GLHS Hood Vent Block-off plate

[87glhs]

The hood vent on our '87 GLHS Charger is open to the engine compartment--is it supposed to have a block-off plate (OEM) under the vent? I see Omni-Potent sells a replacement--

[Turbodave]

There should be a block off plate, Shelby's crew installed them when they trimmed the hood to clear the two piece intake. It's not uncommon to see them missing, and the ones Omni-potent sells are a nice replacement.

[GLHNSLHT2]

take them out to improve cooling and downforce. Water, snow, or debris either won't get in or if it does won't hurt anything.

[87glhs]

That was another concern (in addition to the cooling issue) should we reinstall one--where does rain water drain to? The original Dodge SC hood had an actual duct that directed water into the sump well for the HVAC system.

With a block-off plate (I assume it goes under the louvers), where does the water go? My concern would be that it leaks on something else, or freezes into a block of ice during the winter and cracks the louvers--

Anyone with a GLHS Charger out there that can advise on this?

[sy2206]

That was another concern (in addition to the cooling issue) should we reinstall one--where does rain water drain to? The original Dodge SC hood had an actual duct that directed water into the sump well for the HVAC system.

With a block-off plate (I assume it goes under the louvers), where does the water go? My concern would be that it leaks on something else, or freezes into a block of ice during the winter and cracks the louvers--

Anyone with a GLHS Charger out there that can advise on this?

I'm not sure on a 2-door, but on a 4 door(GLHS or TII GLHT) water from the roof vent will drip right on the valve cover and intake manifold. The water will run off the back of the valve cover, and the front of the intake, and pools up on top of the lower intake.

I would most definately leave the drip pan in there to prevent water, dust, dirt, and debris from getting in there.

On my dads TII GLHT, I removed the drip pan. However, it's a race only application, as the car sees ZERO street time, and is always garaged. I went to a graphics shop and got a piece of thin magnet material, so when we're trailering the car to and from the track, we can just put that magnet over the vent to keep the elements out.

I bought a brand new 06 EVO MR a couple years ago. As I'm sure you guys know, the EVO's have a large hood vent close to the front of the hood, to vent the heat from the turbo which is on the front of the motor. That also had a drip pan insde there, to prevent water from getting where it's not supposed to be.

[87glhs]

Thanks for the reply--it's a GLHS Charger (TII). It never had a drip pan, and don't know if it was supposed to have a block-off plate.

If we reinstall (presumed missing) a block-off plate, how does water then drain from out of the louvers? And to where?

[GLHNSLHT2]

I ran my GLH for years in the snow/rain/hail/summer and had zero issues with any water that got on there. Put some dialectric grease on all the connectors and you'll be fine.

[zin]

Thanks for the reply--it's a GLHS Charger (TII). It never had a drip pan, and don't know if it was supposed to have a block-off plate.

If we reinstall (presumed missing) a block-off plate, how does water then drain from out of the louvers? And to where?

The water will still drip into the engine compartment, the block-off isn't really a block-off, more of a deflector as the piece isn't just a flat piece of steel, it's more like a channel, so the water will drip to the front and/or back of the plate, not really sure where it would end up, either between the intake and the VC or behind the intake. I also would recommend adding it back; it'll keep most of the stuff you don't want in the engine bay out and still let heat out. Hope this helps.

Mike

[87glhs]

Thanks for all of your input--

[Marcus86GLHS]

ZIN has it right. the glhs "block off plate" is actually not a block-off, rather it's a low profile drip tray, and it performs the same function as the regular GLHT water plenum, the water will be directed to the same general area w/ the glhs plate, as SY2206 describes above.

only difference in function: the glhs plate probably cant vent hot air as effectively as the good glht plenumn.

if you are driving your car a lot in the rain, i'd have that plate on there.

[GLHNSLHT2]

heh I had no plate/tray or grill on my GLH. One night we got 14" of snow. I cleared it off the windshield and took off down the road with it all still on the hood and roof and sitting directly on the VC/Intake/Wiring/Vacuum lines. Never hurt a thing. The grill will keep out everything but water. And the water isn't gonna do anything as long as you have the electrical connectors greased up with dielectric grease. You probably get more water up there driving through a puddle.

[cordes]

The grill will keep out everything but water.

You don't get the propellers from maple trees in there? I get a ton of them sitting on my lower intake as a result of them going through the grate.

[GLHNSLHT2]

Nope, but then I don't park under maple tree's :)

[cordes]

Nope, but then I don't park under maple tree's :)

I don't park under them either, but it seems as though I always live close enough to one that they come at the car Apocalypse Now style.