My02 is stock, but in an attempt to try to get more air flow to the intake and engine, I removed that black plastic cover that sits between the radiator and the nose of the car. The piece that you would remove if you were addin the AUT cooling cover as the one being sold in the GB. Do you think it will help the intake get some more air and keep the engine a little cooler? Or do you think it may do any harm by removing it. My thinking is that now air ca come in through the front nose and right into the intake and engine bay. It seems that is what the AUT is doing (maybe not as effective, but somewhat? maybe? I din't think it would do any harm because that is basically the same set up as the AUT except the aut covers and funnels the air to the intake.
Thanks for your knowledge/opinion.

 

That plastic thing is the "slanted air guide". Guess where it's "guiding" the air to? It is there to prevent too much air from going up and over the radiator instead of through it. The airbox gets all the air it needs with the OEM system. It can't use anymore even if you give it more, but what you have done is to diminish the working efficiency of your radiator.
Underhood heat is not what contributes to how hot your engine runs. It's how well the cooling system takes heat away and part of that involves how much air can get through the rad.

 

ya I did this thinking it was a mod, didn't pan out i guess

 

hmmm.. thanks guys.
i hadn't thought about that.. i just figured the radiator would still be getting the air it had originally.
i guess i'lll be replacing it.
thanks