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hood vents

SteelblueSteve

NAXJA Member #1179
After a lot of searching and agreeing with most that the LeBaron hood vents are the best looking, I thoutht I could come up with something better. Went down the road from where I live to J.C. Whitney's main center and picked up a Wrangler hood vent, stainless steal, $37 and no shipping charges. They only had one in stock so the other one is on back order. Then I fabbed up some alum. trim pcs. .200 thick each, recessed on the back so the vent and trim pc. sat flush together. Also made up a vent for the air filter , the slots for that angled 40 degrees back so I could mount it up in front of the Rusty's air tube and filter, hoping to get cooler air to it and circulate some cooler air through the engine compartment. I glass bead blasted all the pieces and spray painted them flat black. I did the same this spring with my alum. rims and the paint has held up nicely. I'm also not far from the Cliff's offroad park and trying to get through the mud there made this all necessary due to high temps. Seems to help, temps. peak at 210 and drop a couple of needle widths where before temps were 210 to a couple needle widths up. Working at the same machine shop for 19 years has it's advantages.
 
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Sorry
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SteelblueSteve said:
Just some sheet metal screws and a little silicone.

Get rid of the silicone, the acidic acid in it will eat paint and cause rust underneath. If you need to gasket it go get a innertube and cut a gasket to shape with an xacto knife and use that or [I can't belive I'm recommending this, I HATE RTV] use a bead of RTV in the color of your choice :D
 
Jonnyjpr said:
why do you hate RTV?
Stuff does not work for me, messy, PIA, much happier with a good gasket. I've used it a bunch of times when putting in SYE on 231's and thats the ONLY place I have had good results, maybe because I'm doing it on a workbench but under the jeep doing a diff cover it gives me fits... gets everywhere, luckily none on the hootus yet...
 
RichP said:
Stuff does not work for me, messy, PIA, much happier with a good gasket. I've used it a bunch of times when putting in SYE on 231's and thats the ONLY place I have had good results, maybe because I'm doing it on a workbench but under the jeep doing a diff cover it gives me fits... gets everywhere, luckily none on the hootus yet...


Then you'd need a shirt that said, "Ribbed for your enjoyment!"
 
Urethane is the best to use and what they use in the trade. It does not have the acidic base that a lot of silicons have and bonds really well to metal and plastic. Car companies use it to keep trim pieces on.
 
These might look stupid but they work. I went to Lowes got AC floor vents you can even get the ones that open and close
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What about water and snow getting into the vents? It cant be that big of a deal? And why does everyone put them facing the rear? If you wanted more air wouldn't you put them facing the front?
 
As for why they help facing rearward, it gives the heat a place to go when the air coming in the front grille pushes it back. My Cobra has the same idea with the exhaust vents on the hood. Probably not an issue with the Jeep so much, but it also prevents the hood from being pushed up from the air pressure buildup.

I kinda dig the floor vent approach! Good idea so you can close them.
 
So far I've had no problems with water, we've had lots of rain recently, but I do want to come up with something to block off the vent I put just forward of the air filter. I was going to use some sheet metal and some strong magnets from under the hood. In clear weather just pull it off. The slots I put on that vent do face forward.
 
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