When I drive around my neighborhood to look for parking, I pull the hood lever to let it pop up a bit to let cool air flow into the engine bay. I think it helps the cool my engine bay down a bit. It's ok, the hood isn't gonna fly up cuz I'm only driving like 5-10 MPH. After I park, I open up the hood to help release more heat.

 

After you have stopped I would but not before hand because more air is coming into the engine bay but not through the radiator. You need to keep more air flowing through the radiator!

 

Isn't the same amount of air flowing through the radiator w/ or w/o the hood popped open?

Oh yeah, I'm too poor to buy a vented hood.

 

I think just keep it down because you may forget to close it!

 

There is only so much space under the hood for air to occupy. If you let more air in around the radiator then less will flow through the radiator. Also, air takes the path of less restriction so it would rather go in where the hood is up and not through the radiator.

 

 

Well, the hood is up only above an inch. The front air dam is a lot bigger space then the lil 1 inch gap.
But I get what you're saying about more air flowing around radiator = less air flowing through radiator.

 

Prove it in this case.

 

You got an open hole or a radiator which provides restriction. Which would you take?

 

yea but you must remember... air is all around, its EVERYWHERE... there will still be the same amount of air going to the radiator, there will now just be more air going into the engine bay... the way youre making it sound is like, the air is going to be coming at the car, stop, look, see the open hood and be like "hey **** the radiator the hood is easier to get into" i really dont think so... especially since the radiator is quite a distance from the open hood, i dont think an air pocket will form infront of the radiator and then force all air into the hood... thats just not realistic.

 

I am not saying that no air what so ever will enter the radiator. Not saying that at all. What I am saying is that air does occupy space and there is only so much space under the hood of your car. Now air is already there but while you are moving around it will leave through various places. The air coming into the engine compartment will now have more areas to enter and therefore less will be coming in through the radiator.

 

my car was over heating like crazy and when I tried to cool it, it cooled faster with the hood down than with the hood open...

 

<LOL thats some funny **** stokedxiv

 

I am currently addressing some small details in the cooling system with my new car, and I would have to imagine that if you are only driving at 20mph (subdivision speeds here) that it would help to have the hood popped. I don't think there would be enough air moving through the engine bay (from the popped hood) to make a difference in the flow to the radiator.

I haven't tried this, just wondering if anyone else has compared the two?

 

I do this when I'm about a block or two from my house, and then I open the hood completely after entering my garage. The car definitely cools down faster, and I get to admire the bling bling under my hood!

Since my car isn't a daily driver, it also makes it easier to check all the fluid levels before I leave the garage, since the hood is already open!

 

I have tried this and noticed no difference whatsoever in how the temps dropped. This is with going 25 mph.

 

Woah, day of the living thread!!! LOL!!!

Yeah, I did it and noticed no changed in temps either.

I just let the fan run after I park w/ the car on for a lil bit. I shut it off after it gets to 87-88 C.

 

For normal every day driving, it really doesn't make much of a difference to the coolant temperature. But, it will help release heat from the engine bay; thus prolonging the life of the rubber components that still occupy space in there. However, coming off a track session and doing a cooldown, it helps immensely .... that is, ANY way you can release heat from the engine bay is a help. When I get to my cooldown, my coolant temp is 115-120C ..... HOT!!!! During the cooldown, I pop the hood and within a minute I'm down to 100-105C. Then I park, pop the hood, and spray down everything.

 

Exactly why I don't do that. I just park it pop the hood for a minute after I let it idle say 30 secs. Waffer the hood up and down a few times right before I close it. Check for leaks under the car and call it a day.

Unless it's an unusually hot day I'll keep the hood open for a few hours but if not I don't.

 

I think what he's was alluding to was the fact that with less restriction from the cracked hood, air would enter there, as well as "possibly" creating a higher pressure BEHIND the radiator, thus air that would normally pass thru the rad from the front may not due to the high pressure zone.
Same thing goes (for some) when they took out the weather stripping at the rear of the hood. For some it would actually suck air into the engine bay, when it was supposed too (in theory) suck it out.
You have to remember that air acts differently when there is turbulant flows, as well as different pressure zones. My $.02

REgards,
Frank

 

I let it idle until the fans come on, then go off. Miata thermoswitch baby

 

this may be a lil strange, but after i let the car cool down and pooped the hood, i also put a big fan in front of my car blowing to the engine and turbo side...

 

If the engine is hot, I pop the hood whenever I can, to help heat escape (when parked). Over time, I can see what the heat does to the paint on my closed hood (implying that it cooks under there), so I know opening it helps.

 

You know the part number for this mod? I've been wanting to do this for the longest time. Is it an easy thing to do?

 

I was doing this for quite some time. However, after my hood started squecking and stuff, I decided not to do it anymore. After i stopde opening it, it stoped squecking. So i don't think it's a good idea, unless you like that squicking noise.