Carbon fiber hoods and heat dissipation

[Yotafetish]

In general we all know plastics are sucky conductors/insulators and carbon fiber's no exception(I think :s).So:
Is it a good thing?

->Engine heat is bad in general
->but preheated fuel means better combustion
-> it also means poor fuel density

Do the pros and cons work out?Am I missing something?.Are there such things as flying monkeys?.Excuse my noobness.

[--Redwork--]

Bisiclly...

Engine make the most power at 80 odd degrees (so i'm told)
The fuel temp will be direct result of a number of thing. restriction through the lines the actual heat of the day heating fuel in the tank and the fuel rail which is conected to the engine so is obviously gunna get hot...

I wouldn;t imagine that engine bay heat would have that much of an effect on fuel temp other than if it effected the coolling capabilities of the engine causing the engine to get hotter in turn transfering more heat into the rail...

Do to the topic of your original question...
Yes I beleive that if your carbon bonnet was a non vented item then i would result in an increase in underbonnet temps..
But most carbon bonnets are vented in some way.. and are usually done in a maner that any sort of wind flowing over them will suck air from under the bonnet.. Causing a heat reduction...

If your bonnet is a non vented style one and your concernd about heat, just space the rear of the bonnet up with a few nut/washers.. This works fairly well at removing hot air from the bay..

And flying monkeys DO exist... I seen em on TV..

[Sam-Q]

I cant imagine there being any difference at all in any way as the heat disapation of the bonnet would be completely trivial compared to the where the bulk air flow goes which is under the car.

[Yotafetish]

Yesh .Excellent deductions.Me gotta stop thinkin so hard..I wish I had a carbon fiber bonnet -_-".Planned to get one from a scrapped boeing 747 once....Air Atlanta beat me to it. Oh well ...mr2 halfcut will have to do.......stupid composites.

[ke70dave]

keep in mind that the engine is not 80 degrees, it is the water temperature that is 80degrees.

when the water is 80 degrees the actual engine (block/head) is a whole stack hotter than that (100-200 in parts)

as for the origintal question, youll find that the fuel is pretty "pre heated" as it makes its way from the injectors through head as it enters through the valve. remembering how hot the actual head is.

i think the only real advantage of cabon fibre stuff is

1) light weight (but you gota make everything carbon to make it worthwhile)
2) wank factor
3) winning autosalon! (c'mon everyone will vote for the carbon car!)

though you do have an interesting point about the heat diserpation properties. but i doubt car manufactorers take that into account when designing engines. they design it in such a way that the air enteres the front of the car, travels around the engine, down through the geabox tunnell etc.

i have actualy heard that when ppl put holes in their bonnet or even raise up the rear of their bonnet it disrupts this air flow, and thus you get pockets of stagnant air under your bonnet, and thus no cooling at all!