Cardboard grill cover

[thebloyn]

Seen a few cars driving round lately with cardboard taped over the front grill. What's this some ***** efficient dynamics or what.

 

[Mickie]

its to stop the car cooling down too much while driving, never seen it done on ice road truckers before ?

 

[Jonny69]

Old taxis always used to do it. People used to do it a lot before electric fans because the engine would heat up better in the cold.

 

[DannyDan]

The diesel e60 5-series has little flaps behind the grille which close when the engine is cold and open once it heats up. For some reason it's only on non M-Sport versions.

 

[ShakenNstirred]

i used to do it on my bike(cbr600)
i`d cover all but 2in of the rad so the bike would get up to temp in winter

 

[markweatherill]

Old taxis always used to do it. .

Makes me think of those old adverts for radiator blinds that you could roll up and down from inside the car.

 

[Kei]

Some old cars came with them as standard. But i'd guess it'd only be Scandinavian cars generally. Not certain on the BMW's but i believe its part of the efficient dynamics where you get this feature. My dads 120D has it.

 

[[TW]Fox]

The diesel e60 5-series has little flaps behind the grille which close when the engine is cold and open once it heats up. For some reason it's only on non M-Sport versions.

Petrol ones too

 

[aproctor]

It does make quite a noticeable difference, when i have my lights on (R.E. Up) my engine takes twice as long to warm up.

 

[[TW]Fox]

It does make quite a noticeable difference, when i have my lights on (R.E. Up) my engine takes twice as long to warm up.

Err what?

 

[Liverpool-Lad]

Handy also if your thermostat is duff.

 

[Overlag]

It does make quite a noticeable difference, when i have my lights on (R.E. Up) my engine takes twice as long to warm up.

that makes no sense, more load on alternator = more load on engine = heat up faster surely?

 

[Janesy B]

that makes no sense, more load on alternator = more load on engine = heat up faster surely?

The lights pop up and I assume this lets more cold air in.

 

[Matt82]

i think its done when people have a broken stat

 

[BigglesPiP]

It does make quite a noticeable difference, when i have my lights on (R.E. Up) my engine takes twice as long to warm up.

Replace your thermostat then, can't be more than £15.


If your thermostat is functioning correctly, this (cardboard on the front) makes no difference to the time taken to heat up the motor, or to running temperature, or to economy. This is only done to prevent radiators freezing in really cold climates, which we don't have.

 

[Overlag]

Replace your thermostat then, can't be more than £15.

you say that its only £15 but its fitting thats the problem. For instance on my X's car you needed to take the timing belt off to get to it, which meant it wasnt a cheap job to do. Plus i got fed up trying to explain to her that the car is supposed to heat up, not run at min temp all the time, she said all her cars did that so it must be normal.

 

[Jonnycoupe]

Replace your thermostat then, can't be more than £15.


If your thermostat is functioning correctly, this (cardboard on the front) makes no difference to the time taken to heat up the motor, or to running temperature, or to economy. This is only done to prevent radiators freezing in really cold climates, which we don't have.

Half my radiator is blocked in the winter. Thermostat is fine. It warms up faster, the heater works far better and the car is more aerodynamic. Oil working at the proper temperature is always a benefit aswell.

a lot of cars are developing active radiator shutters for similar reasons..... the death valley max load condition and bumper apertures do cause some issues in UK winter that is far from optimal for the engine.

 

[Dogbreath]

Replace your thermostat then, can't be more than £15.


If your thermostat is functioning correctly, this (cardboard on the front) makes no difference to the time taken to heat up the motor, or to running temperature, or to economy. This is only done to prevent radiators freezing in really cold climates, which we don't have.

Depends on the cars cooling system; most newer cars will have a proper bypass thermostat so that no coolant is passed through the radiator when the thermostat is shut. Older ones do not, and often have a hole in the thermostat for air bleeding but which also allows a small amount of coolant through the radiator, prolonging warm up in very cold conditions.

 

[Jonny69]

Handy also if your thermostat is duff.

Or if you don't have them, like on my flathead

I have driven 50 miles only to find that when I reached my destination the heads were cold to the touch. Couldn't have done my fuel economy much good on that journey

 

[BigglesPiP]

Or if you don't have them, like on my flathead

I have driven 50 miles only to find that when I reached my destination the heads were cold to the touch. Couldn't have done my fuel economy much good on that journey

Doesn't that just use lots of fuel regardless of temps? Can't have an automatic choke, surely? Less power generated so more right foot is the worst it would get.