With the snow season upon us in New England I am looking to protect my engine bay from the elements. I running a Perrin Filter so I don't want water getting in there. What is the best option to block that vent from letting water/etc inside the bay?

 

Do you have a really short intake or anything? There really isn't any way for water to get over there that far. I've never had any problems with mine in the winter

 

I have a metal shield like a little roof over my filter element. It bolts up to the back of the filter (I have an Apexi filter). You can also look at Outerwears if you want more protection. http://www.outerwearsracing.com/products.asp?cat=11718

 

it wont stop a large volume of water, but this will stop some of it.

http://www.racinglab.com/injen-hydro...re-filter.html

Also, water really isnt a concern with the filter placement and the presence of the lower splash shield. You would have to submerge the front of the car in approximately 2.5' of water which would be fairly noticable to the untrained eye.

Also, you wont want to cover the hood vent as that will be a good source for cooling in the event that the front bumper becomes clogged with snow (common cause of WRC cars to overheat when snow blocks all the grills).

 

does the front hood duct cool better with the metal sheet in, or without it, so it's just the mesh?

 

ive been running my car in snow and rain for 2 years with just the mesh and never had a problem. dont even worry about it. the oil on the perrin filter doesnt allow it to absorb water anyway. the only way something would happen is if the filter is to have it submerged

 

do you think it cools better without the metal card in? I cant tell if those little fins on the metal help it cool better by creating some sort of flow, or if just wide open with the mesh is betteR?

 

i think it does when you have an exhaust mani that comes very close to it. but stock mani, id just leave it alone

 

I think they were designed to get the heat flowing out. I don't think mitsubishis engineers would make that part without any sort of usefulness but I may be wrong.

 

im sure that when a manifold is a few inches from the mesh the peice with the fins is gonna keep a lot more heat in then just the free flowing mesh

 

the metal peice design looks like it would help the hot air get out better

 

Right. The fins create a Venturi effect that helps to draw air from the engine bay.