CURIOUS FRONT SPOILER OBSERVATION

[RRoller123]

I have been doing some under the hood stuff (like that doesn't happen with our cars) and took off the front spoiler and my splash guard while road testing. I left them off for a day or two and drove around doing stuff.

The car ran about 20 degrees hotter on average.

My car runs at 170 all day long except at stop lights with a long wait, where it climbs to the typical just above 195 and then quickly comes back down to 170 with the fan and when you get moving again.

Without the spoiler/splash guard, it went up to 195+ and stayed there a long time, we could drive for a miles after a stop light before it got down well below 190. Steady around town at about 190.

Interesting. These things really make a difference in getting air to flow through the engine compartment/radiator. A cool engine is a happy engine in my book.

Pete

[majicwrench]

Not in my book. An engine needs to get up to temperature, which is about 200 deg. Heat reduces friction. Heat removes junk from crankcase. Heat is not the enemy most people think it is.

It is interesting that the spoiler made that much diff. Would be fun to try that a couple times to verify, put it on, drive, take it off drive.

[brackie1]

I installed a front spoiler about two months ago and found that it made my engine run a little cooler as well.

[RRoller123]

Remember that I also have the splash shield, which definitely directs air through the radiator and around the engine. But it was surprising that these 2 components made about a 20 degree F operating delta.

[paintdudeluke]

Optimum performance temp is about 180deg, they like to set cars to run warmer for emission considerations. Anything under 150 is running on the cold side, but I like to stay away from 200+ myself. The spoiler does work quite well to aid in grill flow.

[perthling]

Is that all due to air being forced into the lower grille by the spoiler? In that case, I wouldn't expect any difference on a pre-75 car...

[DanD]

If air comes up into the engine compartment from below, it can limit the flow of air through the radiator. Spoiler or not, the splash pan is an important part of the cooling system, as it keeps air from rising up directly behind the radiator.

This is especially true at lower speeds.

[RRoller123]

Good thought. I definitely notice the lower temps at the lower speeds around town.

[brackie1]

I am not familiar with splash pan installation???

[johndemar]

That's because most pans were taken off for an oil change and never put back on again. 10 - 12 bolts to take on and off. A number of us that still have them have cut them to allow an oil filter change without removing the pan.

[toplessexpat]

Adding to this. There seems to be a bit of a move for people doing their bodywork to remove the lower grill, or reduce its size drastically. Won't this have an impact removing air flow even more?

A

[RRoller123]

typical splash pan mod:

[bradartigue]

Not in my book. An engine needs to get up to temperature, which is about 200 deg. Heat reduces friction. Heat removes junk from crankcase. Heat is not the enemy most people think it is.

It is interesting that the spoiler made that much diff. Would be fun to try that a couple times to verify, put it on, drive, take it off drive.

I'm with you - it shouldn't make that big of a difference unless the thermostat isn't regulating things properly. The spoiler absolutely forces more air into the radiator and cools the water more efficiently, but unless you are operating at the limits of the thermostat's capabilities then you should not see such a huge swing.

I say thermostat, it could also be a radiator that needs a good cleaning.

[RRoller123]

And yet that is the case. Car ran about 10 deg hotter without the spoiler, and it always runs fine, never overheats in traffic regardless of outside ambient (90F+ no problem), T-stat and fan always kick in properly at about 195F and it never goes higher. The spoiler alone (WITH the splash guard) made a big difference, surprisingly, but yes.