I have done a couple of searches on the matter without much to go on so I want to get some opinions on the amount of air flow that will make it to the engine compartment. Also, opinions on water or road debris being a problem? I don't track the car so I won't benefit much from cooling the front brakes. Doing something with these false ducts in the front bumper is becoming a priority since I can't stand anything non-functional on a car so highly engineered.

 

Not much air will get into the engine compartment by removing the air ducts. Take your bumper off or actually look inside your hood and it is quite obvious. Above the ducts is your headlights and their is paneling on either/every side.

 

nice place for the cia filter though...

 

Good point on the intake location but I'm going the route of insulating the outside of the OEM airbox and I have a CF duct on the way from Import Development. I really wish there was another way to utilize these ducts for cooling the engine compartment. Any suggestions on where to find the brake ducts so I can do SOMETHING with these when I open them?

 

And then you have guys like me that just screwed a couple of grilles on right over the plastic.

 

morpheus,

On of our sponsors hondas20000accessories.com (Coastal Metals) offers a main grill and grills for the faux side vents. The owner, s2ki member axcilla, says that if you merely use a dremel tool to cut out the plastic to allow air in the faux side vents, air will make its way through two small openings, one on each side, into the radiator area. He says that one of these holes is near the windshield washer reservoir. I still need to look for these openings and if I can find them, I will open up the faux vents and install his small grills.

 

Thanks for the tip littleton, I am looking forward to opening these vents up soon. I did find more threads talking about ways to direct the air up or over by fabricating an air director to mount behind the openings which should help.

 

I really liked the idea of foglights/running lights there. Has anyone besides Rick Hesel done those?

 

morpeus,

I looked for the vent holes that axcilla was talking about. There is one near the windshield washer reservoir and a matching one on the other side. I don't see how these openings could possibly let air into the radiator area. Coastal Metals originally had a kit (including small grills and flexible tubing and other hardware) which was difficult to install. I think it involved removing the front bumber. You had to cut holes in the grill area side walls and the tubing was then attached so that air traveled through the new holes into the grill area. This was a nice idea but I guess most found the prospect of removing the front end, especially getting it realigned properly, too daunting. I know that Rick Hesel mentioned removing the front bumper to install fog lamps in the faux grills and mentioned that this was not that difficult of a job and Coastal Metals might have some of the original kits laying around.

 

Yep, I also did some crawling around and see that there is not really a path for the air to travel once the ducts are opened (other than the brakes). In order to get it to the radiator or engine bay, we would need to have tubes running from the ducts and this sounds like a real pain to get results. I think the grills may be the way to go for now just to have them opened - I will keep my eye out for any rigid but flexible tubing that may direct air and decided then whether or not to pursue the project later.