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Some Hood Vent Differences

spudly

NAXJA Forum User
NAXJA Member
Location
Newark, CA
Had some time today to hit the local Pick-N-Pull for some bits and pieces I needed along with enough time to walk the lot and look for some extras.

I ended up finding some LeBaron hood vents, some 280Z hood vents and some 280ZX hood vents. I wasn't able to find any Pontiac GTP or Firebird vents though.

Top of vents:
vents_001.jpg


Bottom of vents:
vents_002.jpg



So the LeBaron vents are obviously the largest of the vents I could find today.

Back of LeBaron Vents:
vents_003.jpg


Back of the 280ZX Vents:
vents_004.jpg


Back of the 280Z vents:
vents_005.jpg



Looking at the vents from the 280ZX, they are pretty much eliminated. One vent has a small opening, while the other has most of the area open. You probably could get the whole vent open if this was the only thing you could find, but since I had two other excellent choices the 280ZX ones are going to stay in the yard.

The 280Z vents both have the same surface area open, I chose to take the windage tray since it was there. It just mounts to the studs and sandwiches between the hood and nut.

For comparison of surface area:

LeBaron and 280Z:
vents_006.jpg


LeBaron and large 280ZX vent:
vents_007.jpg



I ended up taking the 280Z set and the LeBaron set home with me (along with a bunch of other nit-noid chit I needed).

Now I need to figure out which set to use. I like the way the 280Z vents mounts, but I also like the larger cooling area provided by the LeBaron vents. I could just mount up the 280Z set and see how they cool. If I need more cooling I could just punch out the holes to accommodate the LeBaron vents.
 
Jeep vents.

Here's mine:
img_0294s.jpg


The white doesn't show up that well in the pics but here they are as they came from the factory on the European XJs.
xjeuro4.jpg
 
Hey spudly, which ones have gutters for the water? it looks like the 280z's only have one that has a gutter?
 
i really like the 5.9 vents. my girlfriend has a 5.9 and it looks pretty damn sexy.
 
selarep said:
Hey spudly, which ones have gutters for the water? it looks like the 280z's only have one that has a gutter?


The LeBaron vents have a gutter around the side on the top of the vent.

The 280Z vents have a windage tray/deflector that bolts up under the hood. On a 280Z where the vent is located is right above one of the relay boxes.

The LeBaron vents would sit almost flush in the hood, the 280Z vents would sit up about and inch when mounted. I'll try to take some pics today mocked up in plywood.
 
JEEPZZ said:
Jeep vents.

Here's mine:
img_0294s.jpg


The white doesn't show up that well in the pics but here they are as they came from the factory on the European XJs.
xjeuro4.jpg
All I see are red x's You have a direct link?
 
spudly said:
Now I need to figure out which set to use. I like the way the 280Z vents mounts, but I also like the larger cooling area provided by the LeBaron vents. I could just mount up the 280Z set and see how they cool. If I need more cooling I could just punch out the holes to accommodate the LeBaron vents.

I used Pontiac SunBird Turbo hood vents. I cut the holes small compared to the vents and have found that they work just fine, I get all the airflow I need. The outline on the bottom of the hood in the dirt is the size of the hoodvent. I would use the 280Z vents to be different.
standard.jpg


standard.jpg


standard.jpg
 
Tim_MN said:
I used Pontiac SunBird Turbo hood vents. I cut the holes small compared to the vents and have found that they work just fine, I get all the airflow I need. The outline on the bottom of the hood in the dirt is the size of the hoodvent. I would use the 280Z vents to be different.

I like the way you did those. I keep finding out there are quite a few more cars available for vent options than I originally thought.

I'm leaning towards the Z vents for a few reasons. One is the way they mount, a little easier for my lack of fab skills and two the first car I paid for was a 280Z. Plus like you said, not everyone runs those :D
 
jeeperjohn said:
The rack on the white one is stock for a euro

model?

no the vents from the 5.9 came stock on the euro xj
 
jeeperjohn said:
What kind of roof frack is that? Can it be mounted closer to the roof?
It's an ARB rack. To mount it lower the stock roof rails (not the same as the cross bars) would need to be removed. The bottom of the ARB's rack mounting legs sit only about 1/2" above the rails which is closer to the roof than the stock cross rails.

Sorry for the OT.
 
tO BRING UP THE DEAD

spudly said:
For comparison of surface area:

LeBaron and 280Z:
vents_006.jpg




I ended up taking the 280Z set and the LeBaron set home with me (along with a bunch of other nit-noid chit I needed).

Now I need to figure out which set to use. I like the way the 280Z vents mounts, but I also like the larger cooling area provided by the LeBaron vents. I could just mount up the 280Z set and see how they cool. If I need more cooling I could just punch out the holes to accommodate the LeBaron vents.

Actually I think the 280Z vent has more venting area. I did a few quick measurements and I think the ACTUAL open area on the 280Z is greater. The ribs on the LeBaron vents are pretty thick with about 3/16" between them. The 280Z vents have about 1/2" of open space.
 
I would go the 280Z ( they are 260Z here ) as you can space them wider up the back without cutting into the hood frame. This keeps the vents away from being directly over the TPS which is something you dont want. I have full write up ( was just published last month in Australian Jeep Action Magazine ) on where exactly to fit them.
http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoBonnet260ZVents.htm

Vents%20017.jpg
 
Last edited:
Gojeep said:
I would go the 280Z ( they are 260Z here ) as you can space them wider up the back without cutting into the hood frame. This keeps the vents away from being directly over the TPS which is something you dont want. I have full write up ( was just published last month in Australian Jeep Action Magazine ) on where exactly to fit them.
http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoBonnet260ZVents.htm

Vents%20017.jpg
Mine are located in the same spots, but turned horizontally (side to side across the rear hood edge)


Where is the TPS, and is it going to be a problem for me?
 
fubar XJ said:
Mine are located in the same spots, but turned horizontally (side to side across the rear hood edge)


Where is the TPS, and is it going to be a problem for me?

The TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) is atached to the Throttle Body. It can be finnickty if it gets wet.
 
Marcus thanks for the link I didn't realize you had a write-up on your website.
 
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