DIY - Front Grill Block - 1991 Honda CRX

[yepvegas]

I cannot see the pics up close, i do not have enough post yet. What kind of mpg gains did you see. I have a 08 Suzuki SX4 sport sedan and it has a huge opening at the bottom of the bumper and has a 3/4 inch honey comb type of mesh grill. I would not want to risk blocking the top one would blocking say 50 percent of it be a help?

[Weather Spotter]

Originally Posted by yepvegas

I cannot see the pics up close, i do not have enough post yet. What kind of mpg gains did you see. I have a 08 Suzuki SX4 sport sedan and it has a huge opening at the bottom of the bumper and has a 3/4 inch honey comb type of mesh grill. I would not want to risk blocking the top one would blocking say 50 percent of it be a help?

Making the grill opening smaller will help you MPG, how much is varies with the car. On mine I blocked just the upper part and saw a .78MPG (1.8%) gain. The wiki has a 2.8% 5 user average (range of 1-6%):
Grill block partial or full - EcoModder

The wiki (Main Page - EcoModder) is full of great ways to improve MPG. It is the collection area for mods, projects, & reference material. I would start there and you should find a few months work of projects to work on!

If you find a mod or two that you need help on start a help me thread. If you do some mods for MPG, please track your MPG and report the data so it can be added to the wiki to help others

Ben L.
wiki moderator

[yepvegas]

Thank you for the feedback for the sake the look of the car if I block the upper grill from behind and not in the front will it still have a positive affect or will it make it worse since the air will not flow in and out of the engine compartment?

[yepvegas]

Sorry to be a pain if you google images for suzuki sx4 grill 2008 you will see what I am talking about, I would have done it but I am not allowed yet.

[Phantom]

Blocking the grill from the front or back will keep air from moving in/out of that part regardless, as that is the idea.

[Weather Spotter]

Originally Posted by yepvegas

Thank you for the feedback for the sake the look of the car if I block the upper grill from behind and not in the front will it still have a positive affect or will it make it worse since the air will not flow in and out of the engine compartment?

You will get the same warm up benefits, as for Aero, it will still help but it will be a few % less.

[FlashT]

This mod would be great in the winter and would allow the engine to heat up faster. However, I would be concerned about the increase in coolant temp. during the summer. Especially since having high coolant temps. would cause the ECU to retard injection timing, which would result in worse fuel economy and less power. Higher under-bonnet tempertures will also promote premature wear of critical electric and mechanical components under the hood.

[yepvegas]

i was considering that mybe it is just a good mod for the winter.

[Weather Spotter]

It works great in the winter, I also keep my upper grill block on all summer to (watching temps on scangauge).

[gone-ot]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

It hasn't really affected it at all. My radiator was very much over sized to begin with. *shrug*

...aren't most of today's radiators "sized" large enough to handle the added heat loading of installed airconditioning unit?