Cover for front grill/radiator!

[poweredbytdi]

RES, the only heat source is the engine. It is cooled by coolant run through the radiator and some convection from air in the engine bay. Where I think the biggest improvement comes in is once the thermostat opens, coolant flows through the radiator and airflow to the radiator is blocked. This is my second winter with my JSW. Last year below 20F ambient the car would not warm to 190F coolant temp during an 18 mile commute with the first 75% being freeway speeds. One day near 0F I froze on my way to work and cursed the efficient diesel engine. With the winter cover from ID Parts, life is much better for me. The coolant is able to warm up quickly once the thermostat is open because airflow is restricted to the radiator. So I think that time until the thermostat opens may be improved some (minimally?), it is the reduction in cold air on the radiator that allows the engine to remain warm once the thermostat opens. I love this thing!

 

[RES]

RES, the only heat source is the engine. It is cooled by coolant run through the radiator and some convection from air in the engine bay. Where I think the biggest improvement comes in is once the thermostat opens, coolant flows through the radiator and airflow to the radiator is blocked. This is my second winter with my JSW. Last year below 20F ambient the car would not warm to 190F coolant temp during an 18 mile commute with the first 75% being freeway speeds. One day near 0F I froze on my way to work and cursed the efficient diesel engine. With the winter cover from ID Parts, life is much better for me. The coolant is able to warm up quickly once the thermostat is open because airflow is restricted to the radiator. So I think that time until the thermostat opens may be improved some (minimally?), it is the reduction in cold air on the radiator that allows the engine to remain warm once the thermostat opens. I love this thing!

PoweredbyTDI, I think you have summed it up fairly well. Thanks for the input. At what outside temperature do you start getting nervous about overheating and start removing covers?

 

[poweredbytdi]

RES, I don't know yet. I'm watching to see what the TDI collective comes up with while running my own experiment. I was driving around last night in the city in freezing rain and 42F with no problems. Extended freeway driving may bring different results. The cover does not block 100% of flow and warmer air temps seem to help MPG so for me it will be trial and error unless tribal knowledge makes a determination.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Driving today with lower cover only on my '12 Golf, 55 degrees out. No problems.

 

[schultp]

Let's not forget that even with the full IDParts grill cover set in place the engine compartment is not a sealed system. So, for instance if in the winter the weather hits an unseasonable 50-60F (or even a bit higher) and the coolant temps begin to go up the radiator fans will kick in. While not an optimal situation since the grill covers would limit introduction of outside air there still would be air flow across the radiator. There are enough open nooks and crannies for air entry that the fans would still achieve air flow across the radiator.

I personally feel everyone is probably over thinking the temp analysis and whether to go with full, partial, or no cover. I have the full set of covers in place and will simply use them until a time in the spring when the outside temps are consistently in the 40ish range. I find in that range that my heater and engine come up to operating temps in short order and my fuel economy is no longer suffering from the TDI engine struggling to get up to efficient operating temp.

I ran my MK3 with full pipe insulation covering the front grills in this fashion and never ran into an overheating problem. I've never read in these forums where there is a noticeable/repeatable problem with engine temps when using any form of winter grill cover.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

The one difference between the earlier cars and current ones is that the winter front also covers the intercooler. As I think I mentioned above in this thread, one user did get a fault code for high air intake temps with all the covers on when sitting in traffic in an above-freezing day. If you look at the upper grille on these cars little, if any air gets through the passenger side, but a fair amount gets in through the emblem, which doesn't get covered.

This is why I'm content in our climate to run the lower cover only. It speeds warming on cold days, but I don't have to think about taking any covers off when it gets warm like it is today (55F).

 

[flyboy320]

As I think I mentioned above in this thread, one user did get a fault code for high air intake temps with all the covers on when sitting in traffic in an above-freezing day.

Curious if anyone knows the temp has to get to to trigger the fault?

 

[piotrsko]

We are running full ID covers on freeway at up to 55 F outside with no overtemp and no indications that temp is over 190 F on dash. Dont have real stop & go here in Reno. Really nice warm heater. Mileage almost back to warm temp levels.

 

[steve05ram360]

We are running full ID covers on freeway at up to 55 F outside with no overtemp and no indications that temp is over 190 F on dash. Dont have real stop & go here in Reno. Really nice warm heater. Mileage almost back to warm temp levels.

Just keep in mind that the true temp can be anywhere from 165-225 when the dSh says its 190*

 

[ticketed2much]

Just a quick lesson learned here. If the temps are up inthe 30s and you're driving in the city, make sure you take the covers off. The car will throw a code related to charge air cooler efficiency if they are on. The coolant temp gauge will likely still be at 190 when this happens.

A quick $125 lesson on that one, since we were traveling and had to use a dealer. I suppose it could have been far more expensive if I didn't pull the grill covers as soon as the code was thrown and instead have taken out the turbo

Heres the post You can't trust the dash temp gauge!

