Too small front grille openings affect radiator cooling
Thread Starter
Rennlist Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,735
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Too small front grille openings affect radiator cooling
just sharing. I have third rad installed, driving through highway, planting the right foot, passing traffic and I was amazed how stable the oil temp was, amazing....on checkin I had apparently lost my center grille. So i fabricate another one and install. Oil temp started fluctuating at least 10-15deg c higher. That is a lot. I decided to remove the center grille and replace with a grille that has a lot bigger holes...oil temp still 5drg higher vs no grille. I need to replaced my two side grilles too. This is for info of our porsche family. Tropical country.
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 6,570
Likes: 89
From: Austin
just sharing. I have third rad installed, driving through highway, planting the right foot, passing traffic and I was amazed how stable the oil temp was, amazing....on checkin I had apparently lost my center grille. So i fabricate another one and install. Oil temp started fluctuating at least 10-15deg c higher. That is a lot. I decided to remove the center grille and replace with a grille that has a lot bigger holes...oil temp still 5drg higher vs no grille. I need to replaced my two side grilles too. This is for info of our porsche family. Tropical country.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 19,035
Likes: 269
From: Bentonville, AR
Do the math:
Wire Mesh - Wire Spacing, Opening Size, and Wire Diameter
The relationship between wire diameter, wire spacing and opening size can be expressed mathematically as follows:
S = D + O
O = S - D
D = S - O
where:
S = Wire Spacing
D = Wire Diameter
O = Opening between the wires (Opening Size)
To Compute Open Area of wire mesh:
A = ( O / O + D ) ^2 * 100
where:
A = % Open Area
O = Opening between the wires (Opening Size)
D = Wire Diameter
If you don't want to do the math, here's the link to a wire mesh opening chart. Pick the opening size that you believe you need to keep out whatever it is you want to keep out and a reasonable wire diameter (in order to withstand the impact of what it is you want to keep out) and then see the opening area in percentage.
http://www.wire-cloth.com/reference/mesh-finder.htm
Wire Mesh - Wire Spacing, Opening Size, and Wire Diameter
The relationship between wire diameter, wire spacing and opening size can be expressed mathematically as follows:
S = D + O
O = S - D
D = S - O
where:
S = Wire Spacing
D = Wire Diameter
O = Opening between the wires (Opening Size)
To Compute Open Area of wire mesh:
A = ( O / O + D ) ^2 * 100
where:
A = % Open Area
O = Opening between the wires (Opening Size)
D = Wire Diameter
If you don't want to do the math, here's the link to a wire mesh opening chart. Pick the opening size that you believe you need to keep out whatever it is you want to keep out and a reasonable wire diameter (in order to withstand the impact of what it is you want to keep out) and then see the opening area in percentage.
http://www.wire-cloth.com/reference/mesh-finder.htm
Thread Starter
Rennlist Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,735
Likes: 164
outside air temps don't vary that much where I am. It runs from normally from 31 to 36 c. stable temps when the grill got lost were from various traffic conditions from crawling traffic to 190kph runs.. That temp gauge would be stuck touching that 90c number. Even told the wife how stable it became when third rad was installed, although that was more than a year ago already. What is noticeable was upon reinstalling a sa,e spec grille as the one that got lost, temps immediately went up, with only that factor changed, for the same conditions. Replacing with bigger holes grille had an immediate lowering of oil temps. Factor not changed the side grilles still had the small holes. Will take a pic for appreciation.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 15,362
Likes: 199
From: Tampa
The coolant temp gauge is sort of a dummy guage....it stays at 175 degrees. For example when I'm at the track running my race keeper data which is plugged into the OBDII port the coolant recorded is higher than 175...however analog gauge doesn't move. Also analog oil guage reads slightly higher too but not accurate.
I have wire mesh from FVD. I have zero cooling issues running at the track on a hot day. On the street there is no way your car will be running too hot. Porsche tests the heck out of these cars under extreme temp conditions so you will do no damage to your car running on the street. The track is a much more stressful environment.
I have wire mesh from FVD. I have zero cooling issues running at the track on a hot day. On the street there is no way your car will be running too hot. Porsche tests the heck out of these cars under extreme temp conditions so you will do no damage to your car running on the street. The track is a much more stressful environment.
