This wont make your car slower or less aerodynamic.

This is going to allow more airflow, plane and simple. My car is a DD, so how would "holes" or "slotted openings" that is directed, not help? More Its directed towards the radiator. The car it came off was a built drag car, i would assume that they use them for a reason. (At least i believe this is the same car i had oringnally seen from the Shoot Out Pics.)

If you look at the link, they ARE DIRECTED

 

[907gs-t]

I like the look myself & I'm sure they would help some in the cooling department.

 

[VETTE_50_TH]

You live in Alaska. You have one season. ####ing cold.

 

[gixrman]

First, the aerodynamics, there is really only a handful cars on this website that make enough power for it to really become a factor. This wont make your car slower or less aerodynamic.

This is going to allow more airflow, plane and simple. My car is a DD, so how would "holes" or "slotted openings" that is directed, not help? More Its directed towards the radiator. The car it came off was a built drag car, i would assume that they use them for a reason. (At least i believe this is the same car i had oringnally seen from the Shoot Out Pics.)

If you look at the link, they ARE DIRECTED

1. what did your come with from the factory? ducting to direct the airflow DIRECTLY to the radiator, not around it or by it or to just say hi, but though it.
2. Do you drive your DD 55+mph? well then areodynamics plays a key roll in fuel economics.
3. Those ducts are not directly in contact with the radiator, so where will the air go?
4. Drag cars run for maybe a minute tops so i'm sure cooling isn't a key factor. Thats why they fill there blocks.
5. Excuse me while I go beat on my dead horse again.

 

[VETTE_50_TH]

Just get 2 puller and 2 push fans. Should be good. :eyeroll:

 

[Bluefire16]

You do realize i have put a large FMIC now that blocks a lot of airflow? Yes a good amount still goes thru the FMIC but LESS air then before due to the large metal piece that is now completly covering the radiator.

And again, if you look at the link of how deep the vents are you will notice they will almost positivly go all the way to the rad, they even appear to be TO LONG, so you may need to shorten it.

I would still like to be told how the aerodynamics would be affected worse? Shed some light for me please?

I would like a wiseman to chime in and give us some input. Neither of us actually has any full proof that this would be better or worse.

Well i recently messaged Gixxerdrew, hoping he will chime in here soon to help solve this confusion.

Here is a pic of how i imagine having my car look. Granted it will be a CF hood. ( i was bored at work and didnt care to take the time to photoshop)

The vents of course will be added the same, they are CF and then the CF hood. The fog light whole will be opened up to match the rest. And then either a CF wrap on the bottom lip or just black.

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[nek]

1. what did your come with from the factory? ducting to direct the airflow DIRECTLY to the radiator, not around it or by it or to just say hi, but though it.
2. Do you drive your DD 55+mph? well then areodynamics plays a key roll in fuel economics.
3. Those ducts are not directly in contact with the radiator, so where will the air go?
4. Drag cars run for maybe a minute tops so i'm sure cooling isn't a key factor. Thats why they fill there blocks.
5. Excuse me while I go beat on my dead horse again.

1.What does this have to do with anything, most people do custom ducting with fmic
2. This would cause little to absolutely no drag effecting gas mileage. You think when people add a front lip they think about gas mileage?
3.Where will the air go? If youve ever had your bumper off you would notice there isnt much space for the air to escape. The bumper supports would be ducting enough in itself matched with the car frame up top to force the majority of the air into the radiator. Not to mention even if it didnt all go through the radiator it would still help. stock fan comes on at 210, mine are both on all the time, most that air will be pulled through.
4. Im sure it is.
5. Have fun.

 

[gixrman]

1.What does this have to do with anything, most people do custom ducting with fmic
2. This would cause little to absolutely no drag effecting gas mileage. You think when people add a front lip they think about gas mileage?
3.Where will the air go? If youve ever had your bumper off you would notice there isnt much space for the air to escape. The bumper supports would be ducting enough in itself matched with the car frame up top to force the majority of the air into the radiator. Not to mention even if it didnt all go through the radiator it would still help. stock fan comes on at 210, mine are both on all the time, most that air will be pulled through.
4. Im sure it is.
5. Have fun.

It has to do with proper airflow that is directed where it needs to go. It has more to do with MPG than you think and drags effect on the vehicle. Front lips add downforce, which is drag and does lower MPG, but its all about plus's and minus's. I'm sure they don't care about MPG but thats not the point.
If you look at several TA cars they even tape up the fender gaps, open areas around the headlights to cut down on wind drag for better times. If myth busters can add hundeds of pounds of clay to a vehicle to make it into a large golfball and still get better MPG than yes aerodynamics is effected. And like I stated before air follows the path of least resistance and yes, air will flow though the radiator but a majority of it will flow around it. And by the pictures available those ducts look several inchs away from the AC condensor, are they blowing cool air on it? Yes, is it the best possible fix to a overheating problem? No, it just masks the problem.

I'm not going to continue this back and forth pissing match on who's right and whos wrong, if you want to add the vents go for it. They do look somewhat good and would have a cooling action if they are properly ducted, but don't say they don't have some negative affect on something else when they clearly do.
Race Tech 102: Aerodynamic Drag

 

[Bluefire16]

AC is deleted. So my vents will be completely ducted, and flow right to the RADIATOR.

 

[motozachl]

^^ Bluefire scanned in a pic of car and scribbled in w.pen

Anyways. IMO the results are positive in adding these vents

 

[BorinquenEclips]

I found this pic and saved it a while ago because I thought that if I ever wanted to do some cutting for cooling I would do this for a front bumper:

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I cant seem to find the thread where I found this picture though, I'll keep looking. But for me those air ducts are just to ugly for me, I care about how my car looks and I think the vent in the picture above looks pretty good.