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Originally Posted by Sophisticated Redneck
I spent many hours testing what made a difference, the back partition is appears to be mainly for sound and engine bay odor suppression, the plastic rain gutters even with 1/2" trimmed off the top still keeps nearly all of the rain off the engine. What little does make it is quickly evaporated off.
I also used wireless thermal probes to conduct highway, city, and parked temps. I recorded a 20 degree drop on average in city driving, highway would run cooler partition-less much sooner, but the biggest difference is actually in parked temps. It shaves 30-40 degrees depending on the location in the engine compartment. When I conducted the tests it was 116 out. With the partitions in place and the engine bay reached 220-240 degrees after 15min parked and stayed in that range for hours. With the back partition removed and the gutters trimmed, peak temps were 167-190 degrees in the engine compartment. It also cooled down to ambient temps on average 3 hours earlier then with the partitions. This is when most of the high temp oxidative damage to all the plastic and rubber bits under the hood occurs.
It does have its downsides, there will be more dust and dirt allowed into the engine compartment, you will hear your injectors clicking away (as well as sweet turbo noises!) and I do not know how snow would effect it as being in Phoenix, I have only seen pictures of that white stuff  . But for us desert dwellers where heat is the number one enemy of our cars and trucks, I highly recommend it. |
Good Data. Though with all of the problems I read from folks who have leaky engine partitions. Plus living in a sub tropical climate where we have had weeks of rain, I'm sticking with my low temp thermostat and turbo blanket ;-)
I will comment that the low temp thermostat and turbo blanket have noticeably reduced underhood temps. I remember after towing opening the hood I'd be welcomed with a blast of heat. Now I don't feel anything but I know its warm in there. Anecdotal I know.
My X5M is used mostly as a tow vehicle and burns 0 oil and was generally healthy before the mods. It has 66K miles now. I've been running a low temp t-stat on this car for 1.5 years, and a turbo blanket for 1+ years, and heat sheilding over the turbo lines. Though all of my turbo coolant lines, oil lines, and oil return block seals have been replaced before I added the turbo blanket. Also had to replace the electric turbo cooling pump.