Hot Hot Hot

[midnight sun]

Anybody got any ideas on how to cut down the heat in the engine compartment of a Model A coupe?

Full fendered with the hood sides and top on. The sides are louvered.  Water temperature is not an issue.  Usually 190-205.  The problem is heat being unable to escape the engine compartment.  Driving for 2-3 hours in 85-90 degree temperature and you cannot touch anything in the engine compartment.  

I guess one help would be to louver the hood also which I dont really want to do but I just cant see any place where I can construct any type of exit for the hot air to escape.

On the way to Pueblo the car died after about a 4 hour drive in 90 degree weather.  The problem turned out to be that the control module in the HEI went TU.  Got towed to Pueblo and when it cooled off installed a different module and away we went.  I am of the belief that the heat destroyed it.

Thanks in advance.

[unklian]

Are the hood sides louvered ?

[midnight sun]

Are the hood sides louvered ?

Full fendered with the hood sides and top on. The sides are louvered.

[wayne petty]

belt driven mechanical fan..

or thermostat controlled electric fans..

or a combo of both??

if you need to cool things off in a hurry.. rig in an override switch to turn on the electric fans with the engine off..  the radiator takes about 20 seconds to cool off with the engine turned off .  all the rest is cool air onto the motor..

a few forward opening louvers.. or perhaps.. somebody has  cast stainless louvers that can be bolted on over oval slots making it easier to paint side panels..  this would give the car owner the ability to have them facing backward to  let heat out.. and face some forward to allow them to scoop in cool air behind the radiator.. as all the air coming into the engine compartment is coming thru the radiator..


building a second set of side panels for summer driving with a large forward opening scoop.. or several forward opening louvers..

depending on the ground clearance. perhaps an actuator to drop a ram air scoop below and behind the radiator.. so on highway runs the scoop is lowered and air diverted into the engine compartment behind the radiator.. diluting some of the heat there..  depending .. it could be part of the radiator shroud.. if there is enough room..

a second set of side panels with imsa type of flairs to allow heat to escape the back end of the engine compartment.

opening up the louvers

double punching the louvers.. what.. yea.. punch them from the inside out.. but also from the outside in..  if the punch part is designed for it with a flat face at the shear..  it could be performed with some skill..

just curious with louvers.. i see to recall seeing them done on shop presses.. or was i mistaken.. and they are done on big G shaped  english wheel frames..  or has anybody created them on something like a bead roller/edge former..

i used to have an idea about using C clip axle tubes. axle bearings and some creative machining of some used axles to create a bead roller..  could even use conventional axle housing ends and much thicker tubing

sorry if i went all louvered and blow the thread way off course..  i guess i am just PUNCH drunk tonight.

ps... White transistor compound works great.. some electronic stores sell it .. this goes under the ignition modules in HEI ignitions..
there is also nothing to stop you from installing a custom fit heat sink on the bottom of the HEI housing..  again using white transistor thermal paste.