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Your thoughts on hood vents/ hood louvers?!?!?!

31K views 53 replies 35 participants last post by  Chuckwagon 
#1 ·
I know like so many others, my XJ can be pretty dang hot to the touch after running for long periods of time. I was trying to think of ways to aliviate this issue. I did the search for hood vents and found all kinds of different ways to install them but found very little comments on if they really liked them/ hated them or if they even really did their job. Any one out there have hood vents/ hood louvers installed on your XJ's?? If so, do you like them, were they worth the trouble installing them and are they actually functional in relieving the engine compartment of excess heat?? Any and all info GREATLY appreiciated.:cheers2:
 
#6 ·
Ok great thanks guys. I guess my question would be, do you think because of the hood vents/ hood louvers the under the hood temps lower and in turn the coolant temps lower?? Thanks guys!! BTW, bullitt_9350 , your XJ looks SEXY!!!
 
#38 ·
oh hey i just realized you live like 5 mins away from me lol, you should check out BSJeepers there a local jeep group like maybe 64 members i think and theres members from berkley springs,martinsburg, charlestown, harpers ferry, charleston i think couple places in MD and VA also.:cheers2:
 
#7 ·
I don't personally have them, but most people claim a ten degree reduction in coolant temps.
 
#29 ·
I'm wondering about this too...

I really want a set from RunCool to get rid of some of that excess heat
 
#15 ·
Hot air floats on top of cooler air, but only when it's stagnant. The engine bay has fans blowing air into it, which would exit on the bottom. It's a constant flow of air, and also the slipstream below the Jeep should suck air out of the bottom too. The smooth flow of air over the hood might have a bigger effect at high speed though (assuming it is smooth).

Has anyone ever put fans to blow up out of hood louvres?
 
#13 ·
#19 ·
Its coming, whether you like it or not! ha ha ha
 
#18 ·
Yeah, the dude from the site I was looking at found the rear cowl he went with let heat out while still, but then sucked it in at the back of the engine while traveling, not messing with the low pressure system behind the radiator, and sucking heat down from the exhaust manifold, keeping it away from the intake manifold. Pretty sweet.

He reported a 20 degree F heat increase over ambient inside the hood after the mod, in comparison with a 90 degree heat increase with the stock hood. Just got to pony up the $500. :)
 
#20 ·
Actually, I think you could make nearly exactly the same thing he has with some vents. It'd just take some looking around for the type of vents that would fit a similar area as that cowl, and then installing them properly to be in-line with the design.

I'll make a write up after I fix all of the other, more pressing issues, with my Jeep! :D
 
#22 · (Edited)
Hood vents will lower the temps under the hood while driving or while on the trail. I have Pontiac Sunbird vents on my 2000. The temps used to run a little over the 210* mark. With the vents it usually reads under the 210* mark. The electric fan runs less often and it runs for a shorter period of time.

Any water or snow that enters doesn't seem to do any harm, the vent have been on for several years.

The XJ's in Europe sometimes had the same vents as the Grand Cherokee with the 5.9 V8.

.



 
#47 ·
Hood vents will lower the temps under the hood while driving or while on the trail. I have Pontiac Sunbird vents on my 2000. The temps used to run a little over the 210* mark. With the vents it usually reads under the 210* mark. The electric fan runs less often and it runs for a shorter period of time.

Any water or snow that enters doesn't seem to do any harm, the vent have been on for several years.

The XJ's in Europe sometimes had the same vents as the Grand Cherokee with the 5.9 V8.

.

I love that bumper.
:longtongue:
 
#26 ·
Hood vents

I installed a Cowl Induction hood on my '01 XJ. Prior to putting it on I checked surface(Valve cover, intake manifold, battery top etc... ) temps. under the hood with an infared thermometer. The new hood brought those temps down an average of 10°F. Also checked the diff. temps before and after switching to synthetic gear oil(Amsoil). The synthetic brought those temps down about 9°F. I figure, the cooler the better here in the big AZ.
 
#31 ·
Love my cowl. Lets out plenty of heat and I think it looks great.

clickables

 
#44 ·
yep ... that and a properly working fanclutch make quite a difference. ;)

Ive got a bit of venting happening with 1/2" gaps at only the rear corners of the bonnet ... gaps could probably be a bit bigger if the vehicle was only ever going to be in low range and always working hard.

and my engine bay temps ... are about the same as those I have seen written up for the cowl bonnet.
 
#35 ·
I know this wont work for most people, but I took a slightly different approach to venting the hood. Originally I had the typical 1'' square spacers in the hood hinges, but it wasnt letting enough hot air out, and leaves kept on getting into my engine compartment.

So, I got a 1'' hole saw, took some measurements, gave a friend a beer, and told him to start drilling holes in my hood.:eek:


Best picture I have of the hood on the Jeep.


I went from being able to cook manifold burritos in about an hour, to not being able to defrost them in 3 hours. :D Jeep seems to run cooler, but the real kicker was the hood is now safe to touch after wheeling all day as compared to burning hot before the holes.

I used some white magnets guys put on the side of their truck to advertise their businesses to cover the holes when the Jeep is parked or I dont need them. They have stayed on for speeds up to 75 mph, so Im not to worried about them coming off.

I know it might be ghetto, but it works, I now have a sealed hood, and hopefully this summer I will get a chance to dimple the holes for that added bling factor. :D
 
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