hood to head light gap

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Old 05-16-2010, 05:21 AM
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Default hood to head light gap

Another one for the ford guys... With my kn filter sitting directly behind the passenger head light when closing the hood and shining a light I can see the filter in about a 1/4 inch gap were the hood meets the head light. When it rains what is going to stop the water from being driven into my filter? It is an area of concern. I may be able to build a shield but not sure how much air I will be blocking.... I know the ford guys have to have some insite on this?
Old 05-16-2010, 10:59 AM
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One of the previous owners of my car built an enclosure around the air filter, its sealed off from the engine bay and gets air from the turn signal intake.
I'm not sure how well it works, but i "think" that it gets colder air than it would without it.
It has foam gaskets where the hood closes over it which might help, and possibly you could come up with something similar to protect your filter from water?
Anyhow i can get a couple pictures of it if your interested.
Old 05-16-2010, 11:52 AM
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If you oil the filter like K&N recommends, you will have no issues. I have a hole in the top of my hood directly over the intake and had no issues with it. My WS6 also had the ram air mods done and after getting stuck driving in a monsoon, I checked the intake tract to find it was still bone dry.
Old 05-16-2010, 09:47 PM
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Don't drive when it is raining.
Old 05-17-2010, 05:33 AM
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Default yes for sure

Originally Posted by jwmezzanotte
One of the previous owners of my car built an enclosure around the air filter, its sealed off from the engine bay and gets air from the turn signal intake.
I'm not sure how well it works, but i "think" that it gets colder air than it would without it.
It has foam gaskets where the hood closes over it which might help, and possibly you could come up with something similar to protect your filter from water?
Anyhow i can get a couple pictures of it if your interested.
I would welcome the pictures if you can post them that would be great!
Old 05-17-2010, 07:00 AM
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I mounted my filter behind the bumper to lower IAT readings.
Old 05-17-2010, 01:54 PM
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1) - Pull up your headlight lids so they match the hood. I'd imagine they are pulled down by now.

2) - Usually there is a small plastic "rim" that goes around the lower side of the hood. If that's missing it may help.

-Jason
Old 05-18-2010, 08:19 AM
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Originally Posted by MRM331
1) - Pull up your headlight lids so they match the hood. I'd imagine they are pulled down by now.

-Jason

Have you ever thought about shimming the back of the headlight in an effort to lift it up some? the weird gap where the hood is taller then the headlight as always bugged me!
Old 05-18-2010, 09:54 AM
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All you need to do is pull up slightly on the rear inner corner of each lid. A couple of good tugs and they will line up. Most have been pushed down over the years by people leaning on them when they work on the car.
-Jason
Old 05-18-2010, 11:01 AM
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Here is a picture with the lid on. The top is held with Velcro and pulls off to access the filter. There is still a gap between the headlight and the enclosure because the headlight needs to pivot when it goes up. I'm sure it could be sealed off somehow if you wanted to. I'm also sure there could be a way to build something like this....only with less ugly!
I kinda wonder though how much cold air it gets when the headlight is down, wouldn't the headlight block a lot of the passage from the turn signal intake?



cover off, and you can see the signal intake. I don't know where these intakes came from, but i don't really like them. Eventually im sure i will swap them out with one of the plastic molded ones.


Its sealed off quite well on the back as well. Also it looks like the rubber intake hose has been flipped around to change the filter location. I remember reading something about that in a post somewhere. Maybe that would be enough to pull your filter back from the light-hood gap?


On my car there is still a gap between the hood and the headlight. I suppose water "could" get in there even with that shroud around it. I try not to drive my car in the rain, but i live on the north coast of bc canada, in a town that has been the "rainiest city in Canada" more than once. Ive only owned the car just under a year, but i haven't noticed any water in that area at all in that time.
Old 05-18-2010, 11:02 AM
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btw, i also need to pull my headlight covers up

Last edited by jwmezzanotte; 05-19-2010 at 01:32 AM.
Old 05-18-2010, 12:33 PM
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I still think that car has the coolest paint job ever.

I turn the rubber intake hose around like that when I use one (not this time). It does seem to move the intake back a little.

Another solution if you're really worried is to cut a hole in the inner fender and run it down into the "void" area behind the right side marker light. People who have done this have used stock Ford cone filter enclosures from late model vehicals to keep the rain out.

-Jason
Old 05-18-2010, 02:19 PM
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I really like the paint also

Last edited by jwmezzanotte; 05-19-2010 at 01:32 AM.
Old 05-19-2010, 05:56 AM
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Thanks for the pictures....It is fuel for thought. What I did was take a little from everyone... I first loosened the hood bolts and pulled the hood down a bit. Then took the plastic shrouding off around the head light and loosened the 4 phillip head screws and moved the metal headlight cover up... Then grabbed both sides of the metal cover and pulled them up a bit as the metal is very thin. This brought everything in line. Just added a thin piece of black insulating tape to act as a gasket to close the remaining gap. And my kn filter is straight out of the box and appears to be oiled or it should be oiled as it is brand new. Thanks for everyones help as it turned out very good.
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