I had some thin sheet aluminum laying around so I figured I would build a lower scoop behind the intercooler to bring cool air into the oil cooler and rad. I took me many hrs but Iam pretty pleased with the result.

 

Wow thats awesome! great work i plan on doing something similar when i get the time, its about time somone made a oil cooler scoop

 

Just be careful driving over road debris!
We had one on a track car and managed to run over something on I5 late at night.
Whatever it was mangled the hell out of the sheet metal under there!


-Ted

 

i hear that! but the front is right aginst the bottom of the intercooler and the lip is like an 1.5". still pretty good clearance.

 

I was actually planning on doing this, I know quite a few DSM guys do it and it significantly helps with radiator flow with an FMIC.

 

On the plus side it's only sheet metal.

 

Looks sweet, I was going to do the same on my GLHS, before I wrecked it

 

I guess the real question is... has it helped?

 

Ah, the $64 question.

While futzing around on my car recently, I noticed that the stock plastic belly pan sits a few inches below the oil cooler and wondered if a custom pan (like the OP's) that fit more closely wouldn't be an improvement.
I wasn't planning on a duct though- being a NA I have no intercooler and the stock nose intake is unobstructed to the cooler.
My license plate isn't that low either.

Just an aside...
A few days ago I saw a Porsche Carrera4 up on a lift and was amazed by the extent and fitment of the pannage underneath...it is essentially flat from stem to stern with multiple panels to fit everywhere. Fortunately they are held with 1/4 turn Dzus-type fasteners but even so, just getting access to the parts you want to see (in this case, suspension) took a while.
Did look trick though.

 

Yes, but it also had to be fastened.
So, I guess it depends on how it's fastened?
Having it torn off the car at 60mph isn't exactly a sedate thing!


-Ted

 

Hmm... then would it be better or worse to use thin weak sheet metal that would just fold/crumple up if it broke off? I mean, the kind I could easily fold in half, cut with scissors, etc. I imagine then it would be like running over some debri, no? Or would it tear up hoses, etc.?

 

Something that thin would probably get ripped off just by high speed. I would prefer to have it fairly beefy that way it would withstand some rocks and the occasional recap tire. But then again I have a Vmount so I don't have to worry about air flow to the oil cooler. The best thing would just be to watch out for stuff laying in the road.

 

 

debris/water/small children??

 

Mazda put foam to the bottom of the oil cooler and radiator to seal against the plastic belly pan.

I suppose you could rivit some angled sheet metal on the plastic belly pan and use some vac line or gasket meterial that is designed to fit over the edge of metal to seal against the heat exchangers. Sounds like a better plan to me.