Block vents on air dam?

[Jicafold]

Hello. Long time listener and first time caller. I have a 1998 Volvo V70 I'm considering an underbody panel or a lower air dam lip. The factory air dam has those vents in it where the fog lights go. So..where does the air from these go if you install an underbody panel? Does that trapped air make things worse? Should I block them off with something? Thanks.

[Gealii]

Originally Posted by Jicafold

Hello. Long time listener and first time caller. I have a 1998 Volvo V70 I'm considering an underbody panel or a lower air dam lip. The factory air dam has those vents in it where the fog lights go. So..where does the air from these go if you install an underbody panel? Does that trapped air make things worse? Should I block them off with something? Thanks.

generally speaking you should just grill block the whole front end off, but watch those temps. The air would just go underneath if you dont plug it so anything you do will help as it wont be allowing as much air to go underneath, but do within the hottest temps ull see in summer or make it removable for those months

[Jicafold]

Yes. I am trying to avoid the air going through the factory bumper and getting trapped on top of my newly installed underbody panel and negating any improvement in fuel economy. I might try blocking them off like this pic in another post.

[Gealii]

i would try blocking as much as possible then i didnt see the under body panel part. just make sure to watch your temps i removed the air dam on my ga today with a full grill block and my temps went up 30F and fan kept kicking on so i had to remove part of the block. but even allowing 50% of the air to not go through the grill helps

[Jicafold]

Well, the problem I see with that on my Volvo is that it is a turbo. So that not only blocks air to the radiator, but also the intercooler and the trans cooler. So I was considering just blocking those side vent things in the bumper.

[Gealii]

didnt realize turbo was there i would leave a small opening for those definitly grill openings are still oversized unless u pull a loaded trailer through the desert =)

[Tesla]

Originally Posted by Jicafold

Well, the problem I see with that on my Volvo is that it is a turbo. So that not only blocks air to the radiator, but also the intercooler and the trans cooler. So I was considering just blocking those side vent things in the bumper.

If you are prepared to look at temps, get sensors and gauges to monitor current set up and set base conditions, then look at sealing all the holes around radiator so that all air flow must pass through the coolers.

I imagine the coolers will be set in order such that intercooler is first, transcooler second then radiator last, I suspect you will find that once you seal all holes around radiator that you will still be able to do a 50% grille block without any negative impact on the intercooler or trans cooler.

[Jicafold]

Ok. Thank you. I'll give it a shot.