308 GT4 - Foam Seal on Front Deck Lid

On my car there is barely room between the radiator and the vertical steel panels attached to the chassis to slide a piece of paper so can’t imagine foam between the two. Maybe in the gap between the radiator and the AC condenser?


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I use that grey plumbers pipe lagging ( 15 mm pipe ) .A piece under the lid it’s self adhesive.A few more bits stuffed down both sides .This is to block out air escape routes .It works .Also forces more air through the air con rad .

Few years a ago I took the car to Switzerland. In August every day I did my favourite pass accent .
At the top a parking area + coffee shop .
Summer temps obviously varied depending on the time of day .Often I would set off at say 25-30 degree *C outside temps .
Noticed temp gauges in shops / stations etc .

Then start the climb low gears 4-6000 rpm slow speed steep accent for about 20 mins .Multiple up hill steep hairpin bends to slide the car around .
The water temp as you expect would start to climb followed by a lag the oil temp .
Then I blocked using this foam lagging the air gaps .Yes I did open the rad vent screw now and again to double check air in the rad = bled it off .Nothing significant just straight coolant.Also when cold in the AM open the expansion chamber to check the level = again never altered each day .So I knew the system was functioning as best it could .

Two things happened immediately
1- The temps gauges moved a very small amount say from 6 o clock to half way to 5 .
With the air gaps they would swing over to 4 and sometimes if the village temp was 30 *C even heading to 3 .

2 The Aircon actually worked to be reasonable Ok .Far better than with the air gaps .


Descending almost free wheel ie zero load on the engines in a high gear going down hairpin passes the gauges always obviously returned quickly to 6 o clock or even 7 ish

The downer and there is a downer of forcing ALL the air through ie no escape is in the winter lower temps it’s takes ages to warm up the water sits at 8 and 7 but eventually after 1/2 hr creeps to 6 o clock .

So there you have it ,Blocking escaping air around the cooling pack increases its efficiency and improves the AC to the point it’s actually makes a positive difference .

 

This stuff any DIY hardware store .
The hollowness means it crushes easily.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Grey-Pipe-Insulation-Foam-Length/dp/B071HNPGF1

 

My car is up on lift covered. I have one I bought from GTcarparts 4 yrs ago. Perfect fit

 

The radiator corners are an oddly shaped piece....I just cut a new one from Armaflex.
Seeing in a TAV is not going to be very informative and NO telling which diagram it's on!!

The OEM foam was open cell, held water and is long rotten to duct by now.

I could cut th corner pieces though as I have a huge stash of Armaflex here.