Air dam just behind bumper

It is to make the bottom of your car smoother to air currents during highway driving. Most people think they are a complete waste.

how do i bleed the brakes on my 1990 chrysler NYer.specific steps please.arthur b

The airdam will offer some high speed stability as well as help a little with fuel economy. Chances are you won't notice that it is missing.

---------------- Alex

Thanks to all of you. I'll take it off, save it, and maybe put it on again when we have a beautiful day and I'm lying there anyhow.

It's bent almost in half and rubs on the ground now when I'm not moving, but I don't hear a thing so I think it is lifting up a bit when I do move.

Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let me know if you have posted also.

It's there for a reason and I'm not so sure it's for looks, because it looks better without it.

Having a very rudimentary knowledge fluid flow (from a single Fluid Mechanics course in University some 30 yrs ago), I see 2 possible functions for the front air dam. One or both reasons may be the intended purpose :

1) At speeds anywhere above 20 or 30 mph, the air dam creates a low pressure zone immediately behind it, sufficient to cause continuous purging of the air in the engine compartment which is immediately above it (the low pressure zone). Since air flows through the radiator and straight into the engine compartment, the air dam therefore actually assists cooling by scavenging air from the engine compartment. I suspect that this is the primary purpose.

2) Based on the same principle, the deflection of a major portion of the air from under the car reduces turbulence under the car and therefore some drag.

Phil

mm wrote:

I meant to also add that the air dam on my Intrepid ended up just like yours and for the same reason. The little plastic fasteners that hold it to the underside of the car just got torn right off. The fasteners at the extreme outer edges were holding it on but the rest of was hanging down like a great gaping jaw. I was thinking of putting some big plastic shark teeth in there for effect.

I bought 6 or 7 of those little fasteners and just popped them right back in. The whole fix took about 90 seconds. Those little fasteners (can't remember the correct name) were expensive for what they are. Bought from the Chrylser dealer they were something like 2 or 3 bucks a piece.

Phil

mm wrote:

They're called plastic pop rivets - and if you just popped them right back in, they sold you the wrong type. The correct retainers require a pop rivet gun - not the usual hardware store variety, but one that works with the plastic automotive pop rivets with larger diameter stems. The rivet guns are available from NAPA and some other auto parts stores - Balkamp 'Plastic Rivet Setter' P/N #770-2864 (that's probably the NAPA part number). Costs $20-$25.

You should use the right retainer - too weak, and the air dam falls loose too easily; too strong, and if something rips the air dam loose, it can damage the attaching structure.

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

This part is designed to locate parking lot curb blocks/stops, speed bumps, high spots in pavement and various road debris.

Provides audible and (afterwards) visual notice.

Driver should R&R (and R&R, and R&R) until able to locate the above features without driving over them.

OUCH! You should have tried your discount auto parts store. They usually carry a few different types of fasteners that might have worked for you. They cost substantially less.

------------- Alex