Ok, I don't have a good pic taken of it yet, but on my '87 Z28 under the front there is some sort of air dam or something, it's kinda parallel to the radiator I guess, set back about a foot or so. It hangs low enough that if I stand back and look at my car I can see it and it bothers me, because it's all old and bent and scraped up. I think it's a deflector kind of, like it's keeping things from hitting the oil pan... I'm just guessing there though... if that's what it really is, do you think it's THAT necessary? Does it really keep stuff from hitting it that well? Cause I mean it's just plastic, it might deflect a tiny rock, but if something big comes down the road I don't think it'll stop it. Maybe I should just buy a new one.....

Anybody? This is the best pic I have...

 

Its the airdam and you should have it to keep engine temps down. Check the cooling board for more info.

 

I don't really see how it'd cool the engine down.... but it might be because there is another thing under there I took out... it was like rivited to the front lower ground effect/air dam, but the rivets ripped through the front air dam and it hung down, so I took it off....

 

Yep, airdam and you need it for highway driving.

 

It helps cool because it forces air up and through your radiator. Otherwise air wouldn't be able to get to it since there is no grill on our cars.

 

I dont understand it though .. on my car i'd need it cause there absolutely is no vents.
But on my friends 87 SC, he has the grill between the marker lights, and the three holes above it and you can see the condesor/radiator through it.
But leave it on, it never hurts.
~Tim

 

Air Dams are relatively cheap. If it breaks, get another... hell keep a few on hand. Keep it, you will need it.

 

take it off and you will be wanting to put it back on real fast.

 

i took it off....no problems yet.

 

Mine got broken by a tire on the road, it made my car un about 5 degrees warmer, not much but I will be getting it fixed as soon as I find a good one in the junkyards.

Off topic but I have the whole cowl insert (not just the back plate the whole insert) off my car right now because the paint tuned lose and I had to repaint it and its in the ultraviolent booth to dry. But it seems like my car is running about 5 degrees cooler? Makeing up for the air dam, generating a wind draw through the engine I guess.