Heat in 360 engine bay. Mods to help?

How do aftermarket exhaust systems effect the 360 engine bay temp? In paticular, I just puchased a 360 spider with a Capristo exhaust system and challenge grill. It appears in photos (I dont have the car yet) much smaller than a factory system so it seems more air would flow from underneath on up through the engine compartment and by the intake boxes.

 

The smaller muffler size has less surface area to radiate the heat and should, theoretically, also allow better air flow in the compartment. No hard facts to prove that, however.

The Challenge grille is a huge help in ridding the engine heat.

 

I heard Larini Cats and Exhaust were made with heat shield that should somewhat resolve or reduce the heat issue ?? Any input on Larini cats - since I am going to buy and install the Larini cats on my 360 which already had tubi exhaust and C. grill installed.
Note I had the "slow down" light on one time that I believe the stock cats were overheat;Lucky enough , after the car cooled down, it was reset by itself back to normal. However, I was told by dealer to replace the stock cats. Any comment !

 

yeah, if you don't mind it being sucked into the motor in a few years

Ray

 

Classic Coach Ferrari installed additional cooling air ducting that goes from the side skirt vents into my engine bay.

you can do something like that to help dissipate the heat. and make sure u get the rear challenge grill. the imola racing exhaust heat shield is another great product to get.

 

Don't know about the heat shields but thepretically the higher flow cats will dissipate the heat faster to the muffler so there is little residual heat build-up.

I would go for the high pass cats. Riverflyer could answer the question about the Larini cats.

 

What is high pass cats ?

 

Guys....I'm an insulation contractor, but residential. Let me see if I can add some flavor to this subject.

Yes, the Capristo and other exhaust are actually smaller in overall size then the stock exhaust....so one would think that the resulting overall smaller surface area would translate to less overall heat being radiated into the engine compartment. To an extent, this is true...BUT, the stock exhaust and even the sport exhaust, CS exhaust, etc are all constructed with internal insulation; just underneath the stainless steel surface is a thick multi-layer of fiberglass (asbestos?) insulation....this often appears as the white powder many report coming out of the seams of the muffler.

Anyways....what few people fail to realize is that the muffler itself will get very hot, but the insulation will DRAMATICALLY reduce the rate at which the heat can radiate out from the muffler. After a long drive, both the thin-walled aftermarket exhaust and the stock exhaust will be hot, but the aftermarket one is actually releasing far more heat!

Imagine a faucet flowing hot water....the OEM exhaust is flowing at 400 degree's but at a rate of 2 gallons per minute. The aftermarket exhaust may get upto 480 degrees, but it's flowing at 8 gallons per minute. The heat shileds around the Larini exhaust and cats create a reduction in the rate heat can disipate. And yes, Larini stuff often has built-on heat shields.

You can contact Larini at: [email protected] or see their stuff on the website at: http://www.larinisystems.com/

As for wiring looms, those could perhaps be wrapped in that gold-leaf stuff...the idea being to keep the heat out.

Also, I think someone was working on creating some intakes. scoops or better ventillation coming off the bottom of the car?

 

Is the underside of the engine bay on the bottom of the 360 car completely covered with a panel (e.g. to promote an aerodynamic vaccum effect under the car)? My Porsche 993 is like this and many owners of 993 permanently remove the underside engine panel from 993s to allow the engine to get more airflow - this apparently lets it run cooler. Is this an option on the 360? What about drilling some holes in it? - though this is a permanent change that may effect resale.

 

Yepsolutely!!

 

You can put NACA ducts on the rear floor pan as is done on 360 Challenge race cars to get some more cooling air into the engine bay. Down side is you'll get a more road dust in as well.

You can also wrap glass fiber tape over the exhaust pipes & the large center silencer to reduce the rate of heat transfer from the exhaust to the engine bay area. Down side is under prolonged extreme load and hot weather, you can overheat the exhaust system causing them to glow cherry hot and possibly crack. This is more likely to happen at say trackday events in extreme condition, not everyday street driving.

Gold foil insulation will not reduce the engine bay area temperature, but it's useful on say intake airbox to reduce heat absorption into intake air. BTW it goes on the outside of the airbox NOT inside.

Challenge grill definitely will help.

For trackday event, you can also take out 2 of the tail lights, NOT the brake lights.

 

Maybe an eyesore but definately serves a purpose. When in motion, cool air is forced in through the rear window vents which in turn, pushes the hot air out through the rear challenge grill, (providing you have one). Additionally, Gruppe M offers a ram air intake system and apparently very effective but quite expensive.

 

Any new information on this? I looked into ducting air from the lower intakes, but they seem to funnel air into the engine bay already.

 

I actually found quite the opposite here in the UK.

Standard 360 Challenge grill (made from steel) £815/$1630

CS grill (with 2 larger holes for badge, made from aluminium) £720/$1440

 

Ray,

It's funny I was just toying around the same idea, have been on the phone discussing this with other 360 friends. After removing various panels I can't find any place where air is entered into the engine bay besides the engine deck lid holes and challenge grill holes. In order to remove heat there must be air flow, the heat must be carried away.

The bottom scoops on each side, at the trailing end of the side skirt, what's the function? Is that an air intake to cool the engine bay?

I was thinking about fabricating heat shield to surround the cat and the muffler and under the air box. Not sure if stainless or aluminum would be a better choice.

 

The Challenge grill will help.
I noticed that when I pinned my CS Exhaust valves open the temp was lower.
I don't know if youi have this option with your exhaust.