Retro fitting newish OEM grill shutters to older vehicls

[meelis11]

But how these blocks work in freezing weather? I think they froze and then cannot move - that is my main concern.

[oil pan 4]

I would expect sliding grill covers to to be more prone to icing.
Gill style covers that I bought, not so much. If the grill shutters do ice I would expect if you were to stop and sit for a few minutes heat coming off the radiator would melt the ice rendering the shutters functional once again. At that point I would just lock the shutters in the open position, let the engine run cool.

[meelis11]

Good luck with few minutes waiting if melten snow is coming fro sky and 10 minutes later you drive in area where temp is lower
You get your cars nose covered with 3-5mm ice.

Probably winter time they are not so usable. Better to keep at least small part always open. So if these grill shutters freeze, at least part of grill is open just-in-case. But then why bother with active grill shutters at all? In winter we can just close 70-80% grill permanently and call it a day.

[WesternStarSCR]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

Pondering further I think we have seen these types of blocks here before haven't we - sliding covers with grill holes spring to mind, operated by cable and returned with a spring or a cable going in the opposite direction. Something using a warm air style heating vent may be possible too.

Yes sir... I have been following some DIY builds of these grill shutters too.

Power Door lock actuators seem to be the key to inexpensive actuation for Piwoslaw (sliding home made shutter) as well as Weather Spotter (using heat registers).

Piwoslaw's:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post137288

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post315612


Weather Spotter's: (This is the one I am modeling mine after):

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post195265

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post198565


I will be using 3 moveable vents like Weather Spotter's (he used 2 of them)across my bottom grill.

The 2 on either side will be using the AC Clutch relay to activate a power door lock pulse module, to send a short burst of power to a door lock actuators. You can not keep door lock actuators constantly powered, hence the pulse relay designed for this use.

My center opening shutter will be using an aftermarket Fan control module:

Originally Posted by orangustang

A fix for this could be to use a secondary adjustable thermostatic fan controller such as this one: Flex-a-lite 31147 - Flex-a-lite Adjustable Electric Fan Controllers - Overview - SummitRacing.com

...where you put a probe into your radiator fins near the hottest part. It is adjustable, and is designed to turn on and off a fan based on temp. It will also power a pulse relay to activate the center grill actuator.

This will be something I work on over the winter.

The Cruze example, and the work & ideas of Oil Pan 4, Weather Spotter and Piwoslaw all have great examples to follow.

The Cruze works based on many factors the ECM is controlling. But it is just one full one across the bottom. I don't like the all or none proposition of that, since I have a full upper block already.

Since I still need A/C, and since I have 2 side by side fans, I think if the AC compressor is on, one on each side should be open.

With A/C off, 2 side shutters will be closed, it will just be the center of the bottom grill opening and closing based on temps.

It will be higher than 195 thermostat opening, but less than when the radiator fan wants to kick in.

[oil pan 4]

Originally Posted by meelis11

Good luck with few minutes waiting if melten snow is coming fro sky and 10 minutes later you drive in area where temp is lower
You get your cars nose covered with 3-5mm ice.

The only place I have seen anything like this is the northern most parts of the U.S. its just not possible in most of the country.

Originally Posted by meelis11

In winter we can just close 70-80% grill permanently and call it a day.

Thats not an option where I am and what I do, the temp swings from -20'C to 15'C in the winter. At -20'C a 100% grill block can still not be enough. But then when I put a trailer behind my suburban I will need most of my radiator surface at 15'C to stay with in operating temp.
Plus I would get up to temperature a lot faster if I could have a 100% grill block on warmer days. Better aero + faster warm ups = more fuel milage.

[slowmover]

Good stuff, this thread. To reiterate a pickup & car difference:

The vehicles with an expected work load (pickup trucks, especially diesel-powered ones) have truly large coolant systems (capacities for a given displacement). In fact, that capacity is an important limiting factor while in service (defining what work is possible). Why pickups tend to be as large as they are, IOW, is the cooling system.

Getting up to op-temp quickly, solo/unladen or towing/heavy, is a prime FE consideration (not just one of engine longevity).

A "winter front" is great, but shutters take it to a more practical level for year-round use.

Google Image Result for http://www.genosgarage.com/images/WINTERFRONT.gif

.

[oil pan 4]

I have tried a winter front and they work great until your engine start to get too hot or its one of those days that starts off at 0'F and makes it up to nearly 40'F

[slowmover]

Thus the point of shutters (which I "think" may have been missed by a reader or two of this thread, or on this subject).

Folks look at pickup trucks from the aspect of mpg and the size + increased weight is ascribed to "heavy duty" this and that. Really, it's the cooling capacity..

There used to be more overlap, but even today, the drivetrains that can be found in both cars & trucks differ mainly by this (despite specific tuning).

.

[oil pan 4]

Cooling capacity has a lot to do with being a truck.

When I built my engine and filled it with water for the first time to check for leaks it took right at 5 gallons to fill the block, hoses and radiator from being dry.
Transmission takes 9 quarts, I have a big hydraulic filter to install that takes another quart to system to capacity.
Engine takes just under 7 quarts of oil. I would like to add an air to oil cooler at some point.

We dont do these things to better economy, but to extend engine life.

It gets over 110'F in the summer and feb of 2011 it got down to -22'F one night with an entire week of -10'F nights. Its not even close to being limited to a seasonal thing, one day it can get down to 20'F at night then 2 days later be hitting 80'F during the day.
Try modding for both of those.

[slowmover]

Try modding for both of those.

Yes, it's not just aero, but concern over the time/distance for warming to op-temp that distinguishes pickups from cars. Then there is gearing . . . .