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,649
Likes: 96
From: NJ
Do the math:
Wire Mesh - Wire Spacing, Opening Size, and Wire Diameter
The relationship between wire diameter, wire spacing and opening size can be expressed mathematically as follows:
S = D + O
O = S - D
D = S - O
where:
S = Wire Spacing
D = Wire Diameter
O = Opening between the wires (Opening Size)
To Compute Open Area of wire mesh:
A = ( O / O + D ) ^2 * 100
where:
A = % Open Area
O = Opening between the wires (Opening Size)
D = Wire Diameter
If you don't want to do the math, here's the link to a wire mesh opening chart. Pick the opening size that you believe you need to keep out whatever it is you want to keep out and a reasonable wire diameter (in order to withstand the impact of what it is you want to keep out) and then see the opening area in percentage.
http://www.wire-cloth.com/reference/mesh-finder.htm
Wire Mesh - Wire Spacing, Opening Size, and Wire Diameter
The relationship between wire diameter, wire spacing and opening size can be expressed mathematically as follows:
S = D + O
O = S - D
D = S - O
where:
S = Wire Spacing
D = Wire Diameter
O = Opening between the wires (Opening Size)
To Compute Open Area of wire mesh:
A = ( O / O + D ) ^2 * 100
where:
A = % Open Area
O = Opening between the wires (Opening Size)
D = Wire Diameter
If you don't want to do the math, here's the link to a wire mesh opening chart. Pick the opening size that you believe you need to keep out whatever it is you want to keep out and a reasonable wire diameter (in order to withstand the impact of what it is you want to keep out) and then see the opening area in percentage.
http://www.wire-cloth.com/reference/mesh-finder.htm
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,587
Likes: 50
From: MN
+1 - you are over thinking this one for a non-tracked car. Yes the oil temp varies on the street but it is well within specs. Be sure your radiator fins are not clogged with debris or bent too much. Also change your oil frequently (3K-5K miles). Otherwise you have nothing to worry about here.
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Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 60
Likes: 10
From: Athens, Greece
just sharing. I have third rad installed, driving through highway, planting the right foot, passing traffic and I was amazed how stable the oil temp was, amazing....on checkin I had apparently lost my center grille. So i fabricate another one and install. Oil temp started fluctuating at least 10-15deg c higher. That is a lot. I decided to remove the center grille and replace with a grille that has a lot bigger holes...oil temp still 5drg higher vs no grille. I need to replaced my two side grilles too. This is for info of our porsche family. Tropical country.
has an effect on oil temp.
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Thread Starter
Rennlist Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,735
Likes: 164
I agree with most of the sharers that the car is well within limits. Mike i agree that street cannot approach track stress. But that is not the point of this tread, nor am I saying the grill is detrimental to the cars health. I am just sharing with all that the grille we put affects oil temps. And if the openings were small enough, up to 10c can be the resulting oil temp increase.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 15,362
Likes: 199
From: Tampa
Slicky...I do agree that if the mesh were small enough it could effect...probably would...oil and coolant temps. however the mesh like I have doesn't appear to have any affect on temps. I only have the mesh to protect my radiators from rubber rock hard marbles during track use. My mesh is not a fine mesh either...looks like the mesh you'd see on race cars...like the wide gutter mesh at Home Depot or Lowes hardware stores....which by the way is what a lot of guys use.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,735
Likes: 164
I was actually able to source an oem mesh from a Subaru Forester, at least that was what the junk shop said, that has good size holes, originally powder coated black. Just cut it up and installed...more stable oil temps. Tropical countries have a tendency to tax cooling systems which might explain sensitivity of the oil temp to variations.
The mesh I see in another post here, the DIY mesh install, was the post that made me want to share the experience, then again I'm basing it on the pics only. Nevertheless, here's hoping the sharing will create better mods for all.
The mesh I see in another post here, the DIY mesh install, was the post that made me want to share the experience, then again I'm basing it on the pics only. Nevertheless, here's hoping the sharing will create better mods for all.
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,402
Likes: 10
From: Maryland
i'm much too stupid to understand the physics of it all but for any doubters, google "flowtie" and read up on how that little chevy logo on the new Z28 had to be re-engineered. funny how such little surface area can be such a big factor at speed...