Floor Temperatures

Took a drive today and when I got home I decided to take some photos of my CJ6 with a FLIR infra-red camera. I was surprised to see how hot the driver's side floor was:



The air temp is in the 60s here in Phoenix so the rest of the body was pretty cool. This seems like it is heat radiating off the driver's side header.

The passenger side looks like this:



Should I be concerned about the higher temp on the driver's side? Maybe add some insulation or a heat shield?

 

First, wow is that ever cool!
I think it's hotter on the drivers because there's less air flow thru that side when driving, ie.
the steering box restricts

 

Looking forward to the Phoenix summer test. I have some 1" dense Armaflex EPDM foam that I used in another jeep.
That and a piece of cheap carpet. Drive barefoot.

 

160 is HOT

 

My dad melted his boots to the floor with his first 66 V6 demo CJ5.

 

Is that a 4 banger? I'ld pop the hood and check for exhaust leaks if it is a 6cyl but yep they get toasty.

If you think about it the engine is at least 165deg so that's about right.

 

When I had my 225 with headers and mufflers under the floor it would boil my gasoline in the underseat tank on hot days.

 

Must be why Jeep had such crappy heaters, they figured the body heat was enough!

 

Reminds me of one of my earliest jeep experiences...

Family with a flatfender was taking us kids to the local swimming hole, and I claimed 'first dibs' to sit in the open tailgate. I was surprised the other kids didn't argue. As we went down the road I found out why - the hot muffler under the tub floor!

 

Isn't the exhaust manifold extremely close to the Ross box on the Dauntless? That could explain that hot spot.

This must be why you're not supposed to drive barefoot.

 

The '66 gets hot on the floor with fenderwell Hedman Headers. Great in the winter, built in heat!
I've never thought to measure the temperature though.

 

This is a V6 with block hugging headers. Here is a photo from under the hood:



I think I'm going to make a heat shield to see if that drops the floor temp.

Here is the temps of the header. I think the 217.2 F is the Y pipe, it runs down the driver's side:



It looks like the radiator is working well:



The 148.1 F is the end of my tailpipe:

 

I threw together a heat shield to see home much cooler the floor would be.



The floor looks a lot cooler now.



Under the hood the shield looks pretty hot.



I only drove for about 20 minutes, and it was only in the 50s here today. I'll have to check this again after taking a longer drive on a warmer day.

 

Wrapping your heades / downpipes makes an enormous difference. I can almost hold my hand on my exhaust.