After talking with you guys about opening the scoop and vents on the hood, I finally tooks the plates off this weekend. Car has been running fine.

Do you guys put the plates back on when you guys get a car wash?

nope sure don't. Not even in the rain. Not that it rains alot in LA though.

no

i haven't put them back one even if i take it to a carwash (brushless!) or hand wash it myself. i am not too worried about the passenger side as the stock air intake covers the cruisecontrol box (or is it the abs solenoid?) but the drivers side has nothing to cover the battery so i was thinking about getting abattery cover or box. but so far no problems at all.

Nope, and I have the JC Sports intake, which is right under one of them http://www.i-club.com/ubb-files/smilies/smile.gif

heh, and I have the 22B Vents, and had the wire mesh out of there for a while (and will probably go back to that), which just allows any and every thing to get in there http://www.i-club.com/ubb-files/smilies/smile.gif

You let the filter element on your JCS intake get totally drenched with water, and have never had a problem?

Wow, I'd be interested in hearing other people's opinion on that.

yeah, the one time I went through a car wash, I just completely forgot I had it http://www.i-club.com/ubb-files/smilies/smile.gif

but the car still runs, and ran, like a champ! http://www.i-club.com/ubb-files/smilies/biggrin.gif

I always wash the car with the vents open and no problems. Never closed in the rain either. Been doing this for over a year now.

JGard-
Did you re-oil the filter, or check if you had too? I would think that the soap and water from the car wash would do a pretty good job of "cleaning" your filter too.

well, I have since then re-oiled the filter, yes. but i honestly don't think it needed it...I mean, the filter element was still pretty red (pink, whatever)...

Sorry guys, and not to be ignorant, but in my opinion, this seems like a pretty stupid idea. Your letting the engine open to weathering, and corrosion. I know i've had my center vent plate off for about a month now, and i've noticed ALOT more rust and that white crusty corrosion on all my bolts. My engine is usually kept spotless. So i'd suggest atleat putting the 2 front vents on when washing....i know its hard to put the middle one back on though & i have the strut bar that doesnt let vent cover to fit back on, so i'm forced to keep it off. On the bright side though, keeping the vents off DOES let alot more heat out and brings alot more cooler air in. (as i'm sure you all know) So like i said, not to be ignorant or anything, but i've noticed with my the engine hasnt taken well to the weathering since i've had my vents off.

Just my 2c.

Tim

Solution: Look here. (http://www.i-club.com/ubb-files/Forum24/HTML/002846.html)

Simpler and cheaper solution here:
http://www.azscooby.com/mods/AZScooby/Peaty/ventspacers.php

yes i put the hood vent covers back on but the main scoop stays open...

Well Peaty, I have the AL spacers from RalliSpec. Same deal, kept dripping all over the intake. Got to the point where I didn't want to go though car washes any more (good thing too, as I do a much better job myself).

Cost advantage goes to the spacers $0.30 VS the plastic covers $20 (total materials).

DIY instructions coming soon.

I thought I saw the RalliSpec spacers once. Don't they drop the vent cover down quite a bit? The spacers I use are enough to let the hot air out but contain most of the water splashed in there. Still I'd never take my car to an automatic wash, they are nasty to the paint. I like the spray wand deal once in a while.

<IMG SRC="http://www.azscooby.com/mods/AZScooby/Peaty/images/airgap.jpg" border=0>


For the hood scoop I made it so rain water would channel around the opening I made in the plate:

<IMG SRC="http://www.azscooby.com/mods/AZScooby/Peaty/images/11installedtake2.jpg" border=0>
http://www.azscooby.com/mods/AZScooby/Peaty/hoodscoop.php

I usually put mine back in when I see the rain clouds, or when I am washing it. To each their own I guess.


Joe

My Rallispec spacers bring the vent cover down about 1.25"'s. Haven't had a probelm with washing it or rain yet. But i guess better safe than sorry. http://www.i-club.com/ubb-files/smilies/wink.gif

Eric

Ever looked inside your engine compartment after you went through a puddle? All that stuff gets wet anyway. I've had no problems with having it open. The JC sports intake might present a problem, dunno. I have a ganzflow so I don't have to worry at all...

Wash it with the vents open? No way you'll get all the garbage out of there. Me, I pop that hood open and hit it with the washer. C'mon, you drive your car through the rain. Some of you will even go through a puddle or two with it.

Hell, our friends across the pond have more days of rain a year then they do dry. Guess what? Their cars have the scoops open from the factory (The lucky wankers have also had those turbo thingies for years too)! Imagine that... http://www.i-club.com/ubb-files/smilies/biggrin.gif

Its a car. Drive it.

The only thing I do worry about is some jealous punk stuff garbage into the vents!

No worries mate! http://www.i-club.com/ubb-files/smilies/wink.gif

<IMG SRC="http://pages.ripco.net/~revision/right.jpg" border=0>

Now that's kinda cool. http://www.i-club.com/ubb-files/smilies/biggrin.gif