Vented Hoods

I have a 98 Grand 5.9 and many extra parts. I used a set of extra louvers I had for my TJ hood as have others. Did this about 4 years ago. I have photos of the vent install if anyone is interested. I went this route because I never liked the pasted on look of the after market vents available. I think this is about as stock looking as it gets. They really work well at relieving heat.

The locking hood latches are Smittybilt. I installed the latches as a security measure after some ass stole my battery. Damned rubber latches.

This is another thread about vents: https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/vented-hood.303/

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AndyG said:
Agree, and thanks for posting this .

My Jeep started randomly running rough on start up/ idle a few times recently ...hot days ...-I was perplexed..it has 23,000 miles on it .

I had no clue ....heat soak.
Click to expand...


My TJ was having heat soak issues (high altitude, low spd. crawling, after stopping for a bit when re-start engine it acts like a carburetor that's in high alt. running rich).
I checked with dealer and there was a TB about heat soak, a small insulator for #3 injector - did not work.
I wrapped my whole fuel rail, injectors, and some fuel line with heat wrap material - did not work.
I installed a Poison Spyder hood louver kit, (helped some, looks badass) - did not work.
What took care of my heat soak problem is using ethanol free gas. A little bit pricey because at some places sell it as a premium octane. Sometimes hard to find and seems to run better with less engine damage in the long run.
I also found ("Top Tier" gas) lower octane and low ethanol levels.
That's my story.
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AndyG said:
I love the look of the louvred , vented hood plates in matte black ..

So here is my question-

A. Does it run cooler (seems it would help a ton)

B. Am I butchering a nice Rubicon

C. Should I get a replacement hood and save my stock hood rather than cut it

D. Pass on the whole idea

Thanks
Click to expand...


***** Heating/Cooling *****

I had a horrific accident driving the M38A1 in the photo.

Driving downhill at night on an Ethiopian gravel road in an overloaded Jeep carrying five people, towing an overloaded trailer, rapidly came the right turn. I downshifted to second and hit the brakes and, nothing! The transmission kicked out of gear because of the worn-out synchromesh gear and the brake pedal hit the floorboard.
My six-wheel broadside skid was going as well as could be expected until the trailer wheels went out of the track and hit the loose gravel and then it flipped and rolled, passing the Jeep and flipping it on its side.
Astonishingly, just cuts and bruises.

Lessons Learned:
* Most of the time, a bad synchro is a minor nuisance. But, like a gun, it is really nice to have it when you need it.
* The design flaw is unnoticeable at highway speeds and normal driving. Driving the Jeep at the upper edge of its performance envelope in low gear boiled away the brake fluid in the master cylinder. Why? The master cylinder was attached to the frame a couple inches from the exhaust pipe.
* I am a superior packer. Nothing was lost from the trailer.

Lessons For Today:
* Car Manufacturers spend gobs of money on engineering and testing to make a vehicle work properly.
* That cute plastic engine cover is actually part of the cooling system, directing air around the engine as is the hood, all that plastic stuff below and behind the bumper, heat deflectors around, about and above the exhaust pipe.
* The cute plastic engine cover also discourages the owner from messing around with things because there is virtually nothing we can do to a modern engine. It works properly until the computer turns on the light telling you something is wrong because the computer runs everything. Everything.
* At very low speeds, under high power your Jeep may overheat. That kind of specialized driving may necessitate modifications, like the radiator behind the driver of a mudder. So, spending mucho-dinero for a new bonnet may solve the heating problem, but I would go for a larger capacity radiator.

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Shatto said:
***** Heating/Cooling *****

I had a horrific accident driving the M38A1 in the photo.

Driving downhill at night on an Ethiopian gravel road in an overloaded Jeep carrying five people, towing an overloaded trailer, rapidly came the right turn. I downshifted to second and hit the brakes and, nothing! The transmission kicked out of gear because of the worn-out synchromesh gear and the brake pedal hit the floorboard.
My six-wheel broadside skid was going as well as could be expected until the trailer wheels went out of the track and hit the loose gravel and then it flipped and rolled, passing the Jeep and flipping it on its side.
Astonishingly, just cuts and bruises.

Lessons Learned:
* Most of the time, a bad synchro is a minor nuisance. But, like a gun, it is really nice to have it when you need it.
* The design flaw is unnoticeable at highway speeds and normal driving. Driving the Jeep at the upper edge of its performance envelope in low gear boiled away the brake fluid in the master cylinder. Why? The master cylinder was attached to the frame a couple inches from the exhaust pipe.
* I am a superior packer. Nothing was lost from the trailer.

Lessons For Today:
* Car Manufacturers spend gobs of money on engineering and testing to make a vehicle work properly.
* That cute plastic engine cover is actually part of the cooling system, directing air around the engine as is the hood, all that plastic stuff below and behind the bumper, heat deflectors around, about and above the exhaust pipe.
* The cute plastic engine cover also discourages the owner from messing around with things because there is virtually nothing we can do to a modern engine. It works properly until the computer turns on the light telling you something is wrong because the computer runs everything. Everything.
* At very low speeds, under high power your Jeep may overheat. That kind of specialized driving may necessitate modifications, like the radiator behind the driver of a mudder. So, spending mucho-dinero for a new bonnet may solve the heating problem, but I would go for a larger capacity radiator.

View attachment 51877
Click to expand...

So this is just my opinion and in no way should you do what you are not comfortable with.

A. Does it run cooler (seems it would help a ton)
Yes mine does run cooler. When I am stopped after even a short drive and place my hand over the vent I can feel the heat escaping. Mind you the engine doesn't run much cooler tho. The idea is to evacuate the heat built up in the engine compartment. Cooler compartment happier parts that live there.