 

[Manu]

Modified the cover today:


idParts front cover - modified by *MANU01*, on Flickr

I can use it now without having to trim the front license plate tabs.

 

[piotrsko]

Notice I said no indications of overheat. No codes set, no SES, no CEL. Radiator fans NOT on OMG it's hot in here, NO funny post-Regen burning plastic smells in the driveway. In fact, It has been behaving better since the covers got installed.

I do however, appreciate your concern .

I also own a F 250 where the purpose of dash gages is for that warm fuzzy feeling not engine parameters.

YMMV

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

On my MKIV, not MKVI, I drove to Michigan over the weekend to the Detroit Auto Show. Temperatures ranged from the single digits to high 20s. Both covers were on for the whole trip. Car had plenty of heat, temperature showed normal (not that that tells us much), and I got 48 on the drive out averaging 75 MPH and 45 on the way back going somewhat faster. I do think it helps FE.

 

[inco9nito99]

are these available now for the 2013 golf tdi 4door?

 

[Manu]

No lower front cover this morning @ -28C, and the car never reached normal operating temperature.


-28C by *MANU01*, on Flickr

 

[ticketed2much]

No lower front cover this morning @ -28C, and the car never reached normal operating temperature.


-28C by *MANU01*, on Flickr

WOW, I hope to never see that on my dash!

 

[ss~zoso~ss]

So after having a brief case of intercooler icing, and no options for grille covers for 2010 Jettas, this is what I came up with. Have yet to test it out, but I'm hopeful that I'll have quicker warmups, and hopefully increased IATs (inlet air temps). Materials cost: $3 at Home Depot. The pipe insulation seems to fit in there nice and snug, we'll see if it stays, I'll have to keep some extra in the trunk.

 

[steve05ram360]

my front grille block, lower only...

 

[inco9nito99]

my front grille block, lower only...

Don't see anything. Sarcasm?

Sent from my SM-N900P using Tapatalk

 

[canux]

Looks like it has been fitted behind as I can't see the condenser through the grille. Nice clean job if that's the case, I would like to know what was used.

 

[steve05ram360]

Yup, except for the black zipties one would never know it is there... ... I will take a closeup and post it. Got the plastic sheet from tap plastics, comes in a 3'*4' sheet for about $8.

 

[steve05ram360]

Up close shot with a shot of the material used... (again, available at tap plastics).

 

[msantram]

very nicely done steve!

 

[steve05ram360]

Thanks, did the ram the same way and had vood results from it.

 

[inco9nito99]

Looks fantastic! Have a diagram for someone that would like to replicate your idea?

Sent from my SM-N900P using Tapatalk

 

[steve05ram360]

I didnt make a template, just cut it close but over sized and trimmed until it fit. Then using a scribe, poked holes large enough for the straps where i wanted them. Took longer to understand how to pull the grille back than to cut & secure it.

 

[epc]

I didnt make a template, just cut it close but over sized and trimmed until it fit. Then using a scribe, poked holes large enough for the straps where i wanted them. Took longer to understand how to pull the grille back than to cut & secure it.

HOw do you pull the grill out of the bumper??

 

[steve05ram360]

I used this thread... http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=316763 however i did not pull the grille all the way out. The bottom tabs would not cooperate. I was able to have enough clearance to get this done with just the top clips released

 

[canux]

Just re-read my old thread and tried to remember what I had done. If I remember correctly the tabs need to be pushed down from the inside (the tabs on the grille have holes in them that other tabs on the bumper "fall into" when you push the them together). But the bumper tabs are on the top. So essentially if you were to put something small and flat into this from the front side and gently pry up and then reach your hand around to the back, find the same tab and gently push down it should slide out. That said, I've never tried anything like this in the Winter and I suspect that the plastic would be much less cooperative.

 

[steve05ram360]

Just re-read my old thread and tried to remember what I had done. If I remember correctly the tabs need to be pushed down from the inside (the tabs on the grille have holes in them that other tabs on the bumper "fall into" when you push the them together). But the bumper tabs are on the top. So essentially if you were to put something small and flat into this from the front side and gently pry up and then reach your hand around to the back, find the same tab and gently push down it should slide out. That said, I've never tried anything like this in the Winter and I suspect that the plastic would be much less cooperative.

I had the writeup sitting next to me when I did it. What the locking mechanism is has a u shaped piece of plastic that receives the tab with the raised lock on it. To get them out I tried everything that made sense in the toolbox (pretty well stocked but obviously not well enough ) and still was not able to get past 1... I could split it and release 1 tab but then when working on the next the 1st would re-latch itself. I think what would work and be easy to make would be a sturdy enough piece of flat metal that could be bent in a J or V shape such that it could be slid between the 2 tabs that were locking. Several of these would be needed, 1 for ea tab. It would have to be thick enough to spread the pieces enough for the locking tab to release.