I've been having some cooling problems, and have been reading the boards. Today I had the hood latch shroud off to clean the condenser...and I snapped this picture.

I read of an Air Dam...and I think that I'm missing mine.

My Questions:

1+) Does the Air Dam mount where you see the grass in my picture...in front of the condenser? Is it one piece, or several pieces? What's wrong with the picture, if anything (other than I need to clean down in there)?

2) How does the Air Dam work? Does it block that area from the ground to KEEP air in that flows through the grill, or does it have a vent in it to allow--scoop--additional air in?

3) Will an Air Dam from any 82 - 92 Camaro work, or is there something special about them? I read that Firebirds are different...and just need to make sure that there aren't any exceptions to the rule.

Thanks guys! I appreciate all of your help.

 

The air dam hangs down vertically below the radiator. One from any thirdgen Camaro should fit, Firebirds are different somehow. It creates a low pressure area behind it while the car is moving which draws air through the radiator.

 

Ahhhhh...I think that I do have one, then. Is this the infamous air dam? If so, it looks a lot different than what I've seen pictures of.

 

Umm if thats your air dam(which it doesnt really look like ,i dont know what that is but youll prob have to take it off to install the air dam) then it must have been bent back and now its basically a waste of space. I just ordered one from Hawks (top of page) I got it a week ago, keeps my car at waaaaay more consistant and cooler temperature. It costs 25 bucks (took about ten days to ship. You must replace it!!!! Ohh and once you get it you may have trouble with speed bumps and driveways (it scrapes the ground) So try to take your time in these situations. Just get under the car and it mounts on the bottom of the radiator. Good luck and post what happens!!

 

your air damn is missing. I will try and attach a pic. Camaro air dams are a one piece unit. The firebirds and TA's are a 3 piece unit. hawks has the firebird ones for $35


http://www.hawksthirdgenparts.com/air_dams

 

Sorry I wasnt paying attention You have a Camaro. its still on the link, but you only need the one piece unit. Gr89rs is right they hang straight down and they bottom out all the time. Mine scrapes every time I back out of my driveway. Thats probably why yours is missing.

 

Thanks for the good info, guys!

Hmmm...my car is lowered (Eibach Pro Kit), so I'll bet the stock air dam will really scrape now . Has anyone ever tried shaving off an inch or two to compensate for cases such as this?

 

I shaved off about 3/4 inch and it helped with (most) speedbumps but not steep driveways.

 

can someone take a pic of their airdam installed? I think mine looks like yzarcem's also...

 

Ah, so that is what the 1st owner meant, when he said that he removed a piece of fiberboard from the bumper. This same a--hole also drove for 12 years without a working speedometer, because he was too cheap to replace the cruise control, or get a one-piece speedometer cable. My 700-R4 must have loved that. He never replaced the plugs, wires, hoses. Windexed, not washed/waxed the car. I am surprised that it still runs. Let us knock on wood.

 

Do the air dams face forward a bit instead of hanging down vertically and the little bend backwards as well. Cuz mine hand vertically down and from half way down goes to the back instead forward. Please tell me that the air dam faces forward a bit so it scoops air. Please.

 

Yes well on Camaros they face forwards maybe yours is on backwards , try taking it off and put it on the other way...youll get much more air!!!!

 

Well I recently installed a stock airdam and it looks nothing like that picture.

It'll mount right in front of the radiator on lower support. If you look right there there should be like 6 or 8 holes to hold it in place. You're supposed to use a certain type of screw, but I just used some small nuts and bolts with washers and it works fine. It only cost me $25 and the car runs much nicer.

 

I suppose you have seen this web site.

As he asked. pull his finger.

 

The air dam is under the car's front end, hangs down, looks like a spoiler. You need to be under the car to see it. It is a PITA, drags on everything, if you don't see it, its gone!!

