Why a stainless steel shroud?

[brent]

The only thing I didn't get from Joe's great response to my cooling system probs is this: why would a ss shroud be better?
Isn't that going to create/retain more heat right at the source where you don't want it?
Anything having to do with science causes my brain to shutdown.
Thanks, Brent

[Joe Guilbeau]

Originally posted by brent:
why would a ss shroud be better?
Isn't that going to create/retain more heat right at the source where you don't want it?
Brent,

Think of the shroud' job as essentially a funnel to route air.

As an air plenum, it cannot create heat, as a pelnum it may very well retain heat, however the fan blades should evacuate that heat in a timely fashion.

The exhaust manifold transfers and retains far more heat than the radiator or fan shroud.

The shroud should seal and draw air only through the radiator core to maximixe the heat transfer, then ideally, the heated air should flow over the engine compartment and thus help carry the additional heat load out of the engine compartment.

I suspect that punching louvers in the hood in two rows over the exhaust manifolds would help create a negative pressure zone under the hood to help draw the heat of the radiator and exhaust out of the engine compartment.

I you like the looks, make the shroud out of copper with a clear coat treatment of 1500 degree rated spray paint. A bit over the top, but it could be made to look nice.

Stainless looks a bit classy, you could make it out of fiberglass or galvanized tin for that matter.

An aquaitnence of mine out in Oracle Az had a custom shroud made for his aluminim radiator for a 350 Chevy powered CJ-8, with the TH-400 Auto Tranny.

Looked quite nice in the engine bay.

By the way this stuff is not rocket science, just pay a little attention to the details and try to reason things out, with some basic research over a few years time and some thought, it all seems to come together.

I don't claim to have THE answers, but I do feel free to try and help out fellow FSJ'ers in their Holy Grails.

We all need to push the herd in the same general direction.