General Miata Chat A place to talk about anything Miata

Is my front undertray too long?

Old 03-19-2008, 07:49 PM
  #1  
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (4)
 
Efini~FC3S's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 3,309
Total Cats: 98
Default Is my front undertray too long?

Is it? Do you think it will trap too much of the under-hood heat? My first test drive with it on showed no overheating problems...

Here are some pictures, I do not pretend to believe it is pretty. I should have made one in cardboard first and then attempted with the ABS but oh well. I know it's ugly, I know it's not symmetrical, etc. etc.

Unmounted


Mounted: front view


Mounted: rear view
Efini~FC3S is offline  
Old 03-19-2008, 07:52 PM
  #2  
Elite Member
iTrader: (21)
 
paul's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Point Pleasant, NJ
Posts: 2,957
Total Cats: 2
Default

i think it looks great and don't think you will have heat issues. should help draw air from the front of the engine bay out that back past the trans
paul is offline  
Old 03-19-2008, 07:56 PM
  #3  
Elite Member
iTrader: (9)
 
Saml01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: NYC
Posts: 5,710
Total Cats: 3
Default

You shouldnt have any overheating issues.

Im sorry for the off topic question, but I see you have an LC1, where is ur controller stashed?
Saml01 is offline  
Old 03-19-2008, 08:00 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
budget racer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: North Jersey
Posts: 717
Total Cats: 0
Default

looks good
sam-mine is under the center console in front of the shifter.
budget racer is offline  
Old 03-19-2008, 08:12 PM
  #5  
Elite Member
iTrader: (9)
 
Saml01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: NYC
Posts: 5,710
Total Cats: 3
Default

^ Really, and it reaches all the way down. That is very very good to know.
Saml01 is offline  
Old 03-19-2008, 08:19 PM
  #6  
Elite Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Mach929's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: lansdale PA
Posts: 2,494
Total Cats: 0
Default

looks good to me, what material did you use?
Mach929 is offline  
Old 03-19-2008, 08:27 PM
  #7  
Elite Member
iTrader: (5)
 
johndoe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,970
Total Cats: 1
Default

He mentioned it was ABS in the first post.
johndoe is offline  
Old 03-19-2008, 08:32 PM
  #8  
Elite Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Mach929's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: lansdale PA
Posts: 2,494
Total Cats: 0
Default

Originally Posted by johndoe
He mentioned it was ABS in the first post.
sorry i should have clarified, i was looking for specs, like how thick itis and how big the sheet you had to buy and where you got it?
Mach929 is offline  
Old 03-19-2008, 08:36 PM
  #9  
Boost Czar
iTrader: (62)
 
Braineack's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Chantilly, VA
Posts: 79,490
Total Cats: 4,079
Default

i do want.
Braineack is offline  
Old 03-19-2008, 09:36 PM
  #10  
Elite Member
iTrader: (21)
 
rleete's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 6,593
Total Cats: 1,259
Default

Looks pretty good. Better than spending big bucks for someone to make one for you. And honestly, how often are you gonna see it anyway?

One suggestion (something I plan to try) is to use some sort of 1/4 turn fasteners to facilitate removal for maintenance access.
rleete is offline  
Old 03-19-2008, 09:58 PM
  #11  
Elite Member
iTrader: (39)
 
Zabac's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: High Point NC
Posts: 4,850
Total Cats: 8
Default

looks great
it will help your cooling actually, your engine bay is all about pressure as it doesn get much airflow once past the radiator, this will help direct air out the back
Zabac is offline  
Old 03-19-2008, 10:00 PM
  #12  
Elite Member
iTrader: (6)
 
Loki047's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago
Posts: 4,143
Total Cats: -5
Default

Anyone have measurements of this stuff? Cause my car is still sitting in snow.
Loki047 is offline  
Old 03-20-2008, 12:36 AM
  #13  
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (4)
 
Efini~FC3S's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 3,309
Total Cats: 98
Default

Ok, I will try to answer everyones questions.

First of all it's 1/8" thick ABS plastic. I bought a 4' X 8' sheet of it from a local plastics supplier, I think it was about $55 total. I still have quite a bit left over, a 4' X 6' sheet would have been enough. Check the yellow pages for a plastics supplier near you, they should have ABS sheet in various thicknesses.

I'm not sure what rleete means by 1/4 turn fasteners. I do need a better way to fasten the undertray to the front lip. As of right now it's kind of a pain in the butt to take off and reattach.

I know the undertray will help cooling. The whole reason I built it was to help cooling and hopefully increase front downforce. Having an undertray reduces the amount of air that goes under the nose of the car and forces more air to go through the radiator (increases pressure in front of the radiator). My fear was that the tray was too long and would possibly block some of the airflow out of the engine bay. I had read that if the undertray is too long it can cause problems.

Sam: I have a PLX M300 wideband not a LC-1. I have the controller smushed between the center console and passenger seat...

Thanks to everyone for the compliments. I don't think it's pretty but I sure hope it's functional.
Efini~FC3S is offline  
Old 03-20-2008, 12:57 AM
  #14  
Junior Member
iTrader: (6)
 
tann3r's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Houston, TX / Lafayette, LA
Posts: 272
Total Cats: 3
Default

I think rleete was refering to Dzus fasteners.

It looks good and will be copying it as soon as i can find a local plastic supplier and cut up my hood.
tann3r is offline  
Old 03-20-2008, 01:03 AM
  #15  
Elite Member
iTrader: (12)
 
cardriverx's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Hermosa Beach, CA
Posts: 2,573
Total Cats: 12
Default

could you give us a measurment of the finished product?
cardriverx is offline  
Old 03-20-2008, 01:05 AM
  #16  
Junior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
JDMAflac's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 466
Total Cats: 0
Default

Very nice, adding this to the list of things to do.
JDMAflac is offline  
Old 03-20-2008, 01:18 AM
  #17  
Senior Member
iTrader: (4)
 
reddroptop's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Ontario
Posts: 789
Total Cats: 1
Default

The longer the better, a flat underside = better aero.

Looks good.

I am considering doing one from aluminum.
reddroptop is offline  
Old 03-20-2008, 01:34 AM
  #18  
Junior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
JDMAflac's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 466
Total Cats: 0
Default

You should make a cut out for your oil drain plug to make things a lot easier.
JDMAflac is offline  
Old 03-20-2008, 01:36 AM
  #19  
Elite Member
iTrader: (24)
 
Bryce's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Cypress, TX
Posts: 3,759
Total Cats: 35
Default

Originally Posted by JDMAflac
You should make a cut out for your oil drain plug to make things a lot easier.
But if he got some of those 1/4 turn fasteners, he wouldn't need to because it would already be easy to remove yah?
Bryce is offline  
Old 03-20-2008, 02:08 AM
  #20  
Junior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
JDMAflac's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 466
Total Cats: 0
Default

True but to remove 8-10 fasteners versus having access from a cut out would be quicker/less hassle. To each their own either way great job.
JDMAflac is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Quick Reply: Is my front undertray too long?



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:17 PM.