Automatically actuated grill block - Mk3

[RoadCyclist]

With my upper and lower blocks with small inlet, the warmup time is ~2mins at35 degrees.

[ChewChewTrain]

Originally Posted by RoadCyclist

With my upper and lower blocks with small inlet, the warmup time is ~2mins at35 degrees.

Thanks for the response. What's the warmup time without?

[RoadCyclist]

Haven't taken a stopwatch to it, but about double that at the same temperature and speed.

[oldtamiyaphile]

Originally Posted by toc

Down here in Australia a grill block would only be useful to assist with warming up slightly faster, the investment of time and money into it would never be recouped in the slightly improved warm up times.

I ran a pretty aggressive grill block (~70%) on my Kangoo year round, even with 2.3-2.4 tons for that 1.6, it still beat NEDC by some margin. Grill blocks are about aero, not just warm up.

[Daox]

Woo, thanks for all the replies guys! I guess its time to start answering them.

Originally Posted by Planecrazy

Very interesting project! I have a constructive (pun intended) comment.

If the louver is made up of three pieces, why would you need the slots and retaining clips in the frame? Couldn't you simply design a frame with two holes that fit the louver pins? Once each end was in place, you could simply connect the centerpiece of the louver to the two ends and you would have a much stronger (and simpler) solution.

Hope this helps, and I will watch for versions that fit my 2010 Hybrid Milan and 2006 Hybrid Highlander! ;-)

You're quite right. I could do that. However, the one additional piece of making the clips makes assembly a lot easier. Snapping the blade together requires you slide them together length wise, not something easily done if the frame is already assembled. You could do it before the frame is assembled, and then assemble the frame around the blades. But again, it would be more difficult, especially if you have more than one blade. Also, the blade strength is pretty darn good as is (I was surprised by it), and a little glue would make it really strong.

[Daox]

Originally Posted by RoadCyclist

This thread is getting some newsletter attention i see... Well, my turn.

Are you interested in analog solutions to the coolant temperature input? There are lots of ways you could work around the sensor, including doing some work with the dashboard temperature indicator. That would save messing with the sensor, if you are still in the idea market.

Yep, I'm definitely open to ideas that would make it easier and/or more universal. I've thought about just taking a 1-wire or any other temp sensor, and just JB weld it to the thermostat housing. Options are good though!

[gumby79]

? Could you use an ohms type gage sending unit as the control circuit?
Explained
The servo uses a reastat for position . A '70'sGM temp sender is (if I remember correctly) 30ohms cold 120ohms hot. Or some variation of that. Put the sender in line with the position reastat. Thie would skue the position, causeing the arm to move , and the servo would think it was just holding the single point . Factory is centered.
The compleet logic /power circuit would consist of ; BEC (battery elimination circuit capable of 1 to 6s lipo in and programmable out,6v stock)servo and resistor based temperature sender.
?am I on track?
A basic bec will handle 25amps at up to 24v=6s lipo=4.2/cell@ full charge nominal .
High doller 50amp and 52v nominal.

[Daox]

Took apart my 3d printer this morning real quickly since I had a bit of time. Thankfully it was super easy to find the break in the wire! A bit of soldering an it'll be back in working order, yay.

[Daox]

Well, I got the Insight running again, so its back to this project, yay!

I took a painful ~20 minutes idling my car in the driveway today. The video showed my scangauge and a voltmeter hooked up to the coolant temperature sensor signal off the ECU. I then reviewed the video and threw the numbers into excel. I added another column to calculate the arduino input number I'll get once the arduino reads the voltage for easy programming. After 207F the fan kicked on.

[toc]

Looks good, I suggest acting only in the lower 3/4 of that chart, so to stay out of the way of free cooling of the radiator.. i.e. ensure the grill block in your case is open by approx 190 deg F - by this point the thermostat should be fully open and thus the coolant actually requires cooling.. (free from airflow through radiator).