One of the downsides of having the engine in the rear is that cooling the hot engine bay and heat soak
Without proper ventilation, heat from the engine’s headers, catalytic converters, & exhaust can cause heat soak,
which can significantly lower your Corvette’s performance and longevity.
For some reason, Corvettes destined for the European market are equipped with a GM OEM cooling mod straight from the factory, and the benefits of these two parts easily-installed air deflectors can be significantly lower
These air deflectors mount under your car, and they are designed to route cooler air into your engine bay
The good news is you can order these parts from your dealer’s parts counter, and they are easy to install.
The
GM Part Numbers are 85580654 & 85580653. I did a lookup of them on GM Parts Direct, and they are called “F Deflectors.”
Together, they average around $125 each so around $250 for the pair or make your own
These air deflectors are metal components that easily mount using existing hardware on the skid plate under your Corvette, and the scoop design sends cooler air directly into openings of your engine bay where your headers and catalytic converters create some of the most heat.
Once the air deflectors were installed, sloppy measurements by a C8 owner on 2 different days after a drive & C8 Owner claimed that it significantly reduced temps around his engine bay:
• Left side carbon fiber engine bay area: 87.8°F (
down from 132°F)
• Intake cover: 97.9°F (
down from 154.1°F)
• Headers: 186°F
(down from 222°F) • Trunk area: 104°F
(down from 146°F)
These
claimed results show temperature reductions ranging from approximately 42°F to over 56°F in hotter areas.
Left and right side part numbers :
https://www.gmpartsdirect.com/search?search_str=85580654And
https://www.gmpartsdirect.com/search?search_str=85580653This needs better testing and long term use to see if the directing of cooler air is also not directing dirt upward into the bay Claims these 2 parts would install on all C8 models & years
