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Aluminum underbelly pan...whats the point?

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Old 11-19-03, 07:41 PM
  #101  
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The principle is exactly the same.

So are you going to answer my question?
Old 11-19-03, 09:03 PM
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I actually plan to build one from aluminum sheet sometime within the next year. As soon as i get the time i will take measurement and slap one together.
Old 11-19-03, 09:41 PM
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Originally posted by M's
I actually plan to build one from aluminum sheet sometime within the next year. As soon as i get the time i will take measurement and slap one together.
Yea, me too! I am building a chastity belt for my nonexisstant daughter. I take back what I said earlier... please leave the garage door fully closed.
Old 11-19-03, 09:51 PM
  #104  
What R U thinking self?

 
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Originally posted by NZConvertible
The principle is exactly the same.

So are you going to answer my question?
NZ, I say yes it probably does. BUT, big phat but here; I don't think that extra little bit of caught air warrants the mass of engine compartment heat that's not allowed to escape the engine bay as fast. IMO. I would rather have a good amount of free air blow from under the car right where my glowing red turbo and exhaist system are located pushing out high engine compartment temps as I drive. My cooling system has plenty of power to cool my car, for me the cooler intake air on my stock IC with hybrid turbo is a bigger plus then is the cooler radiator.


-Robert
Old 11-19-03, 09:58 PM
  #105  
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Originally posted by Rpeck
NZ, I say yes it probably does. BUT, big phat but here; I don't think that extra little bit of caught air warrants the mass of engine compartment heat that's not allowed to escape the engine bay as fast. IMO. I would rather have a good amount of free air blow from under the car right where my glowing red turbo and exhaist system are located pushing out high engine compartment temps as I drive. My cooling system has plenty of power to cool my car, for me the cooler intake air on my stock IC with hybrid turbo is a bigger plus then is the cooler radiator.


-Robert
Then you shouldn't post about it’s BS to use it, when only in your particular case (and even then I doubt your theory) it doesn't serve a reason.

That is what everyone’s problem is with your replies in this thread. Your replies don't apply to anyone but yourself, and have been proved wrong in every case but your particular car.
Old 11-19-03, 10:17 PM
  #106  
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Originally posted by Rpeck
I'm sure Mark is right on this .. If you have a stock setup keep that thing in place .. It's there for a reason. I just do so much fiddle fuggin that it become to much of a pain to take on and off. And I am not running stock oil pump, regulator , oil cooling, or rad in my car... so I worry less about it. Some day when I am done tinkering I might pop it back on, for the drag benifit.


-Robert
I guess you missed this entire post then 2 pages back. Except I don't think now i will ever pop it on .. when i got to thinking my theroy's impressed me too much

read above.
Old 11-19-03, 11:11 PM
  #107  
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I got an extra aluminum underbelly pan. If anyone wants it PM me or email me at netseven323@yahoo.com with an offer.
Old 11-19-03, 11:26 PM
  #108  
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Originally posted by Rpeck
I don't think that extra little bit of caught air warrants the mass of engine compartment heat that's not allowed to escape the engine bay as fast.
It's not a "little bit" of air. Think how much easier it is for the air to go around instead of through the radiator. And keep in mind that apart from the small section of undertray that extends behind the radiator, the entire underside of the engine bay is open. Removing the undertray is going to make very little difference.
...for me the cooler intake air on my stock IC with hybrid turbo is a bigger plus then is the cooler radiator.
Have you measured intake air temps to see if your intercooler functions better without the undertray?

IMO your theories are pretty doubtful. I'd be taking some measurements to make sure my ideas were sound before I started compromising other areas of the car and claiming it was beneficial.
Old 11-20-03, 12:57 AM
  #109  
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In actuallity! I think that the under belly ban if properly desinged which mazda's aero engineers most likely did, would infact decrease the temps of the intercooler (in theory) because the underside of the belly pan would infact be a low pressure area and under the hood would be a high pressure area in essence sucking in more air through the oil cooler, radiator and/or Frount mount intercooler, and Top Mount intercooler if it was indeed ontop assuming the undercar belley pan was made properly. I actually have palns on doing this once I get a mazdaspeed slitter and a rear diffuser. assuming i have enough time and energy and $$$ to spend on the project I will infact post intake temps water temps and oil temps, with this mod done. I personally think that the theory is sound... Since that is what formula one uses, and most high performance GT series race cars!
Old 11-20-03, 01:23 AM
  #110  
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Somebody do wind tunnel testing already. We need data!
Old 11-20-03, 01:25 AM
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there is a wind tunnel that i could use but would not work for cars, only smaller versions of them! However there is one in Toronto at Ryerson, I did look into booking some time on it... but it was like 200 an hour!!! not worth it... we will see if I ever attend to try and get my car in there!
Old 11-20-03, 01:40 AM
  #112  
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I guess you could make a few coke bottle water manometers or whatever they are called, to collect pressure readings inside the engine bay while driving.
Old 11-20-03, 02:43 AM
  #113  
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Rpeck, you have to think of it this way. Your heat exchangers, (oil cooler, radiator, etc) all sit in a wind tunnel mounted in the nose of the car. The belly pan is a part of that wind tunnel. Without that belly pan, air most certainly does flow around the radiator, rather than through it.

How much of a difference does ducting around a heat echanger make? the difference is huge. As my friend, who is an aero mechanic of 35 years explains, if you take a heat exchanger of a fixed surface, and then take another heat exchanger of the same surface and give it a duct for air, that duct can have 4 times less surface area to its its opening, and it will still get more air than the open heat exchanger.

That is a big damn difference, and before you comment, no, there is no exception to the rule because cars travelover the ground and at lower speeds than SOME planes. Physics is physics, and a ducted surface always enjoys multitudes more air. that is simply a fact. All of those mods that you made to your cooling system, and you are probably just catching up with your car's OEM abilities.

As for the whole heat trapping bullshit goes, the only reason those manufacturers recommend a cutting of the stock pan is because they modify the location and position of the radiator, and even then, i don't think there is any benefit to performing that modification. There has never been revealed any information demonstrating that heat is trapped by the underpan.

I don't know why you would even find it so inconvenient, just what are you messing around with so often under your engine that you just can't bring yourself to put it back on?
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