do I need the plastic deflectors under my bumper?

stangGT97 · Jan 13, 2006

hey guys... so about a year ago, I accidentally hit a curb and screwed up 2 of the plastic/rubbery wind deflectors that attach to the bumper, and now only 2 of the 3 will mount properly, with the third being left to hang a little. I was wondering if they serve any real purpose, or if I can take them off without consequence? Here are some pics in case you don't know what im talking about
View attachment 491330
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View attachment 491333

thanks!

BigChiefSmokem · Jan 13, 2006

I cant see how it would hurt to take them off...

46gtsblown · Jan 13, 2006

They are there to create a lower pressure under the car. This is supposed to draw more cooling air through the rad to cool the engine.
Ford did have cooling issues on our cars particulary in the South-Southwest where it is damn hot in the summer.
Take them off if you wish and see how it goes, if the temps rise then just put them back on.

Dwayne

rpburnette · Jan 13, 2006

I have an 02 stang so I don't know if it would affect your car differently, but I mine has been off for about 2 years and I have not noticed a difference.

sgarlic · Jan 13, 2006

46gtsblown is absolutely correct. Great post.

stangGT97 · Jan 13, 2006

yeah, well i took them off as a test, mostly because on of them is hanging and looks like absolute crap, but I did leave the center deflector (mounts on the radiator bracket). I'll be getting a chin spoiler soon enough which would take their place anyway

timeless2 · Jan 13, 2006

46gtsblown said:
They are there to create a lower pressure under the car. This is supposed to draw more cooling air through the rad to cool the engine.
Ford did have cooling issues on our cars particulary in the South-Southwest where it is damn hot in the summer.
Take them off if you wish and see how it goes, if the temps rise then just put them back on.

Dwayne

Good answer.
Manufacturers don't just put seemingly useless pieces of material on any product for no reason. Otherwise, they could save on costs.

HoustonGT · Jan 13, 2006

4u2nv said:
Good answer.
Manufacturers don't just put seemingly useless pieces of material on any product for no reason. Otherwise, they could save on costs.

Other than the air silencer on the intake and the honeycomb on the grill

Kilgore Trout · Jan 13, 2006

+1 they enhance radiator cooling

You should try to get new trim fasteners and replace any broken pieces. You can get the trim fasteners at any auto parts store for cheap.

jstreet0204 · Jan 13, 2006

4u2nv said:
Good answer.
Manufacturers don't just put seemingly useless pieces of material on any product for no reason. Otherwise, they could save on costs.

Other than hood scoops, side scoops, wings, and 90% of the body panels on any pontiac car made in the past 15 years...

timeless2 · Jan 13, 2006

HoustonGT said:
Other than the air silencer on the intake and the honeycomb on the grill

jstreet0204 said:
Other than hood scoops, side scoops, wings, and 90% of the body panels on any pontiac car made in the past 15 years...

Now, now...should we start dealing in absolutes?

bobjenkins · Jan 13, 2006

my friend took his off

my friend took his off..funny story he was parking and he parked too far up a curb that was higher than the clearance of the plastic wing so it hit he didnt notice..when he went to pull out it ripped off the plastic wing

anyway it wouldnt hurt

stangGT97 · Jan 13, 2006

Kilgore Trout said:
+1 they enhance radiator cooling

You should try to get new trim fasteners and replace any broken pieces. You can get the trim fasteners at any auto parts store for cheap.

Well, the plastic piece itself is fubared. The fasteners are 100% intact, and the plastic sheared off of them. that entails buying new deflectors (boo). But, like I said, I left the middle piece, the one that mounts just below the radiator, which seems to be the one that does the majority of air directing, and I'm also running a 180 degree T-stat, which should help the cooling a bit. If i notice an increase in temperature I guess I'll have to buy the new piece

on a somewhat related topic, wouldnt the Mach 1 chin spoiler completely defeat the purpose of having those?

Stangdriver1119 · Jan 13, 2006

stangGT97 said:
on a somewhat related topic, wouldnt the Mach 1 chin spoiler completely defeat the purpose of having those?

I was just thinking that....

NX281GT · Jan 13, 2006

Now that I think about it I'm sure that's what was wrong w/ my 96 back in the day. That thing came off shortly after I bought it and I never had any trouble till I moved to NM. She'd get rather warm all the time then.

stangGT97 · Jan 14, 2006

NX281GT said:
Now that I think about it I'm sure that's what was wrong w/ my 96 back in the day. That thing came off shortly after I bought it and I never had any trouble till I moved to NM. She'd get rather warm all the time then.

yeah, well up here in MA cruising around the temp dial never goes to the half way point on the gauge, usually sits at about 1/3 or so... and only gets warmer when in traffic, when those deflectors are useless anyway. For some reason, I remember reading in one of my mustang books that '96 cobras had a cooling problem, and in '97 one of the cobra updates was a larger radiator, which was also given to the GT. I don't have the book with me so I can't back that up, but im pretty sure of it. I should just buy the chin spoiler and forget about it lol

TangerineGT96 · Jan 17, 2006

46gtsblown said:
They are there to create a lower pressure under the car. This is supposed to draw more cooling air through the rad to cool the engine.
Ford did have cooling issues on our cars particulary in the South-Southwest where it is damn hot in the summer.
Take them off if you wish and see how it goes, if the temps rise then just put them back on.

Dwayne

if you got mach one chin would do the same the stock one

merc123 · Jan 17, 2006

My 03 never had one

46gtsblown · Jan 17, 2006

I have purchased the Mach 1 spoiler and will be installing it soon.
I see no reason why it wouldn't work.
I am also in NM but this wll be my forst summer here so I have no base line.
I did 3 summers in Las Vegas and the car would run very hot there even with them installed. But then again in traffic they would be useless anyway.

Dwayne

stangGT97 · Jan 17, 2006

46gtsblown said:
I have purchased the Mach 1 spoiler and will be installing it soon.
I see no reason why it wouldn't work.
I am also in NM but this wll be my forst summer here so I have no base line.
I did 3 summers in Las Vegas and the car would run very hot there even with them installed. But then again in traffic they would be useless anyway.

Dwayne

true, the thing i noticed is that the car runs a little warmer in stop and go (obviously) and those wouldnt really help me anyway. Once im moving on the highway, the coolant temp gauge always stays below the halfway point

do I need the plastic deflectors under my bumper?

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