Hood louvers, advantage and disadvantages...
 

While the engine hood is on schedule of repaint, wonder if venting hood would give more advantages than disadvantages, does it significantly help cooling? What I like from it it would give more aggressive look to the car, a question how much it can reduce temp?

It may ruin original design of the car, but my main worries it gives trouble to the aerodynamic if it is in wrong put or wrong design, besides reasons like trapping water to come into engine block and soaking wiring harness, sensors, etc.

Despite my car is nowhere close to this cars, I like big model vents in the middle of the hood facing to windshield like louvered hood of M1 BMW but can't find its picture in details yet, or twins model on the right and left side of hood like on Dodge Viper. Any of you have experience and can share with us here is very much appreciated.

thanks

Re: Hood louvers, advantage and disadvantages...
 

I know in the 80's it was common to vent the hoods of ambulances. I'm kinda skeptical as to whether or not it actually did anything, as the 70's & 80's model Ford ambulances had a much larger grille area than the current model Fords, and I don't think I've ever seen one on the current body style that has had a vented hood. I think it was probably more of an aesthetic thing, as the hood vents on ambulances were usually chrome.

Re: Hood louvers, advantage and disadvantages...
 

While I don't have direct experience with them, I'd speculate they could help cooling if you're running a full grille block, and hurt Cd if you aren't running a full grille block.

Re: Hood louvers, advantage and disadvantages...
 

It would seem counterproductive to gas-saving goals. For saving fuel it is generally accepted as better to retain heat in the engine bay, and of course it would be aerodynamically bad.

Re: Hood louvers, advantage and disadvantages...
 

Reminds me of my old 78 civic, it had wider open grille and four vents on the hood. It didn't have heat problem, even though the fan was not properly shrouded. While car produced in 90's were too much aerodynamic oriented and aesthetically designed, they had small grille, no vents on the hood.

Agree, the car was on busy traffic last week and the temp was fine, as long as the temp is within the range of which is acceptable, no need to vent the hood. Neither it supports the aero nor saving gas. Perhaps, it's an alternative in some cases of overheat no other methods are available to solve the problem.

thanks