What are these for?

[savage1987]

OK this isn't easy to explain ... on a VN V6, if you look directly under the radiator (from under the car) there's a big plastic/hard rubber lip that hangs directly downward. It comes off the front of a horizontal bit that is mounted to the metal under there. At the back of this horizontal bit, there's another similar lip hanging downward.
Like I said, not easy to explain

If anyone knows what I'm talking about, please tell me what they're for.. I'm wondering if they're important, because this morning I cut the front lip off. It looked nasty behind the VX front bar.

Cheers
Sam

[Matt_vp]

i think it has something to do with directing air somewhere. but no really sure
Matt

[V8 Berlina]

Yeah thats what it sounds like. There should be one on each side of the rad as well. Its a good idea to have them on.

[savage1987]

Yeah there's one on each side of the radiator too. left them there. I figured if they were for air flow it wouldn't really matter cuz the VX front bar flows heaps anyway...

[1991_Vn2nV]

As if you could see it behind the VX front bar anyway considering its larger than the stock bar? If they are to direct air, then it will matter whether the VX front bar flows air or not, because you need them to direct the air to the right place... If that makes sense :S

[white vn ss]

i took mine out. has not affected the performance of my car at all. have been told by boss at work that it is there to push the air infront of the radiator to cool the coolant passing through the radiator quicker. not sure if thats right or not just what i was told.

[savage1987]

As if you could see it behind the VX front bar anyway considering its larger than the stock bar? If they are to direct air, then it will matter whether the VX front bar flows air or not, because you need them to direct the air to the right place... If that makes sense :S

Only reason i could see it was because I haven't got the mesh in the front bar yet.. EVERYTHING behind there is in full view Anyway, I don't seem to be having any overheating dramas and I'll have a V8 radiator in there anyway once things get moving again.

i took mine out. has not affected the performance of my car at all. have been told by boss at work that it is there to push the air infront of the radiator to cool the coolant passing through the radiator quicker. not sure if thats right or not just what i was told.

My guess is that's exactly right. Probably unneccesary though, since when it heats up the fan comes on anyway, and that'll definitely be drawing air THROUGH the radiator, not around it

Cheers guys
Sam

[padrickz88]

always wondered what that was, was thinking about taking it off because it looks like **** haha..... should i take it off or not? will i do any damage?

[ENV5]

i took the one off my vs no dramas

[Full Spectrum]

On VL's they are very noticeable down the front, But my car hasn't got one and it's fine.

[padrickz88]

thats alright then might come off soon then

[Burnout_bro]

after looking at this post i tired too take mine off today but the inside of the screw is made of plastic and i stuffed all of them up lol, be carefull. i have to saw mine off now

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

The reason it is there is to create turbulence under the car and thus creating a low pressure area. The air flow coming through and around the bumper gets forced to the low pressure area in effect sucking the hot air from in front of the radiator and around the engine. The same reason the thermo fan comes on, to suck the hot air through the radiator when you are not going fast enough for those 'plastic hangy downy things' to work. You may not experience any ill effects but it does affect the dynamics of the cooling system.

[savage1987]

Forgot about this thread lol... long story short, hacked off the plastic part under the radiator there, the big ugly looking bit, and it's not having any overheating dramas. Looks heaps better now.

[Shortstuff]

I did exactly the same to mine the other day. No problems here either.

[savage1987]

Another tip: paint EVERYTHING you can see behind the front bar in gloss black with a spraycan. Looks great This applies for all stock commodores, especially noticeable on black, white or red cars.

[Anton]

um, isnt that the stone guard?

[savage1987]

LOL probably was. Oh well I won't be driving on gravel anyway. My sump already needs replacing as well. Not sure what stones it's guarding from, I can't imagine any from the tyres hitting that thing.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

It's not a stone guard, read my earlier post.

[savage1987]

Thanks mate, helpful post.

[VT-565]

just adding to abba fan's post, the deflector is there to make sure the air flowing through the radiator actually flows through and down past the firewall. Otherwise, air would be able to flow up into the engine bay and disrupt this effect, thus retaining hot air in the engine bay to some degree.

[Morton]

Yeah, basically the whole idea of shrouding the radiator, is to create an area of low pressure directly behind the radiator to increase airflow through it. Without any shrouding, airflow through the radiator at speed is greatly reduced.

[Doctor Bob]

as has been said, it is to help stop hot air recirculating through the fan during prolonged idle periods in hot ambient conditions.

[savage1987]

OK. I'll be sure to let you all know if my VN ever overheats I'll have a V8 radiator and a pair of thermos in there when I can afford to, so it shouldn't cause me too many problems
Thanks for the info though guys, much appreciated.

Sam

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Just to add a bit more, thermos are only meant to come on while stationary, all the plastic is there to make sure everything is cool enough while moving so the thermos aren't needed and unecessarily loading up the electrics. Car manufacturers usually put things on for a purpose, not to make a car look daggy. Most of the time, removing something has a negative effect, even if it is not really noticeable.