 

My air damn is facing straight down with the bottom half bent backwards. I tried putting it on the other way, but it overheated faster since that air would be scooped under the radiator, right where that metal is to which you bolt on the dam. It was backwards when I compared it to the pictures I saw that I had it right the first time, but it was hanging all bent back. So I ordered a new one from hawks and it should be here shortly. Also I only had one piece as to it is three that I need. Go figure.
I have everything else in my cooling system replaced with the exact fit or something even better. I keep cool untill I start driving and than it starts climbing up to over 220. Its crazy.

The only two things I need to replace is my bottom hose (dont want to refill the radiator again), and the air dam.
If this doesnt help I will be pissed.
Also my thermo is 180* but it does not kick in till the guage hits 225* my guage might be wrong??? I keep hearing that people have this same problem on their third gens, is this just a faulty guage or is there something wrong???

 

I think that what you see in the picture is my air dam. It mounts in the same bolts (on the bottom of the radiator) as the air dam mentioned, and it goes so far as to connect to the fenders.

While I was under there replacing my steering gear, I installed my "new" air dam. I had to take the existing piece off to install it. Here are the detailed carvings on what I took off (two pieces):

GM Canada Windsor Pt No 14019133 LH2 L/0 E/C 47

GM Canada Windsor Pt No 14019134 RH2 L/0 E/C 47

I'm going to give it a try with the new piece. If I don't see an improvement temperature-wise (hard to do with an idiot light), I'll probably go back the way it was.

 

He launched just to show his air dam to you

 

Two pictures of my air dam, per your request:
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...84817657uLGwEU
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...84817668kJAtrc

Hope this helps.
Lou

 

The air dam actually does two things,as someone said it creates a low pressure area which pulls air BUT it also forces air to come through the radiator from the front instead of circulating around the bottom of the radiator while stopped.This is extremly important in stop and go traffic which is when most third gen cars get hot.Why?Because they knocked the air dam off on parking blocks and speed bumps.Also,Define cooling problem,the computer in my car,STOCK chip,doesn;t tell the fan to come on until 230-235 degrees.This is an emissions thing as it burns more of something at that temp.I found that putting in a 160 thermostat and bypassing the relay with a toggle switch allows me to keep my car at 165 ish,if I want.In the winter I let the puter do it.Also I noticed a milage increase with the engine cooler,that part I don't understand.Electric fans,so finicky gotta love em.

 

The air dam does absolutely nothing at a stop, how could it? It only functions when moving, and particularly at highway speeds. Overheating in stop and go traffic is usually airflow related, but due to a weak or inadequate fan.

 

OK,not gonna start arguing,the airdam helps when you are stopped by HELPING to prevent air that is already heated from the radiator from being circulated under the radiator and back in the front.Air will always take the easiest path,that two inch strip adds a barrier to keep that hot air from being pulled around by that electric fan.if you don't believe it watch the temp spike at a stop with no airdam.Just like a shroud on old style fans forces air through the radiator by not letting go around.and it helps to pick up air while going down the road.and trust me 220 degree air is not gonna cool water.I've seen it at work,I drive all day,we have cars that the airdams are busted off and if we stop for any length of time in em the temp will spike with the fans wide open,put that little strip back on and that problem goes away.That has been my experience,nothing more.Nice Ride, Also GM went through several airdam fan packages on the third generation cars,his is an 84,that may have before they changes to help em?I dunno just thinkin out loud.

 

I would agree with Tunedporttuner, I would also add that the first pic in this thread is missing another piece of plastic panel which would keep the heated air from being recycled thru the radiator as well. The piece sits in front of the air dam and closes up the front end under radiator to the nose of car completely. On my TPI, the air box sits on top and if it is removed completely, you can't see the ground at all, just the top of this panel I am talking about and the front of the radiator. With ALL panels/covers installed properly the only air that will enter the radiator and or air intake is air coming thru the nose of the car. There also was a plastic shroud behind nose that directed air to the radiator which I removed because I gutted the bottoms out of my air box under filters to inhance air flow thru intake. From most threads I have read on over temp conditions on this site most of them if not all can be solved by putting your car back together as designed and making sure the various components of the cooling system are functioning properly.