|
Yes, the sides are open, more like 4+” as you can still access and use the lifting points on the car with the pan in place.
I am beginning to think the bare aluminum is part of the root of the problem. I think the reflectivity of the bare aluminum is reflecting the radiant heat from the exhaust back up to the underside of the car, which is mainly all dark surfaces. Then as the underside of the car heats up, in turn the aluminum heats up, and because it has such low emissivity the only heat loss is due to convection/conduction.
I am now considering painting the aluminum. (I should have just bought pre painted aluminum like I originally planned….) It looks like I can get aluminum primer from the local big box, which is white. I could leave the bottom white and then second coat the top surface facing the exhaust with a flat black. That should absorb instead of reflect the heat. Then the heated aluminum pan can dissipate the heat to the air flowing under the pan. The primer is good to 200 degrees in use, and hopefully I won’t be anywhere near that limit.
|