What is this part?

[Aurora40]

This thing sits down under/in front of my air intake box. It doesn't really seem to fit in quite right no matter what, and it seems it blocks off access to outside air a bit. I couldn't find it on the KW parts CD. Is this an original part? What is it?

http://members.aol.com/corvettezr11990/misc/intakething.jpg

[janozr1]

yes it is original part - water deflector.

[Corvette95]

until the pros chime in , I say it goes UNDER the air intake baffel on near the top of the front cross frame rail near the center of the inside of the front bumper. But I cant remember noticing that exact peice ever before.

[Aurora40]

yes it is original part - water deflector.
How's it supposed to sit? Mine sits just like in the pict, all under the airbox with that flap up front sticking up blocking the openings to the radiator/air intake area. But the perforations and two cut-outs on the side don't match up with anything that way.

[Jeffvette]

It's stock part, not sure where mine is anymore.

[FULLPWR]

This thing sits down under/in front of my air intake box. It doesn't really seem to fit in quite right no matter what, and it seems it blocks off access to outside air a bit. I couldn't find it on the KW parts CD. Is this an original part? What is it?

http://members.aol.com/corvettezr11990/misc/intakething.jpg
Hey guys ran across it on Mid America site,Water Deflector1985-86 Corvettes have a gap near the air cleaner duct that can allow water to enter the air filter, while 1987 and later Corvettes were equipped with a Deflector to prevent this problem. This unit is designed to slip behind the air cleaner duct to prevent water from damaging your early model engine, and to replace the 1987-89 missing or damaged deflector.Part Year Description Price Availability 609-011 1985-89 Deflector, radiator upper $9.99 In Stock
Luis

[WB9MCW]

the anti-hydraullic water injested thru the intake deflector. many dump it if u never run hard thru puddles in the rain!!! but if u do and injest h20 ull have wished it was there!!!

[Jeffvette]

If you run through water that deep to think this might be of use, you will have other issues.

[haber rj]

Yes I looked at this item also last year when I had my air box out for cleaning and couldn't figure out what it was. So if I am hearing what you gentlemen are saying, you don't really need it if you don't drive in the rain, or if you do get caught by chance stay out of the puddles, is this correct. I tried to find a picture to see exactly how it is suppose to look installed but I couldn't, so I just made sure that the front piece was not infront of the rad blocking air and pointing down.
haber rj

[WB9MCW]

you got it...it is just a wimpy part to avoid injestion of h20 if u hydro on a large puddle...like JV said ull proly have other issues with the vette if you are runnin hard through large bodies of water...But I take no chances myself and mine is still there!!! lol In fact I decided not to put this air dam "Big Mouth" on my vette just because it could funnel the h20 the same...Hey JV u want a "Big Mouth" at half price??? Any one???

http://www.c4orcecorvette.com/

http://x11.putfile.com/2/5020482157.jpg:thumbsup:

http://x11.putfile.com/2/5020523067.jpg

http://x11.putfile.com/2/5020525810.jpg

Now that I have posted these pic's I relize just why I bought it in the first place....better cooling, less road debris getting into the rad., and because it looks really kewl esp. since I have the ZR-1 logo on mine and it is black...I think i'll just keep it after all and just avoid those darn puddles...Hell I never run much in the rain except home to put the ZR-1 away if it turns into a rainy day......hmmmmmm decisions...decisions...what do you guys think????

http://www.c4orcecorvette.com/images/animation.gif

[haber rj]

Ok guys call me out of tune, but I have never seen this set up before, (am I really that behind the times). First of all it looks really intimadating, and second where would I purchase one and third is it difficult to install and do you have to do any modifications to the car to install.
haber rjhttp://www.zr1netregistry.com/forum/images/icons/icon7.gif

[Aurora40]

If you run through water that deep to think this might be of use, you will have other issues.
Yeah, I was wondering about this. Is this like for some GM "drive through 8 inches of standing water" type thing? Or like "don't drive in the rain"? It's hard to picture rain or even puddles splashing up that much. The cutout there is pretty high, not in any direct air path. And then it doesn't even point straight at the filter, it points at plastic.

It seems like it would take a rather significant event to toss water up through that cutout and into the air filter.

Would I be flirting with danger to remove it? It sure blocks up those fresh air holes pretty good. I don't try to drive my car in rain, but you never know what nature will toss your way.

[Jeffvette]

I live in the PNW, it rains here..... alot. And I drive my car with out any hesitation with out that piece protecting my car.

[WB9MCW]

HJ if you wanted to learn more abt the Big Mouth just click on the link I posted with the pic's and it will take you right to the site. If you were refering to the plastic part that is an oem part from the factory. If your zr-1 does not have it then someone proly removed it just like Jeff has his out. We had a big discussion amongst all the mechanics over on corvette mechanic (where I am the moderator for the ZR-1 section...not that the ZR-1 section is very busy..but I do have a bunch of kewl articles posted there) some of the mechanics thought it was a big mistake to install the big mouth cause if you ever hydro'd on a big puddle then they felt it might be easy for that air director to injest plenty of water and direct it right into the intake. You know how it is when you hit a large pudddle of h20 and it goes everywhere. Now the owner of big mouth co. came on and stated how many were out there installed and his own for years, and that no one had injested any water... His argument was that it would be more likely to occur if you have the stock set up with the oem plastic part removed for better air circulation etc. In fact this was part of the reason he designed his device to draw directly from the forward position where you would not suck up road debris to clog the rad. and avoid the water spashing up and into the air intake. Well some of the mechanics were still doubting tom's (sorry tomtom and tom95) and felt that the number of c4 and c5's they have seen in the shop for hydraullic lock up suggested to them that it is a big problem this injestion of h20 in the intake. And that they would not put one on because they felt you could still hit a puddle in such a way as to have the h20 shoot out in front of the entire vette and that the big mouth would act like a funnel and aggravate the whole ordeal and make it even worse. Hence my dilemma...do I or don't I put the darn thing on. At this point I think I will! It will lower the cooling by 10-15 degrees f at speed, and keep the debris out of the rad., and all i gotta do is stay away from big puddles. Well u guys, what do u all think??? Plus IMO it looks ever sooooooooooooooo kewl!!!!:thumbsup: btw I did the chip mod and my fans now kick on at 190f and my z can sit for a 10 min idle on a 90% humid 90+f day and maxed out at 207f and as soon as I am rollin again it drops back to that very nice 180f mark. Never do I see the silly (for the sake of the zr-1 passing emissions the engineers had the fans not come on till 230f) 230f mark where by u are at saturation and it takes forever for it to come down...in fact it never really does. And talk abt. heat from the tunnel, it used to burn on my leg when wearing shorts...not with the chip 190f mod, my leg can ride against the tunnel plastic without burning up!!! not to mention the elim. of the 1-4 cags and the higher rev. limit set and the custom tune parameters(a bit leaner since the factory ran em fat to begin with)...you can't beat that mod for the money!!!

http://www.c4orcecorvette.com/images/zr1-black.jpg
THE ZR-1 LETTERING LOOKS MUCH BETTER THAN DEPICTED HERE!!!
I SHOULD TAKE A PIC OF IT SO YOU GUYS CAN SEE HOW NICE IT TRULY IS...

http://www.c4orcecorvette.com/images/animation.gif