The weak splash guard

I assume the weak rubber(?) tearable piece that fits under the engine area is to keep mud and water out right? Does it serve any other function such as forcing the fans to bring air through the radiator instead of from under the vehicle? Are there any downsides to removing the piece? Mine was barely hanging on with zip ties and now my last wheeling trip tore it loose again. To fix it will require magor surgery so I was thinking about just pulling it out.

I removed my rubber engine mud guard ages ago and I don't miss it. With it out of the way, there'san escape route for all the hot air that gathers under the hood. When the electric fans switch on, I can feel a blast of hot air coming from underneath the engine so I know I've done something good.
Where I live it almost never rains so I don't worry about the alternator or anything else getting wet by driving through a puddle of water.

Dr. Dyno said:

I removed my rubber engine mud guard ages ago and I don't miss it. With it out of the way, there'san escape route for all the hot air that gathers under the hood. When the electric fans switch on, I can feel a blast of hot air coming from underneath the engine so I know I've done something good.
Where I live it almost never rains so I don't worry about the alternator or anything else getting wet by driving through a puddle of water.

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True accept I was talking about running down the highway at high speeds. The very first 12 inches or so iunder the front is a high pressure area, after that it's a vacuume.

I think a new replacment one is like $22 or something. I thought about buying one and making a tracing for future use and making a replacement out of something else. I seem to remember someone else was going to do that also, make one out of aluminum or something... I have part of a roll of grey aluminum that the guy who cladded all my outside window trim left from the roll I bought, stuff is either 36 or 48 inches wide and about 50ft long. Right now it's rolled up and serving duty as a small table in my cellar with a piece of 5/4 round laminated 4ft diameter pine.

I removed mine a few days ago, and am in the process of fabricating a metal splash guard for the alternator. It may not be absolutely necessary, but it'll make me feel better when running through the thunderstorms we have around here.

That rubber splash guard looks like it would actually insulate the oil pan from airflow, therefore keeping heat in, rather than aiding in cooling.....

Dr. Dyno said:

I removed my rubber engine mud guard ages ago and I don't miss it. With it out of the way, there'san escape route for all the hot air that gathers under the hood. When the electric fans switch on, I can feel a blast of hot air coming from underneath the engine so I know I've done something good.
Where I live it almost never rains so I don't worry about the alternator or anything else getting wet by driving through a puddle of water.

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I too removed mine a long time ago. The strange thing I notice though is; with the fans running, there is a lot of hot air coming from under the driver side fornt of the XJ and none from the passenger side. My question is, 'By removing this guard do one unintentionally interrupt the air flow through the radiator negatively? This may be the million dollar scientific question that I do not have the answer for. Lets get some opinions here.

I did the aluminum thing. I traced the original, then trimmed about half of it off when I couldn't figure out a way to get it in place without twisting it into a pretzel. I can still feel the hot air on my ankles when I get out of the car with my electric fans still on.

techno1154 said:

I too removed mine a long time ago. The strange thing I notice though is; with the fans running, there is a lot of hot air coming from under the driver side fornt of the XJ and none from the passenger side. My question is, 'By removing this guard do one unintentionally interrupt the air flow through the radiator negatively? This may be the million dollar scientific question that I do not have the answer for. Lets get some opinions here.

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Maybe this is because the electric fan is on the driver side. The engine fan is turning too slow to pull a lot of air when you're idling.

techno1154 said:

I too removed mine a long time ago. The strange thing I notice though is; with the fans running, there is a lot of hot air coming from under the driver side fornt of the XJ and none from the passenger side. My question is, 'By removing this guard do one unintentionally interrupt the air flow through the radiator negatively? This may be the million dollar scientific question that I do not have the answer for. Lets get some opinions here.

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I'm pretty sure this is a combination of the fans pushing air over the exhaust manifold, which is on the drivers side. The passenger side has far less heat due to the lack of the manifold.

Cherokee91Red said:

I'm pretty sure this is a combination of the fans pushing air over the exhaust manifold, which is on the drivers side. The passenger side has far less heat due to the lack of the manifold.

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You are right. The driver side has the hot exhaust manifold and therefore more hot air. My concern though (although I am not overly concerned since the XJ do not over heat) why only one side of the XJ has hot air coming from under it.
Replying to the post by Thayer, I have two electric fans and no mechanical fans. Both fans run at the same time when the AC is on. I have a wireless remote starter that I use during the summer (yes it is always summer here in Miami) to help cool the interior before I get to the XJ.
Maybe the air flow/direction is interupted by the removal of the splash guard. Then maybe it ain't. Those two electric fans does a good job of cooling the 4.0. I will add much better then both the OEM fans together. This is the second summer for then and clearly the best mod so far.

Its junk....toss it.

Rev

So this is what my factory front skid is for... holding up the rubber splash guard