Dumb question but how does the water drain that enters the engine bay via the hood louvers during car washes and or rain. I am starting notice a "white" color build up on the insulation under the hood and also on top of the engine cover. Is this normal?

 

Aren't those louvres just fakes?

 

not fakes...

 

Then they'll have little tea trays underneath to deflect water away from the V in the engine.

 

The louvers are functional and I have seen some of the white buildup on the hood liner on mine, but it never accumulates anywhere on the engine cover or anywhere else where it would be noticed.

 

Can these be purchased for an 09 XF?

 

No, they would not work unless you had an XFR hood (2010+), with the recessed cutouts in the hood and hood liner (or if you made the cuts into your own hood/hood liner). You could probably find an XFR hood somewhere online, and it would probably be a direct fit onto your XF, but it would probably be expensive (although, it would probably already have the louvers included).

 

Thanks for lettin me know.

 

Has anyone here or anyone heard of someone cutting and installing them in there hood? I wonder if it could be done with on paint work to the hood? Frank

 

I realize this is an old thread, but can someone post a couple of close up pics of the hood louvers from the top and underneath the hood. I'm interested in installing these on a '13 car that doesn't have the louvers and would like to see how they install. Are they flush with the hood, or do they stick out at all? A pic of hood cutout with the louver removed from the hood would also be helpful. Thanks in advance!

 

Here are a pix few from my Mina CF louvers install. The OEM louvers have tabs underneath to keep them attached, while the Mina CF louvers rely upon 3M adhesive.