914 559 163 10 "protection cover" question. Those plastic deflectors under the firewall.
What are they for ? Are they to deflect dust and stones from hitting the engine tin ?

They are not fitted on the 914-6 and I was told they were not fitted on early 1.7 ? Do you have any information about this part ?

I believe they were installed on 73 and later cars. Purpose is to affect air flow for better cooling.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=102763

Yeah---A lot of guys have added these to they're early four cyl. cars. Don't know if they really make any difference.

Cooling is the reason, I looked at these when I did the airdam. They create a low pressure area behind them and draw the hot air down.

Looks good on paper, and should actually reduce the operating temps, how much... who knows, but I bet that someone here could let us know thire experience. I had thought about making these in Aluminum as it would be relitively inexpensive. Just never got around to it. Mostly becaue I had not got a chance to evaluate it myself.

So only installed on post 73 cars ? ...

Yes.


Btw. the Boxster has a similar setup ...

The theory is solid, so I'd suggest they should never be removed, and perhaps added as feasible.

I thought my '72 1,7 D-jet ran a little hot, oil temp about 220F (+105C), this was during a hot summer day 86F (+30C). Fitted deflectors and ran the same road trip at constant speed (90mph) with and without them. I was surprised that the oil temp fell down to about 208F (98C) with the deflectors fitted. (My car has a dipstick temp sender which is newly calibrated at +100C so the readings should be quite accurate).
However in city traffic and low speed i doubt there is any sigificant effect from them.

Belive me I will keep the deflectors fitted...


/Lars S

Would they make a difference for a stock /6?

Does anyone have a photograph or schematic of these deflectors they could post?

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=102763

Yes, anything that helps the cooling fan push air from the top is going to help. in fact, they should probably go all the way across rather than simply target the cylinders. But that would take a little wind-tunnel work to check that theory out. They do occasionally get scraped during a curb high-side, but better cooling that doesn't cost you a bunch of horsepower is always a good thing. Keep the flaps!

I'm using the same effect on my front oil cooler outlet.

Click to view attachment

The only low pressure areas on the car are either at the front (right behind the bumper) and anywhere else where a "thing" sticks up and creates one behind itself.

OT a little:
Now, from a road-holding perspective a partial vacuum under the car would be the best... in the areas we select, of course. That would be everywhere except where air needs to cool, like the transaxle. A good example is the Chaparral Can-Am car from the '60s early '70s.

Click to view attachment

Those guys were seriously after low pressure. It was eventually banned from competition because nobody could keep up with it in the corners and, or so I've heard, it was a little hard on the tracks. I doubt the last one a bit, but if all cars were vacuum cleaners...

http://www.google.com/search?q=Chaparral+C...070&bih=730

Another reason for the ban on the Chaparral "Sucker" car was that it left a lot of dust an debris in its' wake due to the snowmobile powered fans. The other drivers were complaining about the effects of literally having to eat the Sucker car's dust.

Merci beaucoup!

.....Yes they do make a difference in air flow!
(back yonder)

Yes, 73-76 only.

And the way I heard it from dealers back in the day, it started in order to keep the 2.0 H-4s cooler with the extra power & displacement, and added to 1.7s & 1.8s to run them a bit cooler as well.

Mark W. & the others above explained how it works well already.

I have a prototype that will be ready this next week. A little different, but just as effective and durable.
-Mark

Mark...please let us know when they are ready...definately interested.
Mike