Fender Vents

eddyturn · 08-13-2018, 12:46 PM

I gotta get some heat out of the engine compartment on my 2009 E350 6L diesel van. Gets really hot in there especially when moving slow while 4 wheeling. Not sure how to do this or if I should just give this to an auto body shop. Being in a smaller town, not sure who to trust with this.

Looking in the engine compartment where the vents would go, I see nothing but obstacles and I am not sure if one could just cut the outer sheet metal or if anything has to be removed behind there. Can one just cut with the fender in place and install the vent or does it all have to come out? Is all that stuff OK to stay in place behind the vent or do I need to make some room?

Also... opinions on which ones to use? Saw posts way back when I thought I wouldn't do this and did not take notes like I should have.

Any tips or tricks you can share? I have 2 left hands and not sure this is something I can do without messing it all up and having to get a new fender.

upsidedown · 08-13-2018, 02:22 PM

I saw a good post on this forum showing the install of Range Rover fender vents (plastic trim pieces), in a van fender. It looked clean. I remember him saying that he removed the fender and cut holes in the inner wall of the fender to help the air escape and find an easy route out of the vent.

Maybe someone can find the link/thread. I am not good at search on these forums.

upsidedown · 08-13-2018, 02:24 PM

http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/for...tall-5644.html

brp · 08-13-2018, 02:45 PM

I'm wondering why you are not looking at a hood vent? It seems like it would work better and be much simpler to install. You could by a junk yard hood to experiment with or for layout.

eddyturn · 08-13-2018, 03:09 PM

I have thought about the hood vents but some inmates here on the forum did some testing and are not convinced they pull much air out when moving. Slow speed, they probably work well though.

shenrie · 08-13-2018, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eddyturn

...I have 2 left hands and not sure this is something I can do without messing it all up and having to get a new fender.

Just a thought, but if you can do what I quoted upsidedown saying below you don’t really need a vent. I would think that any hot air that escapes out of the engine compartment into the area behind the fender will escape out the gap between the fender and the door. That way there’s no real need for aesthetic modifications to the fender.

Quote:

Originally Posted by upsidedown

...I remember him saying that he removed the fender and cut holes in the inner wall of the fender to help the air escape and find an easy route out of the vent.

Oh and it was boywonder and 1der that did the testing on the hood vents.

Bbasso · 08-13-2018, 06:49 PM

My hood vents do lease a lot of hot air but I wonder about hwy speeds...
The running temps never make me nervous, even on slow uphill fireroads or city rush hour to hwy speeds.
Try the easy path, hood vents. And so many to choose from.

SilverForkPhil · 08-26-2018, 01:26 PM

Hood and Fender vents are on my list as well

Lots of good info here (Engine heat is towards the bottom):
BadgerTrek: Sportsmobile base Ford E350

BadgerTrek also posts on the SMB forums under etbadger.

Here's a thread on this site:

http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/for...ment-4061.html

Phil