Go Back   EcoModder Forum > EcoModding > Aerodynamics
Register Now
 Register Now
 

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 08-17-2011, 12:56 PM   #1 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Northeast Ohio
Posts: 269

The Wife's Hot Rod - '09 Pontiac G8 GT
Last 3: 23.22 mpg (US)

Big Outback - '13 Subaru Outback 2.5i

Little Outback - '02 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport
Thanks: 0
Thanked 16 Times in 16 Posts
Why are carmakers blocking the lower grille, not the top? (OEM active grille blocks)

( Admin Edit: split this thread off from http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...aks-18528.html )

---

Around here grille blocks start at the top & work their way down. Why do you suppose OEMs have an aversion to blocking the top parts of the grille? Both Ford & GM have blocked the lower parts.

  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 08-17-2011, 01:33 PM   #2 (permalink)
Administrator
 
Daox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Germantown, WI
Posts: 11,203

CM400E - '81 Honda CM400E
90 day: 51.49 mpg (US)

Daox's Grey Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
Team Toyota
90 day: 49.53 mpg (US)

Daox's Insight - '00 Honda Insight
90 day: 64.33 mpg (US)

Swarthy - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage DE
Mitsubishi
90 day: 56.69 mpg (US)

Daox's Volt - '13 Chevrolet Volt
Thanks: 2,501
Thanked 2,587 Times in 1,554 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by DonR View Post
Around here grille blocks start at the top & work their way down. Why do you suppose OEMs have an aversion to blocking the top parts of the grille? Both Ford & GM have blocked the lower parts.
The Focus grill is almost entirely blocked on the top. The only real opening is the bottom (which has an actuated grill block).
__________________
Current project: A better alternator delete
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2011, 04:16 PM   #3 (permalink)
Batman Junior
 
MetroMPG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,527

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 54.46 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car Mirage - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 62.14 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,078
Thanked 6,976 Times in 3,612 Posts
Could also be a design practicality: more room to install actuators & linkages in the lower grille area.
__________________
Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2011, 07:33 PM   #4 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
aerohead's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Sanger,Texas,U.S.A.
Posts: 16,246
Thanks: 24,379
Thanked 7,358 Times in 4,758 Posts
lower

Quote:
Originally Posted by DonR View Post
( Admin Edit: split this thread off from http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...aks-18528.html )

---

Around here grille blocks start at the top & work their way down. Why do you suppose OEMs have an aversion to blocking the top parts of the grille? Both Ford & GM have blocked the lower parts.
When all the loose Wal Mart plastic bags clog the fake grille underneath the engine will still have a source for cooling and combustion air.
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2011, 08:36 AM   #5 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
NeilBlanchard's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Maynard, MA Eaarth
Posts: 7,907

Mica Blue - '05 Scion xA RS 2.0
Team Toyota
90 day: 42.48 mpg (US)

Forest - '15 Nissan Leaf S
Team Nissan
90 day: 156.46 mpg (US)

Number 7 - '15 VW e-Golf SEL
TEAM VW AUDI Group
90 day: 155.81 mpg (US)
Thanks: 3,475
Thanked 2,950 Times in 1,844 Posts
Most of the upper grill on the Honda Fit is blocked.
__________________
Sincerely, Neil

http://neilblanchard.blogspot.com/
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2011, 09:27 AM   #6 (permalink)
Drive less save more
 
ecomodded's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Vancouver Island, Canada
Posts: 1,189

Dusty - '98 VOLKSWAGEN Beetle TDI
TEAM VW AUDI Group
90 day: 60.42 mpg (US)
Thanks: 134
Thanked 162 Times in 135 Posts
On my car I will be blocking the bottom, the top is only slightly higher then the bottom grill. There is more rad surface area behind the top grill as the bottom grill is partially lower then my radiator.
__________________
Save gas
Ride a Mtn bike for errands exercise entertainment and outright fun
__________________



  Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2011, 01:13 PM   #7 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Phantom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Independence, KY
Posts: 603

Blue Meanie - '02 Volkswagon Golf TDI
TEAM VW AUDI Group
90 day: 48.52 mpg (US)

Wife's car - '05 WV Passat TDI

Rudy - '94 Chevy C2500
Thanks: 89
Thanked 47 Times in 44 Posts
I assume on of the reasons is to help keep the air coming into the engine cooler for performance reasons and not FE.
__________________
I move at the speed of awesome.


"It's not rocket surgery!" -MetroMPG
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2011, 02:07 AM   #8 (permalink)
Drive less save more
 
ecomodded's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Vancouver Island, Canada
Posts: 1,189

Dusty - '98 VOLKSWAGEN Beetle TDI
TEAM VW AUDI Group
90 day: 60.42 mpg (US)
Thanks: 134
Thanked 162 Times in 135 Posts
After thinking about it diesel cars run cool,my car is a diesel..
I need a better plan then blocking the bottom grill.After a bit more consideration i have deduced that the air going off the bottom blocked grill would either go under the car or against then into the top grill. That can't be much of a improvement. With the top grill blocked the air stands a chance of joining in with the main air flow, that sounds like more of a improvement.
__________________
Save gas
Ride a Mtn bike for errands exercise entertainment and outright fun
__________________



  Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2011, 02:52 AM   #9 (permalink)
EcoModding Lurker
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Yakima Valley, WA
Posts: 45

Golden Egg - '95 Geo Prism LSI
90 day: 32.48 mpg (US)

Family Truckster - '99 Mercury Mountaineer 4x4
90 day: 16.03 mpg (US)

Big Green Machine - '89 Chevrolet V3500 3+3 4spd 4.56diff.
90 day: 11.47 mpg (US)

Hondyssey - '04 Honda odyssey
90 day: 23.13 mpg (US)
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
TIC, I'll take a SWAG at it. Assuming they are blocking the grill from the bottom up. Maybe they are assuming that the air next to the ground is hotter than air above it. No, really, on a hot day the air closest to the heat source (asphalt) is going to have more heat content than air just 18" above the asphalt. Lots of hand waving in this assumption but...
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2011, 09:34 AM   #10 (permalink)
EcoModding Alien Observer
 
suspectnumber961's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: I flitter here and there
Posts: 547

highcountryexplorer - '86 Nissan 720 KC 4x4 ST with fiberglass cap
90 day: 21.78 mpg (US)

Elroy - '03 Ford Focus ZX3 w/Zetec DOHC engine
90 day: 32.89 mpg (US)
Thanks: 6
Thanked 78 Times in 65 Posts
The real big WHY.

WHY do many of the newer cars have these BIG aggressive looking openings in the front?

Most of them are simply painted black to look like openings?

Stylistic hell.....?

Halloween is coming? The PUMPKIN look?

__________________
Carry on humans...we are extremely proud of you. ..................

Forty-six percent of Americans believe in the creationist view that God created humans in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years. GALLUP POLL
  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread






Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com