Dusty engine bay with electric fans??

427Swede

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 6, 2011
Messages
369
Location
East coast of Sweden
Ok, have put around 500 miles on my 69 now and I have noticed that I get alot of road dust all over the engine bay:shocking:
Since I'm using twin Spals the original fan shroud is not used. This means that there is a big gap between the lower part of the radiator and front crossmember. This gap was more or less closed with the original shroud.
My suspicion is that road dust is forced up through this gap and filling my engine compartment.
Or am I totally wrong? Is it normal for a Corvette to function like a 400+ horsepower dust sucker? I never drive on gravel roads, only tarmac that is clean.
I need your experience on this guys! Thinking of making the bottom part of the old shroud into a mold and fabricate a new glassfibre cover to seal up this area. That is, if you think it would be an improvement.

//Daniel
 
Last edited:
I have never had much problem, but I assume your Spals are like mine, mounted in the same plane/parallel to the radiator.....so they aim down towards the crank pulleys.....BUT when mounting my fans, I sealed that bottom area with some thin aluminum flashing, like from house roofs....sealed the side gaps with plastic HVAC pipe wrap...never an issue....

:mullet:
 
Thinking of making the bottom part of the old shroud into a mold and fabricate a new glassfibre cover to seal up this area. That is, if you think it would be an improvement.

//Daniel

I have the exact same issue with my '73. The upper part of my original shroud was broken so planned to cut the lower part off and use it to seal that gap. Unfortunately, I broke the lower part of the shroud getting it out and I've not found anything that will glue it back together. Fiberglass didn't stick and neither did some plastic epoxy I tried.

DC
 
Unfortunately, I broke the lower part of the shroud getting it out and I've not found anything that will glue it back together. Fiberglass didn't stick and neither did some plastic epoxy I tried.

DC
What about that?
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0zpqhhcmp4[/ame]

Just a wild guess, I just don't know what this shroud is made of, mine came without.
 
I have never had much problem, but I assume your Spals are like mine, mounted in the same plane/parallel to the radiator.....so they aim down towards the crank pulleys.....BUT when mounting my fans, I sealed that bottom area with some thin aluminum flashing, like from house roofs....sealed the side gaps with plastic HVAC pipe wrap...never an issue....

:mullet:

I never really reflected on this until I noticed all the dust... Since the old shroud is still in good shape I think I will save it in original condition and only use it as a mold.
Will have to take a look if there are any more gaps as well.
The Spals are functioning perfect! With the original rad and my edelbrock alu pump they keep the engine at 180-200ºF no matter how I drive. Very pleased with this:beer:
 
Thinking of making the bottom part of the old shroud into a mold and fabricate a new glassfibre cover to seal up this area. That is, if you think it would be an improvement.

//Daniel

I have the exact same issue with my '73. The upper part of my original shroud was broken so planned to cut the lower part off and use it to seal that gap. Unfortunately, I broke the lower part of the shroud getting it out and I've not found anything that will glue it back together. Fiberglass didn't stick and neither did some plastic epoxy I tried.

DC

No, I have no idea either... It is dark grey and I can peel off thin layers of plastic film from it.
Seems to be at bit "greasy" and as you say, difficult to glue back together.
 
Sealing off the area from behind the chin spoiler all the way to the cross member would be ideal. Probably help a lot extracting hot air from the engine compartment too.
 
I have never had much problem, but I assume your Spals are like mine, mounted in the same plane/parallel to the radiator.....so they aim down towards the crank pulleys.....BUT when mounting my fans, I sealed that bottom area with some thin aluminum flashing, like from house roofs....sealed the side gaps with plastic HVAC pipe wrap...never an issue....

:mullet:

I never really reflected on this until I noticed all the dust... Since the old shroud is still in good shape I think I will save it in original condition and only use it as a mold.
Will have to take a look if there are any more gaps as well.
The Spals are functioning perfect! With the original rad and my edelbrock alu pump they keep the engine at 180-200ºF no matter how I drive. Very pleased with this:beer:

I understand these sharks have slightly different size radiators through the years, but on my '72, I noted the Spals would mount nicely to a couple of struts I made from 1" angle aluminum, bolted to holes drilled into the back hook of the radiator supports, both top and bottom, orient the fans to miss the upper A arms...since there is a long flat surface with the fans bolted to it in 3 spots, it's a wonderful clamp for some thin aluminum flashing, about 5" wide and full width of the radiator....its just bent over into the bottom of the rad mount, been that way for years now....I did it for better sealing for airflow when fans are on....my computer kills the fan power when doing like 40-50 mph, even with a/c on.....:yahoo:
 
What about that?

Just a wild guess, I just don't know what this shroud is made of, mine came without.

Don't know if friction welding would work on the shroud but I have to keep this trick in the back of my mind for possible future use. Another trick I need to remember and possibly try on the shroud is to melt Leggo blocks with acetone and make a glue out of them.

DC
 
Sealing off the area from behind the chin spoiler all the way to the cross member would be ideal. Probably help a lot extracting hot air from the engine compartment too.

I think I'll add this to my list of things to do. I'll make some templates out of cardboard and then figure out how to fab something more durable. I don't weld so maybe I can find some thin aluminum and cut and bend it up.

DC
 
Top