Thread: Engine Compartment too Hot!!

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I have a lowered c3500 (3 to 4 inches from street to lower A-arm). I need advice on getting more air flow throught the compartment. I went through the starter burning up hassel that many have posted about. I finally got a high torque starter from a Datsub 240z. But after an hour on the road, the starter will click or anything. After it cools it starts right up. I am thinking of cutting a hole in the air dam and tubing the air up near the manifolds. Any ideas?

You need to get the hot air out of the engine room. There's not enough space under the lowered truck for the air to escape there any more.A quick way to verify this is to run it for a while with the hood off, it'll cool right down. Sometimes the hot air recirculates, too, is there a sealing flap between the rad support and the hood?
I've seen guys remove the fender liners to let the air out there, this may not be practical in your case, but it does work.

you need a hood full of louvers. Bill

If you're running headers, wrap them. An air intake in or under the air dam ducted to the engine compartment will help. If your inner fenders had a couple vent holes that would help, too. Or, a NACA duct on the rear of each fender ducted to the underhood compartment will exhaust some of the heat.... Unless it's right on the ground, can't really see where there wouldn't be enough air flow under a pickup.... Might want to get an insulation panel for the starter to protect it from the exhaust heat if the exhaust is close to the starter.

NACA duct, thats the $20 fix I was looking for. I did not know what they were called, I hate walking into a auto parts store asking for type of "thingy." I was thinking about using hood louvers but I was worried about rain water pooling up.