Rain Tray
11-13-2006, 08:52 PM
#2
Drifting
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Benefit:
1) Keeps rain water out of engine compartment
2) Does muffle the engine noise a bit
Not sure it ever hampered intake flow. With my stock 1.7 there was no power to begin with. However, removing it made the car lighter, and therefore "faster"
Even when you car was built the factory was pretty good at maximizing components for the car "overall". Feel free to keep it off, just don't complain when the car is left in a suprise downpour and won't start.
What kind of motor/intake do you have?
1) Keeps rain water out of engine compartment
2) Does muffle the engine noise a bit
Not sure it ever hampered intake flow. With my stock 1.7 there was no power to begin with. However, removing it made the car lighter, and therefore "faster"
Even when you car was built the factory was pretty good at maximizing components for the car "overall". Feel free to keep it off, just don't complain when the car is left in a suprise downpour and won't start.What kind of motor/intake do you have?
11-14-2006, 10:13 PM
#4
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Originally Posted by Brother
It looks like it hampers intake flow a little.
The rain tray prevents ... um ... rain, and just about everything else that can fit through the grating from making a mess & nest all over the top of your engine. Believe me, it's necessary.
11-15-2006, 11:28 AM
#5
All due respect to the previous poster, all air for cooling and intake comes in from the engine lid. No air enters the engine compartment from the underside as the shroud is there to prevent it. All production air cooled Porsches and VWs that I can think of are designed that way.
Even without the tray, rain has little chance to douse the ignition system. I ran around for 27 years without a tray and never had a problem with water, nests, pests, etc. However, I did temporarily install it while washing the car "just because". Most air cooled Porsches and VW's have much in the way of preventing rain from entering the engine compartment and it hasn't really been much of a problem.
Without the tray, there is alot more room to get arms, head and a shoulder in there, plus you can hear the engine better which is great when you're cruising around the countryside with the top off. Also, there is marginally better ventilation.
That's my experience. Your mileage may vary.
Even without the tray, rain has little chance to douse the ignition system. I ran around for 27 years without a tray and never had a problem with water, nests, pests, etc. However, I did temporarily install it while washing the car "just because". Most air cooled Porsches and VW's have much in the way of preventing rain from entering the engine compartment and it hasn't really been much of a problem.
Without the tray, there is alot more room to get arms, head and a shoulder in there, plus you can hear the engine better which is great when you're cruising around the countryside with the top off. Also, there is marginally better ventilation.
That's my experience. Your mileage may vary.
11-15-2006, 01:40 PM
#6
Burning Brakes
Rouser, you should check your car if it gets air from below. All 914s I know were designed to get cool air from above for combustion and cooling. Warm air and exhaust are let out below.
There should be enough tin around about the engine to prevent the two airflows from mixing.
Brother, another logic for keeping the tray I have heard is that if you levae the tray out, rain washes over the battery taking any acid down into the chassis leg. I don't know if this is true but we all know the chasssis leg rots out.
My opinion is that the airflow on a 1,7 will never get critical enough with it in place for it to affect performance.
There should be enough tin around about the engine to prevent the two airflows from mixing.
Brother, another logic for keeping the tray I have heard is that if you levae the tray out, rain washes over the battery taking any acid down into the chassis leg. I don't know if this is true but we all know the chasssis leg rots out.
My opinion is that the airflow on a 1,7 will never get critical enough with it in place for it to affect performance.
11-15-2006, 02:56 PM
#7
Doesn't matter if the tray is in or not with respect to rainwater washing over the battery as it may wash over the battery in either case. The tray doesn't extend under the grills that flank the lid (the one on the passenger side is almost directly above the battery) or under the gaps between the lid and the surrounding bodywork, so rain may come in on top of the battery, anyway.
-Jim
-Jim
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11-15-2006, 07:06 PM
#8
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I haven't even put it up to see how it fits. I've actually never seen a 914 with the rain tray installed. I think I'm going to install a gel cell in an enclosed container or with a rain shield when the current battery dies.
I don't have much in the way of electronics. The Stock FI is gone. I'll be installing a mallory dizzy in a few months.
I don't have much in the way of electronics. The Stock FI is gone. I'll be installing a mallory dizzy in a few months.
11-15-2006, 07:40 PM
#9
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Sorry, I misunderstood the post, and got it all turned about. Yes, you get fresh air from above, and evacuate it through the cooling fan down and exit below.
What I wanted to emphasize was that you SHOULD run a rain tray on a daily driver as a precaution, because you're not going to see a major improvement in performance verses the risks of rain and debris creating troubleshooting gremlins.
It just ain't gonna hurt keeping the rain tray installed.
What I wanted to emphasize was that you SHOULD run a rain tray on a daily driver as a precaution, because you're not going to see a major improvement in performance verses the risks of rain and debris creating troubleshooting gremlins.
It just ain't gonna hurt keeping the rain tray installed.
