Removing hood side panels?

[Chris_M]

Hi,

I am taking my truck to a parade this weekend. According to weather forecast it is going to be sunny and hot (at least 34°C or 94°F). We are going to drive very slow and the parade will last at least 2 hours. I am concerned of overheating the engine. I need your piece of advice. Would you recommend to remove both hood side panels for better ventilation? Does it make much difference when keeping them installed? Has anyone of you experienced a similar situation?

Regards,

Chris

[Bill_Wolf]

I have always been told to leave the hood closed and side panels on with any car as that the normal flow of air (determined by the original vehicle automotive engineers) was designed that way to optimally cool the engine.

I don't know if removing the side panels during the war was for cooling of for quick access to the engine.

My choice would be to leave them on.

[dr deuce]

Get some heater hose and gut it into lengths ad slice it down the side so as to fit over the fuel lines from the pump to the carb to keep enm cool ifn you are doing a parade (unless you have an electric pump)

I too have heard that you should keep the side panels on.

[Chris_M]

Thank you Bill and Doc,

those heater hoses are a good idea. So I better leave the side panels installed.

Regards,

Chris

[Chris_M]

The parade was a great success. My truck rolled smooth without any problem. Only at longer steep grades uphill the engine temperature went up from 80°C to 95°C sometimes. But I think that's okay.



Regards,

Chris

[Karoshi]

I know this is a little bit "after the event" but news travels slow across the pond. TM 9-801 actually gives advice on removing side panels.

It says in section 32, Hot Weather Operations, para g, Side Panels: Engine side panels must not be removed to lower cab temperature or for any other reason..........The engine hood side panels form an air tunnel which directs air onto and past engine for best cooling,..............................Hood side panels must not be removed except for access to engine for servicing or repairs.

So you were right to keep them on during your parade.

Aren't tec manuals wonderful.

Karoshi

[dr deuce]

A point of interest in cooling:

I took the Chev M6 Bomb Truck towing the M5 Bomb Trailer with the "Gadget" on it to a parade Sunday. The put me 1st in a mile long worth of entrants. It was 95 degrees.

The M6 has an electric pump and a lot of gas hose but it also is a newer engine (~1960 235 Chev) and as such I cannot run the rediator shroud because they moved the water pump down lower on the block. I run a smaller more-bladed fan with the original water pump. (You do not need the special pump).

The truck ran flawlessly in 1st gear for the 2 mile route. The only hint of overheating was on the way back when I was pushing it to 50 with the towed load. Backing down to 45 helped.