Technical Curious... those running louvered or no hoods, how do you keep your electronics “dry”

I've got 200 louvers and one of them fancy electronic carbs with 8 barrels. I run in the rain when I have to. Even at the car wash its not that bad. Just sometimes have to dry off the inside of the distributor. Louvers and rain are a myth in my book

 

Theres a saying about engineers that comes to my mind when you encounter their braindead choices...as in what the heck were they thinking...but a little crasser...

Some often say they make things difficult for the average Joe so it gets brought in for service. But the ole slant six is a workhorse and has proven its worth despite the shortcomings.

 

they could have put the distributor on the other side, under the exhaust manifold, eh? but there's no camshaft over there, to turn it.

The answer the other carmakers had, was to shorten the stroke of the engine.

 

I don’t use the Ole Hotrod for a daily. It is hoodless and wiper less and loaded with places water would seep. In fact I when asked I refer to it as a fairweather ride. If rain is forecast events generally will be canceled or lesser attended and yes sometimes the forecast changes but for the most part they are spot on. Obviously a lot of you travel on trips days away and that changes the dynamics greatly.

The other thing is these days for the trusted weather channels accessible by cell provide me with reliable decision making option. I run my Frogmouths forward as well as my plan is always fair weather. In 3 years I have managed only a very light sprinkle to recall.

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You bring up the other challenge that the same engineers I speak of in a non complimentary way have to face...is how to make it work with all the dynamics in front of them as in if we put it over here then this will be a problem...and so on...I'm sure its harder than thought to be in those shoes.

 

If you have vertical tubes on the carbs with minimal cover at a light in a torrential downpour which seems to be more of a norm these days it might do more than loosen carbon. I personally would be looking for cover. I have thought about a Aluminum hood, no sides but I haven't moved on that yet.

 

I know this is not car related but it is wet weather related . I have ridden old Harleys for many a soaking wet raining mile . Non linen wraped plug wires are pretty water proof with correct boots , points as stated are a bit easy to dry , and alternator or generator wiring are the same correct wire and boots and not much issue to worry about . Sitting over night in the rain , I think I would worry more about covering carb , than electrics . Hydrolock can damage an engine in a short and sweet minute .

 

I've been caught in a lot of bad rain storms and never had a problem , the car floating around on the road yeah but electrical problems no.

 

OuterWears makes a scrub bag with a draw string we use when washing dirt track cars.... I carry one in the trunk and put it on my mag (will work on dist too)if it looks like rain..... fits in palm of your hand when folded up....

 

I haven't done it yet but I plan to fab a removable shield under the heavily louvered hood on my 40 Ford coupe.sort of a thin second hood under the original. I plan to fab it so it diverts water away from critical areas but still lets the engine compartment breath and disipate heat.

 

think about driving any car in a downpour...the rain, will get sucked into the radiator and onto the engine, right?

Mine gets driven in rain and also some snow..no hood. Points/gen/etc..

But, I do have an issue if I get the plug wires wet when cold, then run it...it skips...but that is only because I found a NOS set of red see through solid wires with Badger chromed spark plug covers. The covers cause some sparks to jump..but they look cool, so they are staying... so I just pull them up off the plug boots a couple inches then drive a few miles to air dry them out.

you can barely see one chrome sparkplug cover in this pic from tonights cruise

 

I had a t-bucket for years. No hood, no fenders. Drove it in the rain many times no problems ever.

 

I had a t roadster with no hood at all. Drove it in all weather. Only car I had for awhile. Never a problem.

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Thinking about louvering the hood on my 50 shoebox with the thought of buying magnetic sheets and installing them under the hood over the louvers holes when raining hard. Has anyone tried this?

 

Have 47 ford with louvers never been a problem. Dist on 350 to rear alt never gets wet

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My old daily driver had 178 louvers in the hood. It had to sit outside all the time. Never had a problem when it was running already however, occasionally when parked water would pool in the top of the air cleaner and trickel down into the carb. Then it would miss fire and shoot flames out if the exhaust.

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Do be careful if running a box like MSD. High voltage leak and they're done.
In a driving rain , I got a pop threw the blower and that's where I sat for the rest of the day.

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Got a hint on how to stop the rain from coming in the louvers, go by the local sign shop and buy some of the magnetic stick on sign material and put it on the underside of the hood. I just got my avatar painted and back on the road but have not tried the strips yet. Friend in FL. (Frank Massamino) gave me the tip.

 

I've got a mat I throw over motor when it sits outside.

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Dielectric greese on any electrical connection especially GROUND WIRES. I run open engine bay with no problems with rain so far . If I know it's going to rain, I stay home...……...stay safe everyone...…………...

 

just move to so cal....last year the rain day was on a monday.....

 

Maybe i should change my signature to ..........."If you can count the fence post, you shouldn't consider louvers"

Have never had a problem in the rain and this ol' bird is driven.

 

My 34 Dodge has no hood, no weatherstripping and the roof leaks like it;s not even there, learned that the first time I tried to wash it with a hose. As soon as I did I called myself a dumb ass. I drive my car alot but if it looks like rain, snow or sleet the garage is the best place for it. If I am out and it starts I look for a convenience store gas canopy or an overpass. These cars never were made watertight from the factory.

 

car wash

 

Not tubes, but one of them off topic too modern fancy carbs, ya know like your new car has. And yes, the wettest it gets is at the car wash. Just don't soak the distributor and it runs just fine out of the car wash too.The only "bad" about louvers is my polished aluminum gets warm when running, then some rain gets on it and waterspots. Just more polishing work for me later. Oh well, I love the look and im no going back to a smooth hood

 

50,000 miles and several thousand of them in the rain with no hood and no problems. I think this is an old wives tail everybody is nervous for no real reason.

 

drove my Hot Rod Datsun pickup for a good 7-8 years with a louvered hood. never saw the inside of a garage and drove every day. I never had any issues of water in the engine compartment at all. not even water spots on my polished valve cover.