They're basically made of blue styrofoam that was "shaped" to fit the lower grille opening. They are held by zip ties and protected by a "carbon fibre" vinyl wrap.
It actually provides better cooling (184F vs 188F) than the previous lower grille block, yet it does a much better job at deflecting the incoming air to the sides.
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It's seamless,with the O.E.M. look! Few will even be aware you've done it.And you can laugh as you make your way, away from the gas pump,towards the bank.
Currently working on Stage 3 of the lower grille block. Been doing some prep work on the front bumper for last 2 days in order to "mold" the lower grille opening with 2-part foam.
The objective is to fill the entire opening with 2-part expanding foam and carve it so that it will be flush with the bumper lines. 3 holes will be carved in order to provide ample cooling.
As we speak, the lower bumper opening has already been filled with foam and I should start carving and sculpting the foam tomorrow.
Working with 2-part foam can be tricky and messy. I thought I had a done a good preparation of the surface to facilitate the removal of the 1-piece foam block but it turned out to be a pain the @ss ! haha.
It has also been duly noted that I used too much 2-part foam which made the removal of the excess quite tedious.
I should be working (matching shape to bumper lines, sanding, carving) on the foam block (last pic) over the next few days.
That is all for now !
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Here's my version of an adjustable grille block. Hope it provides some food for thought.
Basically, two solenoids pull the 3 flaps to create an opening, hence providing sufficient cooling to the radiator. The sidewalls are there to provide an improved cooling efficiency.
I would like the flaps to be more distant from the opening, but most solenoids only have a reach of 1 inch or so. A linear actuator is a possibility, but its cost makes it a bit prohibitive for now.
Still haven't decided if the system will be automatic based on coolant temperature or fully manual. This is simply a basic conceptual drawing.
Any thoughts and/or suggestions ?
I think that looks something that might even work on winter, because you can build that without any other slides than the one on the solenoid.
I am working on a spring loaded shutter device that regulates air flow baised on air velocity. If you have one opening blocked and have an automatic shutter device on the other, you could have the best of both worlds. 50% airflow at slow speeds, and minimal at higher speeds.
A speed sensitive grille block is a great idea for areas where the climate is rather warm year-round. I want to retain heat as much as possible during the engine warmup in the colder months.
The lower part of your radiator is quite plugged! Since that is the most important part now that the upper grill is blocked. A clean radiator is a happy radiator.
The plugs are very nice! I might just end up doing something similar for my bumper grill. It would be very handy to be able to change the opening easily on a semi anual basis or even on the fly if needed for a mountain pass. Nice work!
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