air damn - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

last_ · 10-31-2009, 04:53 PM

how necessary is the air damn/front spoiler? i dont have mine after having got in an accident and it seems to have no effect on the car. it drove some 300 miles as well... no negative side effects.

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toomany · 10-31-2009, 05:11 PM

The plastic part of the ground effects that attaches to the bumper...not important at all. Just for looks, some cars didn't come with them from the factory.

The piece of plastic under the radiator that directs airflow up and into/through the radiator...very important. Without it your car will overheat at highway speeds.

I'm assuming you're talking about the part that is right under the bumper. Shouldn't have any issues runing without it, other than looking like it's missing something.

last_ · 10-31-2009, 07:04 PM

no not the lower valance. the actual air damn. and i didnt seem to have any issues on moving my car 300 miles on I-5... no excess temperature, nothing.

bitchin_buick · 10-31-2009, 07:13 PM

Wait till summer hits Oregon again and see how she does then. when I bought my 91Bird in the spring didn't even know I bought the car with the air dam missing.... Then summer stepped in to let me know! You got to May to make/replace it....

last_ · 10-31-2009, 08:22 PM

actually i am deploying so i have more than a year to do it. on top of that i will be lowering my car at least 1.75" too 2.00" so i will be searching for ways to not ever need this pain in the *** piece. such as drawing more air through the front bumper.

bitchin_buick · 10-31-2009, 08:37 PM

Let me know how that works out the summer when you come home.... Sounds like a good idea(Pending outcome) if you can move the air efficiently to the rad. when it is hot out.... Pics/proof could make a great thread! Good luck to you...

last_ · 10-31-2009, 09:03 PM

No prob you wise guy you! Its in the project notes i have here to make a thorough build up showcase on either cardomain.com or thirdgen.org... who am i kiddin, probly both.

Iroc-Z28Man · 10-31-2009, 09:57 PM

It would be tuff to draw air from the bumper, because at least on TPI cars the bumper holes only feed the air cleaners, I recomend looking up in Fabrication some post pertaining to that peice, some of them are not to bad looking.

racing geek · 11-06-2009, 04:18 AM

If you want airflow from the front bumper and you want to do away with the air dam, just make the car a front air breather setup. Since 90% of you probably don't know what I'm talking about, I'll try and remember to post pics later today.

Mike

DJP87Z28 · 11-06-2009, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by last_

actually i am deploying so i have more than a year to do it. on top of that i will be lowering my car at least 1.75" too 2.00" so i will be searching for ways to not ever need this pain in the *** piece. such as drawing more air through the front bumper.

That so called pain in the *** piece is very important part for the cooling system. With that said, it is your car and strip it of anything you don't want. But don't come back at a later date and say I am having cooling problems...Good Luck on your deployment.

Convoy25 · 11-06-2009, 08:49 AM

yeah its very important. i didnt have one because either it fell off, someone took it before i got the car, or 84s didnt have them.

in the summer my car would reach 220 within 30 mins. after the air dam i drove for hours and didnt get there.

if you're lowering it, perhaps you could get an air dam and shave it

last_ · 11-06-2009, 01:02 PM

hey thanks guys!! mike post that pic!! ima be droppin my car 1.75" too 2.00" so.... if i have any prayer of actually driving into a parking lot or something with a steep *** driveway then i have to do something about that front air damn. i will probly make my own piece that is a more conservative angle and height as well as draw more air from elsewhere.

let me know if ya have ideas.

hedberg667 · 11-06-2009, 01:41 PM

I almost took mine off as it was such a pain in the *** to get my jack under the front of the car. I remember i took it off once and then went on a quick run to pep boys, my car got past 220 and even in 100 degree heat in traffic it never got that high. I would consider the piece very necessary

irockid86 · 11-06-2009, 08:59 PM

when i first got my car it was lowered with intrax lowering springs 2". the air dam hit and also the tires rub and ate a hole in the plastic inner fender. just a heads up!

racing geek · 11-06-2009, 11:37 PM

Ok... I couldn't find the pictures I wanted to post so these will have to do.

f a b 1.jpg f a b 4.JPG fab2.jpg

As you can see, you basically cut out the center section of your front bumper and make a tunnel to the radiator. The air going through the radiator will be moving however fast the speedo says. If you're going 80mph down the freeway, the air going into the radiator is moving at ~80mph. You won't have much of a cooling issue unless you do a lot of stop and go traffic in which case the air dam won't do much either. If you go this route, just make sure you put a screen or expanded metal to cover the gap so you don't get garbage or animals sucked in there.

The one major downside to doing this on a street car is that you just lost the front license plate mounting location. As far as I know, some states don't require a front license plate to be on the car so you may get lucky.

Any questions?
Mike

gurkgurkgurk · 11-06-2009, 11:57 PM

you need the air damn. it doesnt push air to the radiator. but instead creates an area of high pressure causing the air to want to seek an area of low pressure which is through the radiator. your car will run significantly cooler in the summer with it on. but if you think u dont want it , or dont need it. youll need to free up some space so more air can go through the radiator. i suggest removing the AC condensor if you dont need it.

lonsal · 11-07-2009, 11:50 PM

Measure the distance from bottom lip of the dam to the ground before you lower the car. After you've lowered the car trim the dam to the same measurement you had previously.

Lon

berlin305 · 11-08-2009, 12:03 AM

Yea I don't have an air dam on my car currently never knew we had to have them. I removed the condensor and had a noticeable drop in my temp. I will be looking for an air dam. When i bought my car it never had one either. Driven like this for a long time with the electric fan on all the time.