Re: Bellypan on '87 4000 5cyl?

[walter@quattro.corp.inmet.com (Walter Meares)]

> The radiator on my '87 4000 SQ is covered from the top and the side,
> there are panels that direct the air from the left of the front grille to the
> radiators instead of letting it to diffuse in the engine bay. I wonder if there
> is a similar panel on the bottom, something like a partial belly pan,
> closing that airduct from the bottom. I have seen sheetmetal screw holes
> on the bottom of the front valance panel, that would accomodate such
> a panel. Am I missing that panel from my car?

My 85 4000sq has such a panel.  It and all the others are some sort of 
material that resembles cardboard (where do the Germans get this cr*p? It's
used even on Mercedes & BMW and holds up real well -- until you touch it).  
Probably the original on yours got torn during servicing and not replaced.

> The rest of the front grille is open as well, letting air in directly in
> to the engine bay, resulting in excessive outside corrosion of the
> different engine components due to the salt spray the car picks up in
> the winter. Am I missing another panel there? Other cars seem to have
> panels there to block off direct air entry in to the engine bay.
> If I fabricate a panel to fit there, would that increase under hood
> temperatures excessively, and cause hot start problems, like older VWs used
> to have?
> Any comment on the above?

Mine is open here like yours.  I don't know how blocking it would affect
the engine bay temerature.  A better strategy might just be to wash the 
engine bay every spring.

> 
> Thanks, Peter
> orban@nrcamt.nrc.ca
> 
> 

walter

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Walter Meares		Intermetrics, Inc.	walter@inmet.inmet.com
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