Lower air guides

[ruddyboys]

Just looked thru my trunk and foung these weired shaped pieces of tin, Of course when I put the engine back together I forgot to install the lower air guides (the ones around the push rod tubes). Are they a big deal that I should removed the engine pull the heads ect or wait untill thge next time I need to do engine removal maintenance.

[norustscott]

... got bad news... They are a MUST have... simly put, they slow air around the cylinders causing a slightly elevated pressure zone to promote maximum cooling as well as uniform cooling

[maf 914]

I think what they really do is force the air flow to wrap around the undersides of the cylinders to cool more of the cylinder perimeter. Without these the air flowing down between the cylinders will continue to flow straight downward and away from the cylinders, leaving the underside without flow and cooling.

Mike

[norustscott]

They do that by slowing the air and creating a higher pressure.

[hardflex]

I presume he's talking about the ones above the pushrods. If he can remove the pushrod tubes to replace seals, can't he also put the tin in without removing the engine? Not the best way but.....

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Whaddaya mean "not the best way"? I can't think of any other way to do the job...

And I concur with the rest--if you're talking about the pieces that sit tight against the bottom of the cylinder fins, you should immediately take the car off the road and start work on installing them.

--DD

[hardflex]

well, the best way would have been to put them on after he put on the heads, with the engine out of the car.

[SteveStromberg]

You will be rebuildinbthat motor very shortly if you run it without the Air Deflector plates in place. Steve