I'm wondering if any of you avid DIY'ers have done a radiator mesh mod to better protect the radiators? I was kind of thinking about this and found the video below and thought it might be a good idea to protect the radiators that are just out there for just anything to hit them. Needless to say, the mesh he is using in the video is a piece of crap. I was thinking of using a perforated hex shape like this: http://www.customcargrills.com/prodd...?prod=Perf-Hex

http://youtu.be/ipOYjf7920w

 

Having had to just replace my lower radiator at a cost of $1,800 because a stone or some other small object punctured it, I added a mesh cover to protect the new exposed lower radiator.

DIY project. Used black gutter protector aluminum mesh from Home Depot (<$3.00) and zip tied it in. It is not visible unless you kneel down look very close because it sits behind the bumper and in front of the lower radiator.
Hopefully this will work.

 

Did you take off the front bumper cover to get to it? If so, please write up the procedure.

 

Did not have to remove bumper cover.
Template first with cardboard. Use Aluminum cutting shears to shape mesh. Slide in and fasten w zip ties as shown. Fairly easy as long as you have good dexterity in confined spaces.

 

I've got to do mine. I'm not comfortable with the current stock set up for both lower and the side radiators.

 

Looks good

-Luccia

 

Took a look at our lower radiator and could see where it has already been pelted with small gravel or road grit. Went to Lowe's (No offense, Home Depot) and found this black powder-coated "Gutter Guard" for $3.00. Cut to 28-1/2" length, then cut off the folded-over portion so as to get a flat piece 6x28-1/2" I carefully flexed it up through the center and in front of the upper radiator so that I could pull it back length-wise in front of the lower radiator, then fastened it with ty-wraps to the worthless black plastic grid that sits just in front of the radiator. Being steel grid, I think it'll absorb a lot more energy from a stone than the Aluminum gutter guard. This is definitely a great preventive measure. Now, can someone figure out how to do the side radiators?

 

Check the link in the YouTube video I posted originally. Except with the Macan, the under-covers have to be opened up in order to have hand access. I'll do that in the coming weeks.

 

I remember a thread on one of the forums a while back being discussed at length on this topic, with many saying that even with little pebbles lodged in, there won't be any adverse effects tot the cooling. And/or that Porsche took this into account while designing it all.

Are you guys doing this for functionality of allowing for ultimate cooling, or more for looks (for when you look up close)? I like the look with them open, so I'll be keeping it, but wondering if it's functionally important to cover them up.

Also, with those mesh's, although naturally making the chances of pebbles getting through less likely, it still looks like they can make it through the holes?

 

IMHO Porsche's current trend of making extremely pronounced air intakes with no protection from debris is rather careless design. Nor do the big gaping holes look good.

"...even with little pebbles lodged in, there won't be any adverse effects tot the cooling."

That's impossible. Porsche may have designed in a lot of cooling margin, but a damaged radiator is definitely less effective at cooling. We don't know how sensitive the issue could be, but why would anyone want a "utility vehicle" that is vulnerable to being disabled by sticks and debris common in offroad situations?

Even if all you do is drive the Macan as a daily driver in the real world, then extra protection seems like a very worthwhile bit of insurance -- far more valuable than Porsche's overpriced skid plate fashion accessories.

 

K-A, read OKI-CAMI'S post above. We're not trying to cover anything up or improve functionality. This DIY is a preventative measure to avoid OKI-CAMI's $1,800 expense. Get behind a gravel truck or go through a road construction site and this lower radiator is highly vulnerable. It happened to me a few years back while instructing at a HPDE. I took a rock in the A/C condenser (same construction as a radiator). In this day and age, stuff like that is not repairable. They just replace it.

 

Exactly! Well said.

 

I understand the reasoning. Maybe I phrased it incorrectly. I remember there was a debate about whether the naked intakes are vulnerable by normal debris (pebbles, etc.) making them function less efficiently. I'm wondering if people think that's the case. I understand the more drastic reasoning (like your scenario above) goes without saying.

 

My concern with this mod is that the size of the mesh won't screen out the most common culprits of radiator damage. Small stones will pass right through this screen, and if going fast enough, will still cause catastrophic damage. Sure it will stop large objects, but my experience shows those are much rarer than the small bits that are much more frequent. How easy is it to find a finer screened mesh?

 

Problem with that is, can't you start to bring cooling ability to a less than OEM intended optimal level (one reason for the huge open intakes)? Even with the fine mesh, I wonder if it can block even slight amounts of cooling.