Hood louver install
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JK Jedi Master
Joined: Nov 2006
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Hood louver install
Summers just around the corner, so I thought I would help vent the heat under the JK's hood. I decided that I would use GenRight short black hood louvers. They are 7 3/4" long by 8" wide. I ordered a set directly from GenRight for about $70 shipped and had them in about a week. Thanks to Timberwolf for lending a hand with the installation.
Needed tools:
- Tape
- Touch up paint
- Pop rivet gun
- Measuring tape
- Razor blade
- Drill w/ 1/8" bit
- Cutting tool, I used a Dremel.
- 9mm wrench or socket
- Center punch
I started out by removing the under hood insulation and the footman loop from the hood and setting them aside. You will reinstall these later.
I figured out where I was going to place the vents and protected the work area with tape then measured and marked for my cuts and holes that need to be drilled.
When deciding the location for the louvers you should study the under side of the hood and locate a sufficient area that does not interfere too much with the hood support brace.
*** Please be sure to measure and then double check all your measurements prior to drilling or cutting into the hood.
After double checking my measurements and confirming the location I wanted the louvers I used a center punch to dimple the holes where I would be drilling the attachment points for the louvers. I then drilled the holes where the pop rivets would be installed to fasten the louvers to the hood.
After drilling the attachment holes it's now too late to turn back or change your mind, unless you just want a perforated hood.
The hood metal is thin so I decided I would use a Dremel tool with a reinforced cutting disk to cut the area out that allows for the air flow. Be sure to get a couple packs of cutting disks. I used about eight for this project.
After cutting out both areas for the air flow I was left with two oddly shaped holes in the hood with a portion of the hood support visible.
After cutting through the skin of the hood I trimmed away a small section of the hood support.
After removing some excess portions of the hood support I changed to a small grinding stone on the Dremel and smoothed and deburred the edges of my cuts and used some black high heat gloss paint to cover the bare metal on the hood.
After letting the paint dry I removed the tape then laid the under hood insulation back in place and outlined the area of the insulation that needed to be trimmed away to allow for air flow from under the hood. I then removed the insulation and trimmed the holes according to my markings.
I again set the under hood insulation aside.
My next step was to use a pop rivet gun to install the supplied rivets that attach the louvers to the hood.
After installing the rivets and securing the louvers to the hood in reinstalled the footman loop and under hood insulation.
The install of the louvers is complete with the exception of using some touch up paint to touch up the top of the rivets.
I'm pretty happy with how this turned out and I expect to get about 15 mpg more than before this modification and increase my top end speed by about 30 mph.
Actually heat is one of the main enemies to engines and electronics. I read that hood louvers can reduce the heat level under the hood by 30 or 40 degrees and if this is true it may help prolong the life of some of my JK's components and if they don't, well they still look pretty cool.
Needed tools:
- Tape
- Touch up paint
- Pop rivet gun
- Measuring tape
- Razor blade
- Drill w/ 1/8" bit
- Cutting tool, I used a Dremel.
- 9mm wrench or socket
- Center punch
I started out by removing the under hood insulation and the footman loop from the hood and setting them aside. You will reinstall these later.
I figured out where I was going to place the vents and protected the work area with tape then measured and marked for my cuts and holes that need to be drilled.
When deciding the location for the louvers you should study the under side of the hood and locate a sufficient area that does not interfere too much with the hood support brace.
*** Please be sure to measure and then double check all your measurements prior to drilling or cutting into the hood.
After double checking my measurements and confirming the location I wanted the louvers I used a center punch to dimple the holes where I would be drilling the attachment points for the louvers. I then drilled the holes where the pop rivets would be installed to fasten the louvers to the hood.
After drilling the attachment holes it's now too late to turn back or change your mind, unless you just want a perforated hood.
The hood metal is thin so I decided I would use a Dremel tool with a reinforced cutting disk to cut the area out that allows for the air flow. Be sure to get a couple packs of cutting disks. I used about eight for this project.
After cutting out both areas for the air flow I was left with two oddly shaped holes in the hood with a portion of the hood support visible.
After cutting through the skin of the hood I trimmed away a small section of the hood support.
After removing some excess portions of the hood support I changed to a small grinding stone on the Dremel and smoothed and deburred the edges of my cuts and used some black high heat gloss paint to cover the bare metal on the hood.
After letting the paint dry I removed the tape then laid the under hood insulation back in place and outlined the area of the insulation that needed to be trimmed away to allow for air flow from under the hood. I then removed the insulation and trimmed the holes according to my markings.
I again set the under hood insulation aside.
My next step was to use a pop rivet gun to install the supplied rivets that attach the louvers to the hood.
After installing the rivets and securing the louvers to the hood in reinstalled the footman loop and under hood insulation.
The install of the louvers is complete with the exception of using some touch up paint to touch up the top of the rivets.
I'm pretty happy with how this turned out and I expect to get about 15 mpg more than before this modification and increase my top end speed by about 30 mph.
Actually heat is one of the main enemies to engines and electronics. I read that hood louvers can reduce the heat level under the hood by 30 or 40 degrees and if this is true it may help prolong the life of some of my JK's components and if they don't, well they still look pretty cool.Last edited by Robar; Apr 18, 2010 at 01:18 PM. Reason: Updated photos
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JK Super Freak
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,439
Likes: 1
From: Flyover Country
Nice work.
I recommend binning the insulation though, that alone will reduce your underhood temps albeit at the expense of a little added engine noise (e.g. valvetrain tick and whatnot).
I recommend binning the insulation though, that alone will reduce your underhood temps albeit at the expense of a little added engine noise (e.g. valvetrain tick and whatnot).
