The guy I bought hood from drove without the block-off plates and they were handed to me. I want to put plates back on to keep water out. BUT I was wondering, when the car is parked, & pouring rain, do the plates pond up & leak a bit? What about when rain freezes in there? Any issues?

Never heard of it being a problem. Subaru sold them that way from the factory.

Don't they have drain holes in them?

I just got rid of those plates on mine to make the scoop and vents functional rain getting in wont hurt anything hell I regularly spray off my engine with degreaser and a hose to keep things clean, water on your engine isn't a problem like people think it is, you just don't want water in your engine and if you have the stock air box that wont happen.

I didn't see any drain holes in plates, & I was worried about knock sensor getting wet & therefore cooling a tad, expanding & contracting, possibly causing premature failure.

The OB Sport hood was a carry over from other countries as a Turbo hood. The blockoff plates were a US spec thing being we did not get Turbo Impreza/ WRX till 2002

 

You can leave them open without issue

Edited July 2, 20169 yr by matt167