Engine pans make interior hotter?

[David in San Antonio]

The Wretched Roadster is finally having a newly-built touring engine installed after 6 months off the road. The shop asked if I really wanted the engine pans reinstalled. They were of the opinion that the interior can be 40 degrees F hotter (approx 4.5 degrees C) with the pans in place. That’s a big difference here in Texas where summer temperatures are often over 100 degrees F (approximately 38 degrees C).
Question: Anyone have any direct experience with and then without the pans?
Thanks in advance.

 

[mhsprecher]

The engine pans help with grounding the engine to the frame. Everything I have ever heard is that the pans help with engine cooling. My belief is that a manufacturer would not include a part on a car that was not needed.

 

[mass A man]

The engine pans will not heat up the interior, unless you drive around with no toe board.

 

[Big hammer]

Splish Splash I was taking a bath , Engine Splash Pans , to keep water and mud out of the engine compartment ! I’ve seen photos where the Splash Pans are missing and the engine was muddy and the firewall !

 

[springerpete]

I agree that Ford would not put engine pans on a Model A if it were to couse heating problems. I also agree with the cleanliness idea and grounding. . My '29 has pans and even in very hot days the moto meter never shows any red. Bill

 

[Bob Bidonde]

My analysis of the value of the engine pans A-6775 & A-6776 are in the attached slide. The pans do provide an electrical ground path to the battery, but it is relatively poor. The Model A needs an auxiliary ground cable.

 

[MVal]

I also believe pans are a good idea. On a trip many years ago one member didn't have pans and had trouble with his engine missing. What happened is that it was in southern Idaho and the asphalt had severe ruts due to truck traffic, etc. We were in a thundershower and the ruts were full of water. The wheels splashed water onto the engine and distributor causing the ignition to short out periodically but not bad enough for him to stop--it was more of a nuisance and concern until he figured out what was happening. As pointed out above they will help keep the engine compartment cleaner too.

 

[old31]

I am with bighammer#4 on this.

Due to the poor road conditions of the time the pans saved the engine bay form the elements.

There is no way that Henry would have spent the money on the pans if he did not see a cost benefit.

There is also a theory that the pans keep the engine bay cooler, this I am not sure that I agree with.

 

[rotorwrench]

After driving my old 29 in Texas for some time without pans, I can tell you that the air coming in from under the car isn't any cooler and it has more force behind it. The pans force the air through the radiator to exit out the hood louvers as was intended. The louvers and pans act as an augmenting draw to exit the air as quick as it comes in. With no pans, the airflow over powers that flow. Holes in the firewall don't help either. The heat coming off the exhaust is augmented out through the hole in the rear of the right side pan and the hood louvers so that helped exit more of that heat but not all.

If you want to reduce the heat coming into the cab then seal all the leaks as Ford did. If it's still too hot then add something for firewall insulation. The pans are there for a good reason.

My Sport coupe has the back curtain panel that opens up. Open the windshield a bit and vent air comes in pretty well. It's not a good substitute for AC but it's better than nothing.

 

[David in San Antonio]

Thanks for your feedback. I’ll continue to use the engine pans, and will add a ground strap to the engine/transmission. I added a firewall insulator while the engine was out. Next will be insulation for the floorboard and toe board, and rubber boots for the shifter and handbrake. On another thread there was advice about sealing off an air path into the cabin from under the hood. I’ll report progress as it happens.

 

[Ray in La Mesa]

MVal, Your story reminds of when I was in junior college in the SoCal desert I was I heading home in my '30 fordor and got hit by a thunder shower. It came down so hard & fast the center top hood hinge leaked enough water to short out the ignition. I climbed out & under the hood to protect myself from the rain to try & dry it out. By the time I got back in to try & start it a flash flood had brought the water on the road up to the hub caps! Yea, the sedan roof leaked too. Ahh, the fun of the hobby.