B. Am I butchering a nice Rubicon
That depends on you. Mine is only a humble base model X but to me it's every bit as loved as you love your Rubi. If you choose louvers that look like they are factory stock like mine then to me it's a go. As an added bonus mine are original Jeep OEM. Tasteful mods are never considered butchering. You'll have to make your own decision on that one. Everyone is different.

C. Should I get a replacement hood and save my stock hood rather than cut it
Waste of money in my opinion.

D. Pass on the whole idea
That's up to you. Just be happy with whatever decision you make. Just remember that tastefully done mods are the key.
 
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robsjeepin said:
My TJ was having heat soak issues (high altitude, low spd. crawling, after stopping for a bit when re-start engine it acts like a carburetor that's in high alt. running rich).
I checked with dealer and there was a TB about heat soak, a small insulator for #3 injector - did not work.
I wrapped my whole fuel rail, injectors, and some fuel line with heat wrap material - did not work.
I installed a Poison Spyder hood louver kit, (helped some, looks badass) - did not work.
I what took care of my heat soak is using ethanol free gas. A little bit pricey, it's sometimes hard to find, seem to run better and better for the engine. ( also found "Top Tier" gas) lower octane and low ethanol levels.
That's my story.
View attachment 51866 View attachment 51867 View attachment 51868
Click to expand...
Another vote for ethanol free if you are really getting vapor lock. I know guys that have to run it in their boats. Marine engines get raw water cooling (open cooling) so they are fine while running. When you shut down for a swim in a cove or something, the engine looses cooling potential and because they are enclosed below decks (not outboard engines here) the temps can quickly increase to the point where the alcohol will boil and form a vapor. Fuel pumps and injectors are designed to pump liquids not vapors...So you end up with a rough running engine, if it starts at all.
 
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Ranger_b0b said:
Another vote for ethanol free if you are really getting vapor lock. I know guys that have to run it in their boats. Marine engines get raw water cooling (open cooling) so they are fine while running. When you shut down for a swim in a cove or something, the engine looses cooling potential and because they are enclosed below decks (not outboard engines here) the temps can quickly increase to the point where the alcohol will boil and form a vapor. Fuel pumps and injectors are designed to pump liquids not vapors...So you end up with a rough running engine, if it starts at all.
Click to expand...
Thanks for learning me new stuff.
But I have a question about the subject. Doesn't Jeep have a rail, that keeps pressure with the engine is off and wouldn't that prevent the vapors?
 
I installed the hyline hood louvre and it does help keep the heat down in the engine compartment and I think looks badass.
Still having other engine issues that I thought this would help, but didn’t!

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That's a good price. I coughed up $119 for my stone white pair. :-|
This is how I laid mine out..
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The very top of the tj hood is the best place for venting the heat in terms of function.
I chose the side of my hood only because I liked it better visually and it's more visible to the jeep head next to me at a red light. ;)
I know mine get rid of the heat cuz on hot Texas days in stop n go traffic I can see the 'invisible' heat waves coming out the louvres. :)
I'm not a fan of some aftermarket pasted on vents but they are doing the 4.0 a lot of good venting the heat.
 
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MexiJeeper said:
I have a 98 Grand 5.9 and many extra parts. I used a set of extra louvers I had for my TJ hood as have others. Did this about 4 years ago. I have photos of the vent install if anyone is interested. I went this route because I never liked the pasted on look of the after market vents available. I think this is about as stock looking as it gets. They really work well at relieving heat.

The locking hood latches are Smittybilt. I installed the latches as a security measure after some ass stole my battery. Damned rubber latches.

This is another thread about vents: https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/vented-hood.303/

View attachment 51859
Click to expand...
That's a very nice install.
Can you lay the windshield down flat and still clear the louvres?
 
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KCsTJ said:
That's a good price. I coughed up $119 for my stone white pair. :-|
This is how I laid mine out..
View attachment 52596
The very top of the tj hood is the best place for venting the heat in terms of function.
I chose the side of my hood only because I liked it better visually and it's more visible to the jeep head next to me at a red light. ;)
I know mine get rid of the heat cuz on hot Texas days in stop n go traffic I can see the 'invisible' heat waves coming out the louvres. :)
I'm not a fan of some aftermarket pasted on vents but they are doing the 4.0 a lot of good venting the heat.
Click to expand...
I found a local guy parting out a '98 Grand Cherokee 5.9, and he still had the hood. Wouldn't sell just the louvers. Wanted $150 for the entire hood. I offered $125, he accepted, and I pick it up Saturday. I'll likely be duplicating your positioning, though I'll toy with other positions before committing to the cuts. Did you also use the "trays" on the underside of the hood? I assume those are for diverting rainwater. Here in the PNW, it's probably not a bad idea.
Btw, that Ebay set for $100 (plus crazy shipping cost) is not bad, given the rarity of these things. If I hadn't found these local ones, I'd be all over those. Someone should jump on 'em.
 
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Squatch said:
I found a local guy parting out a '98 Grand Cherokee 5.9, and he still had the hood. Wouldn't sell just the lovers. Wanted $150 for the entire hood. I offered $125, he accepted, and I pick it up Saturday. I'll likely be duplicating your positioning, though I'll toy with other positions before committing to the cuts. Did you also use the "trays" on the underside of the hood? I assume those are for diverting rainwater. Here in the PNW, it's probably not a bad idea.
Btw, that Ebay set for $100 (plus crazy shipping cost) is not bad, given the rarity of these things. If I hadn't found these local ones, I'd be all over those. Someone should jump on 'em.
Click to expand...
More parts to add to the pile. :)
 
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