<VV> Which Direction Bellows Swivel? & Baffle

[Jim Simpson]

The under cylinder baffles serve two important functions.  First, 
they restrict the air flow through the cylinders.  That is, if they 
aren't there, the majority of the cooling air flows down through the 
cylinders and NOT over through the cylinder heads.  The cast iron 
cylinders have lots more air flow area -- the gap between the fins on 
the cylinders as well as the gaps between the cylinders themselves 
than do the cylinder heads.  Without the baffles, the cylinder heads 
will run much hotter.  (Ask me what happens if someone leaves of one 
baffle!  A "professional" Corvair mechanic did that to my car once...)

Second they help even out the cooling on the cylinders.  Without the 
baffles, the cylinders tend to heat up unevenly and thus are "less 
than perfect circles" due to differential thermal expansion.  This 
leads to odd wear patterns.  Probably less of a problem than cooking 
the cylinder heads though.

Padgett -- I'm pretty sure they are in place on your yellow car.  I 
installed the lower shrouds on that car when it was up here in 
Maryland and I'm pretty sure I would have noticed if they weren't in place.

Jim Simpson, Group Corvair.