Do you guys pop your hood...

[got one]

When you get done driving it and it's warm, or you have been driving it for a while? I hear some folks do the following:
1. Crack the hood and put fans on it for a few hours.
2. Crack the hood and leave alone.
3. Open hood fully and put fans on it for a few hours.
4. Open hood fully and leave alone.
5. Leave hood shut and merly turn on fans to cool down garage.
6. Do nothing.

So...what is the consus?

 

[Viper4Christ]

I know at the track some guys will do both numbers 2,3,and 4 depending on how hot the car got or if something needs to be checked. I'd recommend it if possible and you had the time, especially a fully open hood for maximum heat ventilation. Although in some cases, and an example is throwing hot water on an ice cold windshield, which will make it crack. Or in this case spraying cold water immediately on a hot engine. Or simply do what I've seen some Viper owners do... run it with 2 bags of ice on the manifold, switching them out between rests.

 

[Early93Viper]

I would say most people do nothing. I can't see much reward for turning fans on every time you drive the car. As for opening the hood some people do that in between runs at a track (any type of track). To help the engine cool down for the next run.

 

[plumcrazy]

i had a roe fan switch installed to help kool when needed. its automatic.

 

[IEATVETS]

When I put her away for the day I open the hood and the trunk. I open hood so the motor cools down faster and I have to open the trunk to turn my bottles off so I figure I may as well leave the trunk open because I have to turn the bottles on the next time I go for a drive.

 

[94RT10Ohio]

Pull into the garage and close the door.

 

[TCKTPLZ]

I just sit in the car and make VROOOM noises. This way the car doesn't get dirty or hot. After about a 10 minute session, I make believe the car got dirty. I then dust it off with microfiber and apply another coat of Zaino. This is a great way to keep the car clean as well as cool.

 

[DEVILDOG]

#4 and hook-up battery tender.

 

[Vic]

We used to open the hood fully at the track, during rest periods, until the wind blew one shut, hard! Opening the hood partially became real popular after that!

 

[big-n-italian]

<< I just sit in the car and make VROOOM noises. This way the car doesn't get dirty or hot. After about a 10 minute session, I make believe the car got dirty. I then dust it off with microfiber and apply another coat of Zaino. This is a great way to keep the car clean as well as cool. >>

THANK YOU. I thought i was the only one that did that! I also park in the middle of my steep driveway (with the front end "high"), to simulate G forces when I pretend to accelerate.

 

[ViperJohn]

#3

 

[Dv8tor]

50% of the time when I return home, I open the hood all the way and keep the garage door open for an hour or so. I just love walking in to the garage and seeing that v10.

 

[1TONY1]

i had a roe fan switch installed to help kool when needed. its automatic.

Ditto.

 

[YouWish]

#6

 

[Phil Lee 94 red RT]

#3

 

[Neil - UK]

#4 normally after crawling in slow moving traffic and idling, I believe heat sink for any engine isnt good and can only reduce life for engine bay components.

The hood insulation although looking after the hood/paint, retains a lot of heat with in the engine bay and doesnt let heat escape that easily

 

[PDCjonny]

It does make a huge difference to pop the hood. I just pop it to the first catch and let it vent. Otherwise it cooks for hours.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Search for Nadine's fix to opening up the fake hood vent to a real hood vent. Then you can feel good about riding hard and putting away wet.

 

[2001 Sapphire Blue]

#1

 

[thebigsnake]

I really appreciate the hood on the E-types I had every time I need to open my hood. I'm always somewhat reluctant to do it because a- if a second person isn't around it twists, creacks and catches on parts on the opposite side.
b- the paint gets scuffed when I close it.
Its the worst hood function on any sports car, and I've had most of them. This is the wrong car for whim hood popping as far as I'm concerned.
I do it to check the oil etc. and to clean the engine bay.

 

[got one]

So then to follow up with your answers...if heat is in fact bad for components (which I do believe so), then relative to mialage, how many of you folks have had problems (possibly due to heat) and on what from a component level?

 

[WOT!]

Now that's me! I hate putting the cover on it, just because I can't see it when I go in and out of the house.

I park mine in the shade with the roe fan kit running. When cool, I put it away. In late fall, I put it in the garage (under house). Makes a nice little heater.

 

[AviP]

#6 if engine temp is in normal operating range of 190-200. #2 if its around 225. Let the coolant do it's job. It works you know.

 

[joe117]

Anyone who is worried about the cool down after shut off should have a nice large floor mounted fan plugged into the garage power and blowing air in the front of the car.
You might get a timer so it would shut off after an hour.

Myself, I just put the car in the garage and leave the garage door open.

For a race car, between runs at the track, I could see opening the hood to let it cool down a little.
Like the man said though, don't let the breeze catch it on a windy day.
But for everyday driving? Jeez, it's just a car, the cool down isn't going to cook anything that doesn't get cooked when driving in traffic.

Some of you guys go a little too far I think.

 

[garolittle]

I will pop the hood and pull it up after a drive on a hot day. Other than that I do nothing.... except worship it each day.

 

[Andrew/USPWR]

I open the hood after track sessions. I never open it after driving on the street. I guess I'm not driving fast enough on the street.

 

[Got Venom]

Caution!! Do not just pop the hood. Unless you are extremely careful, you do not want to move your car around in this configuration. Somone in the pits might suggest you move a little, and you might not bother to close it, just to park it, and the hood can catch the edge of the tire, and don't forget the hoods are 12K to replace. Next time you pop the hood without fully opening it, look how close it gets to the tire. Especially if you go to the 285's or bigger in the front, or if you turn the wheel. I just let the fan cycle finish up and turn the car off. Sometimes my Sean Roe kit will still come on after that, but I want to minimize this from happening too much, for battery life.

 

[HotRodHarry]

On most of all my cars I have always popped the hood to let them cool down. That was always about it. At the track maybe some ice on the intake, depending on the wait time and weather.

 

[DodgeViper01]

After every drive I pull it into the garage and pop the hood open so that the engine can cool off. Gets hot under there. Also do not want to damage the material on the hood. If you don't let the engine cool then that material starts to turn gray from the heat. Looks bad once that happens.

 

[JKVIPER]

After I drive the Viper I park the car in the garage. Place my hand over the fender vent and say "Wow this thing runs hot", then admire the car for a few minutes and go inside.

I don't bother poping the hood.