Lower Grill block that can open and close

[DonR]

A manual choke cable (which I believe are push/pull) would allow adjustability. I think the rotating slats or something like an old adjustable door shutter would work best. My .02.

Don

[Weather Spotter]

Update:

I ran into town to get some stuff at the hardware store and just went browsing around looking for ideas. Caution do not try this, it is dangerous, you might come up with some good ones!

Here is what I found:



Closed:


open:


They are listed as 4"x14" and my grill has an open area of 3"x 29". The actual open area on these heating grates is 3.5"x 13". I have extra space on the inside of the grill, both vertically and horizontally. These were not the cheep ones, they had an open/ close wheel, the ones I got have a flat ridge. It only takes .5" to fully open or close them. They cost $7.40 each and I got 2. I figured it was worth having the hardware pre designed (I can just re purpose them).

Now all I need are some Universal Power Door Lock Actuators. I want two so I had to email the seller on Ebay. Still waiting.

I also got my self a duel pole, double acting momentary switch ($8.29). I should be able to hook it up to the acuators just like my diagram:



At the junction of the blue and red wires I will just tie in two actuators. I might add a on/off switch to one of the actuators (inline with any one of the wires after the junction) this would allow me to only open one of the grates.

What do you think? Will this work?

[robertwb70]

I've been thinking about something like this too but I'm starting to think making my car a bottom sucker would be so much easier.

wonder which method would give better results aero wise?
pretty sure adjustable grill block would be superior as far as engine warm up goes, but then the "chin" under the radiator could be made retractable too...so many possibilities.

[Weather Spotter]

Are you saying to block the grill and have a small air scoop come down into the under flow if needed to cool the radiator? I think this has a high "cool" factor, less practical. You already have the grill opening why not use it and put a belly pan on the bottom?

[robertwb70]

No scoop, all that's required is a "spoiler" type appendage (like the late 80's Camaro's had, but you might not be familiar with them) and if I do that I will make a new front fascia with no openings, since the factory one (I think) funnels air under the car.
I could also still have quite a bit of a belly pan too, the radiator is only about 18" wide so that's all the wider the spoiler device would be.

[Phantom]

Sorry about the late reply but I played frisbee golf and drank some before making the pic.



Black is the actuator
Green is the arm
Yellow is the sliding door
Red is the pivot point

By adjusting the pivot point the amount of movement will change more or less the top half shows it moving more the lover half moves less.

By adding this to the bar.

With the yellow bar being the same as above, and the red being the pivoting attachment point to the bar will allow the blue slats to open. (The blue slats will need a second mounting point in the middle of at the end that will be stationary that is dependent on what you use for the slats.)

[Weather Spotter]

himm, more great ideas!

I like having lots to think over.

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by Weather Spotter

thanks, pics help me a lot. once I see what I need to make I can do it!

I updated my mod thread with pictures.
Piwoslaw's Peugeot 307sw modding thread, post #76

As for the vents you got at the hardware store: That's the kind of set-up new BMW's have (check out this BMW movie, between 1:11 and 1:14).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oeoM0fa_g4

It works if you want to block the radiator deep inside the grille, but making it flush with the outside of a grille won't be easy. You should also make sure everything is well balanced: I can imagine the flaps could open/close when you hit a bump.

[miket]

The sliding slot panels could leave the grill 66% open if you have 3 panels instead of 2. One stationary panel and one sliding panel in front and one in back.

Im not sure if that would provide enough airflow to my truck or not, its worth considering. On the other hand i wonder if the maximum opening of the grill going near 100% would save energy by preventing the electric fan from turning on as quickly

[Weather Spotter]

If you design it right, the fan should not have to come on at all (it might in stop and go traffic).

It would be hard to make it be flush to the grill. I do not think that it is needed though, as long as the air is not entering the engine, it will just stack up and form a boundary layer.

If you look closely at my grill, it is indented by about an inch, I could cut out an opening for the back side of the grate to come out of. then when it is closed it will be flush, when open the fins will stick out about an inch. I do not want to cut my grill (not reversible) but I think that the lower gill portion (dark gray in pic) can pop off.


A junk yard near me has 2 matrix's so I might go buy a second one to cut and mess with.