Quote:
Originally Posted by toc
I don't get why it closes at speed.
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At speed enough air finds its way to the radiator, even if the grill is mostly shut.
At standstill or moving with the wind there is no natural flow through the radiator, even with the grille open. The fans will blow the air through, but the grill needs to be open or the air would just circle around under the hood.
The size of the grill is based on a worst case scenario; heavy load, high temperature and low natural air flow, like when climbing a desert mountain road.
On the highway there is much more air and just a partial load all the time.
I measure my air intake temperature because I run a fixed LGB. On the highway intake air is usually just a few degrees hotter than ambient. In the city it rises considerably, it may one day force me to stop and remove some blocking.
Apart from that, the aero benefit from a blocked grill has most effect at high speed.
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