Do I need to put a mesh in the bumper to protect the radiator
Content
The engine cooling system must have a significant capacity for heat, which is released a lot during the operation of the power unit with heavy loads. Almost all cooling is done through the main radiator, from here they tend to place it in the most ventilated front of the car, covering it with a decorative grille.
But there is not enough space there, which is dictated by the requirements of automotive design. Several radiators have to be installed, other car systems, transmission, and air conditioning also require cooling.
It all depends on the complexity and power of the car, so it is important to keep a radiator that is limited in size clean.
Why do you need a mesh in the bumper
The air in front of a car radiator can only be clean in an ideal situation, this rarely happens. A typical case is dissection by a bumper, and hence by a radiator, suspensions from dust, wet dirt, gravel and numerous insects of various sizes. And at high speed.
The mesh will take over a lot, leaving the radiator relatively clean because it is unlikely to hold dirt and insects, except perhaps the size of a bird.
But from stones that can damage the radiator, the mesh saves. Even if the tubes through which the liquid passes are not damaged by a small stone, they can crush the additional aluminum cooling fins and spoil the aerodynamics.
If even a small thing passes through the grid cells, the trajectory and impact force will be significantly changed.
Why the grid is not placed in front of the radiator at the factory
Sometimes a false radiator grill with a small cell plays a protective role. But designers and marketers have other tasks, and radiator protection is of no interest at all. Therefore, they will not enter protection into the appearance of the car.
It is possible to position the grid out of sight from the outside. But aerodynamics cannot be fooled. It only seems that the air passes through the cells unhindered. Measurements showed a decrease in flow rate by about a third, even for large cells.
A simple calculation will show that the efficiency of the radiator will decrease so much that already at about plus 35 degrees outside temperature, the efficiency margin of the cooling system will become negative, that is, overheating under load is inevitable. And at such a temperature, the situation is complicated by a working air conditioner, the radiator of which additionally heats the air in front of the main one. The machine will overheat 100%.
What is overheating for a modern engine - those who have already had to capitalize a boiled motor are well aware. This business is very expensive, even if the owner is lucky, and the motor is generally repairable.
Automakers absolutely do not want to deal with such cases during the warranty period, so they will not put an additional barrier to cooling air, nor will they increase the size and performance of radiators, which will inevitably destroy the whole idea of the rapid design of the car.
Types of grids for protecting the radiator
It is believed that sometimes it is enough to flush the entire package of radiators, but this is quite difficult on cars densely packed with equipment in the engine compartment, and therefore expensive.
Often, without disassembling the entire structure, it will not be possible to rinse them at all. In order to somehow reduce pollution, nets are installed as additional equipment, risking losing the warranty.
Factory
It is somewhat incorrect to call industrial products factory-made. The factory is the manufacturer of the car. He will not create problems for himself by releasing tuning items that worsen cooling, therefore, well-made and well-painted products for this car model are considered to be such. They are true to size and easy to install.
The noble design allows you to install protection even outside the main grille of the false radiator. It will seem to some that the appearance of the car has improved, but more often, outdoor-mounted meshes are made only for the lower part of the bumper, where they are not so clearly visible, and there are more stones flying in this area.
As a rule, the installation kit includes fasteners and instructions, so installation will not take much time and will not require qualified personnel.
The disadvantage is the high price for a fairly simple product, since development, mass production and high-quality finishing are expensive, a decent appearance is not cheap.
Homemade
With a little work, you can save a lot of money. Nothing special is required, you just need to choose the right material. You should not get carried away with small cells, it has already been said about the danger of overheating, and large ones save little from anything.
A reasonable compromise will have to be chosen independently, depending on the main problem that caused the installation of protection. For insects, you need a smaller mesh, and a larger one will help from stones.
When developing a design and installation, several decisions must be made and a number of actions must be performed:
- the mesh can be placed outside or inside the bumper, in the second case there are less requirements for finishing, but you will have to remove and disassemble several parts;
- the easiest way is to use construction sites for wiring with plastic ties (clamps), they are glued to the back of the standard grille with a suitable adhesive for plastic;
- the mesh is cut out according to the template and fixed on the pads glued from the inside with clamps.
It is not worth saving on the number of sites, the air pressure at high speed is very strong, the mesh will be torn off.
Anti-mosquito
Only a small mosquito net completely saves from small insects. It is easy to buy, but it is unsuitable for permanent use, the engine will definitely overheat under extreme conditions in terms of air temperature and load.
Therefore, it is better to mount it on a time frame, which is installed in cases where a significant attack of insects is expected.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of the grids are rather doubtful, the radiators will still have to be washed regularly, and most likely with a partial disassembly of the package. But in some situations they really help, so there can be no universal recipe.
As in any other case of self-improvement of the car. You should not consider yourself smarter than its designers, but rather carefully calculate the likely risks.
At a minimum, do not use such protective devices in the heat of city traffic or movement in the mountains, when the speed is low, and the engine is working at the limit of the cooling system's capacity.
Installing a protective mesh on the radiator grill
If the installation of the mesh in the bumper holes can still be justified, then it is not recommended to close the upper radiator grille. Overheating at high speed in summer is practically guaranteed. But if for some reason this still has to be done, then you need to choose a grid with the largest cells and provide for easily removable fasteners.
They must be reliable, since the air pressure is very strong. It is best to use electrical plastic ties, which are easy to cut if necessary.
The grid is dismantled, the grid is marked and cut to size. The ties are placed with locks inside, the excess is cut off with scissors. It is better not to try to cut durable plastic with a knife, it is unsafe for hands and decorative elements.
When driving, it is necessary to constantly monitor the temperature of the engine and immediately remove the protection if the pointer arrow has moved from its usual position in the direction of increasing temperature.
Modern engines operate at the boiling point of antifreeze. Even a slight deterioration in cooling will lead to an increase in pressure, the operation of an emergency valve and the release of liquid, after which, most likely, irreversible deformation of many parts of the motor will occur.
