Quote:
Originally Posted by slowmover
Isn't this form of underhood air management being done on the aero Peterbilts and KW trucks, even lowly Freightliners the past 10-years or so?
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Yes, but my goal is not as much underhood air management, as it is reducing drag and saving fuel. Afterall, this IS the Ecomodder site.
The Pete 387 below has the little black side vents on each side of the hood by their red Peterbilt badge emblem. Air is also exhausted on the Pete and my truck at the rear top of the hood at the base of the windshield.
Quote:
Originally Posted by drmiller100
interesting idea.
I have a few thoughts - first, I don't think the size is NEARLY big enough. Keep in mind you are taking 1/2 of the waste heat of the entire 450 horsepower engine, and thinking it will go through that little hole, after the air has gotten hot. I think you are a factor of 20 off.
Agreed, to an extent. Again look at the Pete 387 vents above. About the same size as my rear vents. We also have an air channel inside of the hood that directs the engine cooling fan air to that rear vent location. And we have an engine cooling fan that is far better than anyone else has. The very unique cooling fan that we use has the hot air enter from its center section, and it is expelled around its perimeter towards that channel along the inside perimeter of the body. But again, underhood air management was not the primary goal. Reducing vehicle exterior drag was.
Second, I'm worried about air coming back along outside the tire, and "stacking up" on the fender - you might find you need to tip the lower part of the fender "in" below your vent to get a vortex to keep the air outside of the fender.
I am having a hard time visualizing exactly what you are describing here. But that is exactly the type of aerodynamic concern I was soliciting. The forward edge of both skirts are rolled inwards towards the longitudinal axis several inches. We still may go with an F1 fence, as the Ferrari uses.
Third, I think a MUCH more interesting thing is to look at the chin spoiler. A chin spoiler in front of or even with the radiator will keep the air out from under the truck giving the air somewhere to go. |
One is coming, we just wanted to get some miles in the winter without one first.