nhgator

When I put the car back on the road,with no airdam,you couldn't go over 35 without the gauge shooting to 230 in no time.

I couldn't locate a airdam localy,so just for giggles I made one from some conveyer belting I had kicking around,what a difference,after a 1 1/2 hour ride from 30-75 mph in 93 degree heat the gauge never read over 190.

Edwardgp

Thank you for the info. nhgator, I have been working on mine and I have just finished the fan shroud.

mantaguy

iTrader: (5)

99.9% of overheating is caused by some component of the air dam failing.

TreeFiddy

Only at speed - if you are stopped in traffic, air dam is doing nothing.

mantaguy

iTrader: (5)

Not really,all the parts need to be in place to keep the air that is flowing in from the fan to operate at maximum capacity.The temp. will rise in traffic of course,but not to the extent of overheating,that's why the fans kick in at 230 degrees.

nhgator

Even yesterday,in stop and go traffic to New Hampshire Motor Speedway it never got over 195,me and my son with no a/c were pretty hot though,should took the old Dodge Ram,at least the a/c is working in that.

TreeFiddy

Depends on the weather. Haven't had one on mine for 4-5 months now (damaged by curb), and was surprised to find it runs fine, so haven't got round to replacing it yet. Only gets to about 210 after a half hr high-speed driving, sits about 180-190 in traffic so I'm happy for now.

Only getting away with it cause it's winter here though - it will definitely be needed again once the summer temps get going, impossible to run without it then.

My fans kick in a hell of a lot lower than 230 though; motor's usually showing signs of distress by than.

TreeFiddy

Correction, I'm an idiot

For anyone searching - the air dam I removed recently was the one I fabbed up years ago - got crushed up against a curb. I completely forgot that I REPLACED it again, temporarily, with the original factory air dam that I took off (or what was left of it). It's split and bent backwards - the reason I replaced it when tackling overheating issues many years ago.

Probably is still at least partially doing it's thing

paul_huryk

That is due to GM designing the cars to rely on the airdam for cooling. Pretty much a bad design flaw that can be remedied, but rarely is.

hellz_wings

iTrader: (2)

You would need an upgraded dual fan cooling unit plus upgraded radiator to run without the air dam, although the cooling effect it has on the highway is worth it's weight in gold.. It's a 50$ flimsy piece of lightweight plastic that does a great job of cooling.

Although here's food for thought.. You know how everyone's air dam scrapes on everything? Well, what if you bolted it on an angle (such as the old school muscle cars have it at like the 69 camaro) then it would not be as low to the ground AND would probably cool better since the air would be diverted upwards more towards the engine?

TreeFiddy

It's a way to compensate for not having a front grill I guess, allows us to have that 'stealth' look. I really can't see how it has any effect when stopped at idle, or in stop-go traffic - there is no or little forward speed to generate any airflow for it to deflect. It's all about the fan(s) then.

Of course, at sustained cruise rpms for any duration, it is a requirement. Even my busted-azz one.

TreeFiddy

That's just what I did with the one I made up out of galvanised aluminium, was more of a scoop at about 30 degrees to the horizontal. Worked very well for many years but was gathering damage bit by bit, until I wiped it out good

hellz_wings

iTrader: (2)

Was the cooling on par with what it was at the stock angle? And how did you damage it if it was higher than stock? I would assume it would scrape alot less?

TreeFiddy

I believe that new, the stock one is angled forward just a little. My stock one is bent backwards, has about an inch scraped off the bottom, and is split at the top. This is why I replaced it. I made one myself, because at the time I couldn't source a new one locally for a sane amount of money.

So I can't really say if my version cooled better than an undamaged stock one, but in the summer months here it did a WAY better job than the messed up stock one. There's been quite a few guys on here that have done something similar, search around. Seems to be an area of great creativity - eg think I saw a guy who made a hinged one.

There's plenty of things something hanging off the bottom of a car can find to hit, esp one this low! The stock dam at least has a bit of give being plastic; my sheet metal one fared worse. Lasted about 8-9 years though, got to replace it again before summer hits.

Blackknight

iTrader: (1)

This will be a stupid noob question but the air dam is that the piece that is connected to the front bumper and goes underneath the car parallel to the underside of the car? Or is it the one that kinda comes down from the radiator area or even both? I know I don't have the one underneath on my TA I haven't had any troubles so far with the car overheating but I don't drive to many long distances without it at high speeds.

thanks

Ozz1967

iTrader: (4)

The air dam is only effective at speeds over 35MPH. it's designed to create a low pressure area behind it, allowing air to be "pulled" across the radiator. In traffic and at speeds lower than 35, your car relies on it's cooling fan.

TreeFiddy

That one.

Blackknight

iTrader: (1)

Thanks, that one I have in place luckily even though it is flapping around

waltersb

Someone suggested I build it scoop like, instead of a dam. That way you could raise it up an inch or so so it doesn't hit so many things. Make it out of fibreglass or something. I think the reason it's made out of plastic is so it bends...

nhgator

Mine is like that,first attempt is still on the car,wraps forward around below the radiator inlet,kinda ******* but works.

Version 2 will be a little smaller and more subtle


edit-wow red part-below-the-head is a forbidden word here.

Blue1990camaro

iTrader: (1)

air dam? whats an air dam, i know how dumb i probably sound but its like 1am and im so lost as to what an air dam is....


anyone have a pic they can post with and without it??

TreeFiddy

It's a nearly vertical piece that mounts below the rad - both to direct air up to the front of the rad, and create a low pressure area behind it to remove waste air.

Try some ing... eg first pic in post 6 of this thread:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/body...e-air-dam.html

Blue1990camaro

iTrader: (1)

oh ok i know what your talking about, my iroc is missing it, its always run kinda on the warm side, i JUST took it off my sport coupe because i did an RS front end conversion, i didnt think i had to put that on but i gues i will now lol

88I-ROC

Why you don't go to Camaro Heaven to get an original one? it's in your area...

built91Z28

The airdam does enough on my car that if I'm cruising over 35 mph, I turn the fan off. Motor stays at 190 degrees all day long even in 95 degree Florida summer.

nhgator

I called that place several times looking for various parts,always got "give me your name and number,we'll call back"

Never got a call back,total waste of time,wouldn't bother again.

88I-ROC

Since you live in the area, I would have just drive there, they should have this part for sure. If not, you can go online to thirdgenranch.com they should have it as well

P.S.
I used to live in NH as well,lived in Manchester and worked at the mall in Concord, Steeplegate

nhgator

I figure,if they can't call back and say we have it,come on up or we don't have it,sorry why should I waste any more time with them?

88I-ROC

Just sayin, I usuallt don't rellay on phone call, I like to go to the place and see for my self, but you should try thirdgenranch anyway, they probably has it.

HiPerf_Chevyman

NO way, I thought I had the only Third gen F-body there. I Parked over on the backside of the track.. 80% of the cars were foreign. Honda vans. WOW i cant tell how many of those i saw. heck 6 years ago there was third gens all over. I liked walking through the parking lot checking out what people had for Cars and such, and the women of course but there wasn't much to look at this year...

Oh yea, you live in concord.... you must know of Camaro heaven, I've been there a few times, They can hook you up with whatever you need. Its in Tilton.. pretty easy to find..