DeceptioN
Viper Owner
For $200 I'll install an opening in your hood.
hood up after drive?
- Thread starter jman2
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I like to lift the hood after a long drive to let things cool down faster and reduce the amount of time the various elastomers/rubber components are exposed to high temperature. Admittedly, this is not always practical depending on your destination.
Cobraken
Enthusiast
I'd rather have my aluminum and plastic cool slowly than too fast.
Every day is track day for me. 
DaDood
Enthusiast
Regardless of what everyone says on this forum, I'm still going to open the hood on the Viper before I park it in my garage. Not only does it help remove heat faster from engine components, but it prevents my insulated garage from warming up to ~80 because of the 250 degree space heater in it.
I'm an engineer by training and agree that popping the hood after each drive is probably not worth much (if anything), but I'm still going to do it because it makes me feel better
.
I'm an engineer by training and agree that popping the hood after each drive is probably not worth much (if anything), but I'm still going to do it because it makes me feel better
.Barrels
Viper Owner
Yup. The engine bay is going to start cooling as soon as you shut the engine off. The reason you let the engine run a while after a hard track session is to start that cooling process off gradually. I tend to think it's best to continue that process in the most gradual manner possible. Or you could just pull onto pit lane, throw open the hood, and give your engine an icy Gatorade bath like it just won the Sugar Bowl!
I feel a duty to remind you all that the extensive study performed by the Deutsche-Baeg institute seems to show it is more of a matter of choice. And if you can't trust the Deutsche-Baeg, who can you trust?
As an engineer you should know that after you turn off your car, it doesn't gain a single degree of heat. It's losing heat every moment.Which means, whether you open your hood or not, your vehicle has the exact amount of energy in heat to dissipate into your garage.
Opening up the hood just heats up your garage quicker and allows it to come back down to a normal temp sooner, but won't be that much of a difference. Thinking about this a step further, opening your hood should actually result in a higher peak garage temp than keeping the hood closed.
DaDood
Enthusiast
Which means, whether you open your hood or not, your vehicle has the exact amount of energy in heat to dissipate into your garage.
Opening up the hood just heats up your garage quicker and allows it to come back down to a normal temp sooner, but won't be that much of a difference. Thinking about this a step further, opening your hood should actually result in a higher peak garage temp than keeping the hood closed.
I should have been more specific in my post when I said " I'm still going to open the hood on the Viper before I park it in my garage". I open it up OUTSIDE of my garage and let it sit for at least an hour to let the heat dissipate outside of my garage. You're right; opening up the hood inside the insulated garage would be pointless.
Even better, strap the fan to the front of the viper so when you are at a red light for days, waiting for idiots to turn on the green light your Viper will stay cool. =D
SERIOUSLY, your car is off and not generating any more heat. Why are you paranoid then and not while sitting in traffic idling? Do you get out and pop your hood at every red light? HAHAHAH SUCKERS!!
vpower01
Viper Owner
I agree it doesn't make sense to pop the hood because anywhere you go like to a store or where ever, you wont pop the hood...so im just getting the roe fan kit that runs the fan for a bit after you turn the car off.
Its seems to be the best idea for me. Anyway it cant hurt.
Its seems to be the best idea for me. Anyway it cant hurt.
DaDood
Enthusiast
Man, bunch of haters on this forum!
I don't know about the other owners, but No, I don't open the hood when I go to the bank or the grocery store. And, Yes, I only do open it at home or at car shows or when it is convenient. And yes, it probably does not make much of a difference on the car.
But, hear me out. Let's say an average 2.0l engine holds "x" amount of heat. Well, the Viper engine is over 8L in size, giving you 4 times the amount of held energy just within the metal of the engine at operating temperature. When you turn off the engine, the engine bay tries to cool to ambient temperature, but it takes 2-3 times as long because you've got 4x the amount of heat withheld within the engine bay. Not to mention the fact that now you've got no good way other than the hood vents (which don't work all that amazing without air flowing in) to get air out if the hood is closed, the cooling fan is NOT on (like it is in traffic) and you've got no air flowing over any part of the engine.
Regardless of what other owners do, it is a good idea to keep excess heat away from parts that don't need it. It helps them last LONGER. You're not going to see that in a 1 year study. More like a 3-5 year study.
I'm popping my hood after drives because I can.
Timnineside
Enthusiast
You should also keep your oven door open after cooking
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