Anyone looking to get more cool air into engine compartment, then here is a quick, no cost fix.
1. Remove L/R brks., holding the radiator, in the front.
2. Remove plastic shield/air deflector, on top of radiator.
3. Trim off back half of shield/deflector, that blocks air into engine compartment, then reinstall over radiator, install brks.
Air flow will now be increased from the top part of grille, and into engine compartment.
I trimmed mine today, on the SS.
More cool air into engine compartment, means more hot air out of engine compartment. "Moon"

 

Does this also mean in a heavy downpour, you will flood your engine compartment?

 

During that heavy of a downpour, you need to slow down anyway.
Can't see where a little water would hurt anything anyway.
Besides here in Nor-Cal. we don't have downpours, bad enough to flood engine compartment. "Moon"

 

We have some great gushers here on the gulf coast. There is a thread about getting these engines wet,, sounds like its not a good thing these days from what I read.

 

I dont think trimming the plastic as you say will increase the amount of air much. The plastic is angled upward, not closed off at all, so I think trimming the angled portion would only change the direction of the air. JMO.

 

I would not get too carried away as all these panels are there for a reason.

I know with the Fiero people got to moving panels and adding scoop only to find it either did not help or increase the under hood temp. Car companies spend a lot of time on air managment even under the hood.

Besides if you are not over heating than there is nothing worng. Lower under hood temps with an engine at normal operating temp is not going to change more if anything.

If you want colder intake temps get a bigger IC.

 

Bypassing air that is normally forced through the radiator is generally not a very good idea. Heat soak is not a significant problem with this car.

 

It was'nt to get the intake charge cooler, only more air comning in under the hood, means more of the underhood hot air being routed out.
Also trimming the panel, does not take away from the radiator air flow.
Every little bit helps. "Moon"

 

I'll agree with Hyper and a few others.

Do you know by absolute fact, in actually temperature measurement, that you have reduced underhood temperatures? Or are you using a very sensitive "butt dyno" type of measurement?

I've seen and witnessed to many home brew mods that appear to do greater and better things. Only to find out, when properly instrumented and tested, they in fact, achieved nothing.....or provided a reversed achievement.

 

The idea to cool the compartment would be to cool the intake charge not the engine.

GM spent a lot of time to make sure the engine runs at a specific temp with the progamming they have in the engine.

They also work all those panels to make sure air goes where it needs too and water and other things stay out.

Todays cars are run hot and lean to make sure they keep emissions down. The cooling system is made to keep the engine in the cooling box it was designed for.

In the old days a cooler compartment would make for a cooler intake and carb. That no longer works in most new cars anymore.

GM spends a lot of time and money with cooling systems and spends each August in Death Valley testing them. THey have it down so well that cars with over heating issues are rare anymore if the car is peoperly cared for.

The bottom line is a cooler engine compartment will change little in the way to improve performance or engine temps. You may get a cooler engine compartment but that effects little.