Skip to main content

Closed14 replies

Engine compartment Baffles / Seals

David Stroud IM Roadster DDavid Stroud IM Roadster DOttawa Canada '83 IM Soob
Lads, I've got an approx. 1983 IM with a stock 1600 engine. We just put the engine back in having had to change the oil cooler seals and my helper enquired about the engine compartment baffles. I'm referring to the baffles or seals that surround the engine and more or less separate the upper part of the engine compartment from the outside elements below the engine. Is there any purpose to them other than to keep some road grime, dirt, rain etc. from getting at the top of the engine? If they were totally sealed up, like perfectly, how would the carb or cooler fan get any air to do it's job. My engine compartment lid ( hood ? ) has a false grill and can't admit air. I searched the airchives and found no advice. Ron O'Black..you have an older IM. Could you or anyone else please describe what should be there? Right now there's a bit of a 1/4" panel roughly cut to fit the rear end and it has a large inner tube to provide a bit more of a seal around the sides and rear end. Thanks...Dave Stroud.

David Stroud

 '92 IM Roadster D 2.3 L Air Cooled

Ottawa, Canada

 

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

David Stroud IM Roadster DDavid Stroud IM Roadster DOttawa Canada '83 IM Soob
Lads, I've got an approx. 1983 IM with a stock 1600 engine. We just put the engine back in having had to change the oil cooler seals and my helper enquired about the engine compartment baffles. I'm referring to the baffles or seals that surround the engine and more or less separate the upper part of the engine compartment from the outside elements below the engine. Is there any purpose to them other than to keep some road grime, dirt, rain etc. from getting at the top of the engine? If they were totally sealed up, like perfectly, how would the carb or cooler fan get any air to do it's job. My engine compartment lid ( hood ? ) has a false grill and can't admit air. I searched the airchives and found no advice. Ron O'Black..you have an older IM. Could you or anyone else please describe what should be there? Right now there's a bit of a 1/4" panel roughly cut to fit the rear end and it has a large inner tube to provide a bit more of a seal around the sides and rear end. Thanks...Dave Stroud.

Attachments

Hide
Images (1)
  • IMG_1858
Gordon NicholsGordon NicholsMassachusetts 1993 CMC Supporting Member
There has been a lot written on here about "heat shields" but mostly for CMC cars which are a lot like early IM's. They are horizontal sheet metal (or fiberglass) panels that block off the spaces around the engine such that they separate the top (intake) area from the lower (exhaust) area, keeping the heat where it belongs. If you put them in place, you'll need to open up the area under the grill to get air in there for the carbs (and maybe add a hole in the firewall, too).

Do a search on here for "heat shields" and go from there.
Alan MerklinAlan MerklinDrclock - Elkins, West Virginia Supporting Member
I use black aluminum panels and a VW bus H' seal at the crank pulley end and sides of the motor above the valve covers, this keeps the exhaust heat away from the engine bay. The remaining 2" high opening at the vertical firewall I don't seal that area as you get cooler air in that opening while driving...and make sure that there is a firewall opening for the cooling fan intake. ~Alan
FM Former Member
What Alan just said.
The top of the engine wants/needs cool air. The bottom of the engine supplies lots of very hot air. KEEP THE TOP AIR SEPARATED FROM THE BOTTOM AIR!

Can you cut out slots in the side of the depression where the "false grille sits? That is normal on all speedsters I've seen (not familiar with CMC). One slot on each side, just below the grille. Do not remove the whole bottom or rain will be a problem. Many cars even had drain holes at the lower end of the grille depression to guide errant rain away from electrics and air cleaners, especially when parked.
Alan MerklinAlan MerklinDrclock - Elkins, West Virginia Supporting Member
The chrome air cleaner shielded the carb from rain.
In the bottom L & R corners of the deck lid there are 1/4"" drain holes, the other round vent holes help with getting the hot air out of the engine bay.
The year I showed this speedster at Carlisle (now owned by Sly Mathis) it rained on and off... even while parked at the hotel no water problems. It also poured Sunday afternoon for an hour on my way home and still ran great. ~Alan
Gordon NicholsGordon NicholsMassachusetts 1993 CMC Supporting Member
I ran small Hollys on dune buggies in the same configuration Alan used on that Speedster. Never had any problems with them in the rain as long as a sensible air cleaner was used. Had one buggy that had spark problems in the rain, and that was solved (in the field) by wrapping a plastic shopping bag around the distributor until we got home and replaced plug wires and cap (which had carbon traces inside).

These engines will put up with a LOT before they quit...
Post Content
Remove This Ad

Membership Required

We're sorry. You must be signed in to continue. Sign In or Register
×
Are you sure you want to remove from your Block List?
×
Loading...
×
When you block a person, they can no longer invite you to a private message or post to your profile wall. Replies and comments they make will be collapsed/hidden by default. Finally, you'll never receive email notifications about content they create or likes they designate for your content.
Note: if you proceed, you will no longer be following .
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×

Access to this requires a premium membership.

Supporting Member

Please help keep us running!

Supporting members have donated about $4.00 a month ($49.00 US per year) paid annually.

  • Priority support
  • Removal of inter-page (between thread) advertisements.
  • Access to Build Manuals
  • Access to Knowledge Base
  • Access to Supporting Members events.
  • Access to Leveraged Group Buying from site Merchants.

AUTO RENEW: You membership will auto-renew after 12 months. If you prefer not to auto-renew, you can cancel your premium membership at any time and it will remain in effect until the end of the 12 months. To cancel, sign in at SpeedsterOwners.com and navigate to: (Your User Name)  > Premium Membership.

PLEASE NOTE: Your credit card will receive a charge from CROWDSTACK PAY, the payment processor, not SpeedsterOwners.com.

$49.00 per 12 Months (plus tax if applicable)
×