Why do most early Vipers have flaps on side of the fan shroud?

[AAKVIPER]

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Can we take the flaps off each side for better air flow? What purpose to they have?

 

[Big E]

They are for airflow. At low speeds, stop and go, idling, to help direct air thru the radiator with the fan. At speed the fan can't pull enough air vs the air speed so the flaps "open" up. Simple yet functional. Hope this helps.

 

[MoparMap]

Yep, these have been common on radiator design for a while. They let the fan do its job when it needs to and get out of the way when there's enough airflow. Not a good idea to remove as the fan would try to pull hot air from the engine bay backward through the flaps.

 

[C O D Y]

That's the 1999 to 2002 fan. The earlier ones had plastic doors instead of flaps all on one side.

 

[GRANGER73]

It’s the poor mans version of a fan shroud.