why don't we get SVT/Ford to do the mods on the hood blanket?

[islandmon]

I've been following the great work being done on the hood insulation/water problem. I was all ready to do it myself and I hit my hit on a doorway, saw stars, and thought - now wait a minute ... why don't I write Ford and/or SVT and explain the problem and see if I can get them to re-engineer the openings and either send a new one to us or send it to our dealer to have the mod done for us.

I hope SVT at least would be interested enough to hear our input and avoid warranty claims.

Let me know what you think. If I get a concensus this is a good idea, I'll put together a draft of a letter/template that we can share to send to Ford/SVT.

 

[toofast4u]

I would send it in even though I have already corrected mine. Actually currently it is in the garage and I have been driving without it for the last week.

 

[JKD COBRA]

Sorry if I am behind on the info, but what do you have to do to the hood blanket? I hope to order my black 03 coupe this week. Does it cover up the air leaving the hood through the vents?

 

[edz]

See my sig for postbans hood blanket mod.

 

[toofast4u]

The main problem with the stock hood blanket is there is only a slot at the front of the inlet. When the hood is closed the back of the inlet is actually lower so water runs in and collects on top of the blanket causing the liner to turn white. Also the small size of the inlet hinders airflow. The main reason the small blanket opening and inlet covers were used is because in colder climates ice icicles can collect from the inlet. Postban has good instructions on how to perform this.

 

[islandmon]

hood blanket

After three or four hard rains and the same number of washes my hood blanket is already getting brittle in the areas where it is being saturated. My approach with Ford will simply be replace it now, replace it again in a couple of months, ditto, ditto, ditto or send me a nice kit to do the mod with!

Look - the worse thing they can say is no (and I won't accept no the first, second, third, .... time) then I'll go mod it myself. But if they say yes, this will keep a whole lot of folks here from having to fix it themselves.

And .. after laying out almost 40K for the car, I expect them to respond.

 

[JKD COBRA]

edz---thanks for the link. Doesn't seem like a big deal to do. And those flaps to protect from ice can just be taken out for good right?


P.S. make sure you guys remove the air silencer to

 

[i8u]

Is any one concerned with changing the airflow that was engineered to cool the radiator?

 

[edz]

In the link if you see postbans very scientific test equipement (thread on the grills) and you do this, and compare before and after with the car at idle and the AC on you will see a greater amount of air flowing, this can only be a good thing.

 

[toofast4u]

Is any one concerned with changing the airflow that was engineered to cool the radiator?

Technically you are increasing the amount of air that is being allowed to flow through the radiator therefore increasing its overall effectiveness. I do believe you might have an issue up North if you are driving your car in winter were it will take longer to get up to operating temperature and the possibility of ice icicles hanging off of the hood. I was actually concerned by the amount of water that would be entering the engine bay so instead of removing the flaps like some others I left them on.

 

[Cobra'03]

You might change the aerodynamics a tad at very high speeds, where the increased flow above the hood might vreate an area of lower pressure, inducing lift. Bournulli's principle and all that.

 

[toofast4u]

Actually Cobra'03 I think you will actually be doing the opposite. You are decreasing the vacuum that would normally exist over the hood by increasing the pressure with the air exiting the engine bay. This normally from Ford would actually cause a greater low pressure area.

 

[JKD COBRA]

I havn't seen the flaps yet but I am ordering my 03 tomorow, but are the flaps easy to take on and off?

 

[toofast4u]

Here are the flaps. The tops snap on and off but the bottoms are connected. They actually very easily are removable from the hood.

 

[Mowgli]

Originally posted by Cobra'03
You might change the aerodynamics a tad at very high speeds, where the increased flow above the hood might vreate an area of lower pressure, inducing lift. Bournulli's principle and all that.

Good point, speaking as an Aero engineer.

 

[Mowgli]

Originally posted by tofast4u-Cobra0
Actually Cobra'03 I think you will actually be doing the opposite. You are decreasing the vacuum that would normally exist over the hood by increasing the pressure with the air exiting the engine bay. This normally from Ford would actually cause a greater low pressure area.

Wrong. Just looking at my hood, and speaking abit from experience from work, I'd say you'd be laminating the flow.

However, in reality I beleive its nothing to worry about. If you're going the speed where this would become and issue (say >130mph) then you were already asking for trouble.

 

[toofast4u]

I'd say you'd be laminating the flow

Exactly. You are increasing the pressure of the air in the channels above the hood which will more closely match the air flowing over the hood which will laminate the flow of air into a unified flow. Isn't that what I said before.

 

[CWCobra]

I thought it was Venturi's principle. Interesting concept, though.
CW

 

[Cobra'03]

Originally posted by tofast4u-Cobra0
Actually Cobra'03 I think you will actually be doing the opposite. You are decreasing the vacuum that would normally exist over the hood by increasing the pressure with the air exiting the engine bay. This normally from Ford would actually cause a greater low pressure area.

I meant Venturi - got my Italian geniuses mized up.

Well, you might be right, but the hot air exiting will be less dense than the air underneath the car.

"We have an area of low pressure to the North exiting the Cobra's air flaps, while a high pressure area appears from the South."

This is starting to sound like a weather report - maybe it will rain on the hood! ;-)

 

[JKD COBRA]

tofast-4you-------thanks for the pic. That will be one of the first things I do (after the air silencer) I ordered a black coupe today. Should be coming in 3 to 6 months, can't wait! Thanks again for the info.