Airflow Management

I was looking at a picture that I was posting on the street 351 question and was reminded of a question I had. If you look at the picture below there are 2 triangular openings on both sides of the radiator. This looks like it would cause short circuiting of the radiator cooling air. Should these holes be left open, blocked with a spring loaded cover allowing air at road speeds, or blocked completely? Not sure why they were there to begin with...

Aaron

Leave then open, that old Bird won't have any cooling problems like that.

The fan will draw air through when it's necessary, and highway speeds will push air good enough that those two factory openings will not need to be plugged.


FE

Hey, thanks for the reply. The cooling was a problem in traffic last year, but that problem may have been fixed by moving the radiator inlet and ditching the restrictive plumbing necessary to get it to the previous location.

Not to jack my own thread, but what would cause the plugs to loosen in a 300-6 88 vintage? No one or two, but all. Neighbor has to tighten them up every few months. Just curious. Aaron

That's easy.

The friggin plugs don't use the compression style ring on them right? It's the metal bevel that seals to the head right?

When I run my falcon Hard, the vibration from the imbalanced clutch makes my plugs loosen up and well as other parts too....

Have the guy use ANTI SEIZE lube on the threads of the plugs. It's silver and messy, but I'll bet a dollar against a doughnut that it stops them from backing off!

I didn't sy use Loc-Tite, I said use Anti Seize.

The substance will help to dampen vibration and that will help the plugs stay where they are put.

Tell him to also check his timing, don't ask why, but check it to make sure it's where the factory say's it should be.


FE
P.S> Welcome to Fm dude! Nice Birdie you got there! Where's the rest of the pics?

If the front end feels light on the highway, closing them off may help. All the air coming in the front of the car ends up under it. Air flowing through those hole also raises the pressure behind the radiator, causing less flow through it. If it cools good and is not floaty at speed, I'd leave it alone.