What do the side vents on the FD do?
 

I have always just assumed that they were functional, but I am not sure what they vent. I have seen a picture once that showed arrows representing flow going through the oil coolers, over the wheel well, and out those vents. Has anyone seen that or know for sure what they do? Maybe there would be a way to vent hot engine bay air out those vents?

They're the air exit for the oil coolers. Air goes through the oil coolers, up and around the wheel through the fender liner, and out the vent.

Dale

Yes, they vent the oil coolers (well, in theory anyway). Search for RonKMiller's posts a few years back about venting engine bay through them.

people tell me all the time that they are just for looks, but they are wrong. those vents are fully functional. they cool off your oil cooler(s).

Yes, anyone who had had the inner fender liners out can see the duct work into the side exits.

+1

It's so awful to see some cars out today with fake vents...it has the mesh part but it has actually no exiting/opening. Example, the Tiburon (new model) is like this...

If it's going to be designed/featured...at least make it functional.

So do the touring models have the ducting only on the driver's side? If you were to add the second oil cooler onto a touring model, would you not get the same cooling effect as the R1?

^ I have to assume the ducting is there, at least in the fender wells. Having an automatic, it has the tranny oil cooler on one side and an engine oil cooler on the other, so the set-up is basically like the R1/R2 models.

No it is all there. I have my fender liners out right now on my touring and it is all good to go from that aspect if you were to add the second oil cooler.