partial grill block: worth while?

[bobo333]

thanks for the info guys,

i have a 73hp 1.3L and as you said MetroMPG the radiator is offset to the left, i have found a shop nearby that sells a temperature sensor kit that has a digital readout and also can be set up to switch things on or off at a certain temperature, so im going to buy one and set it to turn my thermofan on and off and monitor temps with it before and after the grill block

while im at it i will install a vacuum guage aswell, ive read that high vacuum is better for fuel economy is this right?

[Sven7]

Might be easier to just wire an LED in line with the rad fan so you know when it's on. But it looks like you like wiring so do whatever you like

[bobo333]

haha yeah im not afraid of a bit of wiring, i run my own car audio installation business and like tinkering with all things electronic on my car

[Tesla]

I've also set up a temp gauge on the radiator outlet, that way I can see how efficiently the radiator is working and what the actual temp is going in to the engine, that's what is cooling the engine, that's the one you want to know.

[bobo333]

I'm getting the digital temp gauge/switch tomorrow so I will put that somewhere after the radiator outlet and hook it up to the fan tomorrow night, i also did the indicator/parker swap today so now i can block off the indicator holes in the bumper

[bobo333]

hi guys, i got my temp sensor kit today and ordered a vacuum gauge, just need to track down some coroplast and then i can start testing and blocking

[bobo333]

hi guys,

havnt gotten around to putting my temperature sensor in yet but i did some testing over the weekend, coastdowns from 100 to 70kmh i did around 12 runs in total with an average of 18.045 seconds, so now i have a baseline to test all of my aero mods on

[womprat]

Knowing the heat you guys get over in Adelaide you won't be able to block the grill much for the hottest days. Temperature wise. Your likely to encounter the worst case scenario for a ecomodder Easy to remove is the way to go. You could have a slight block for the full heat of summer. Have an extra section you can slot in for cooler days and night time or short trips. You could come up with a flap that closes itself with air pressure but a spring holds it open at low speed.

[SoCalMP5]

Man, I won't ever GET to the mpg that your little car STARTS at! Haha! Good luck with the mods! I'd say lower that thing a little, he looks like a mini 4x4!

[bobo333]

started the block today

first the old indicator holes, cardboard and clear packing tape:


then the upper grill, same again:


then i started on the outside of the lower grill and used the clear packing tape to cover the fog lights but still let the light come though:


from a distance you can hardly tell the lower block is there:


i also bent the number plate a bit so it molds to the body better and taped around it as well, look pretty smooth from the side now:


i ran out of tape so il finish the rest tommorow probably...

also heres the build thread which will follow all of my mods: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...y-21218-2.html