How to block your front grill with pipe insulation
- Thread starter scurvy
- Start date
Votblindub
Veteran Member
The easiest and least intrusive way is to get a device that plugs into your obdII port(scangauge, ultragauge, vcds possibly) and use that as a readout if you dont want to install a water temp gauge. You can observe it change as you drive around, some of them can set up alarms for low or high temp.
Cogen Man
Veteran Member
Just ordered 2 sets of grill blocks for (2) 2011 Golf TDI's from idparts.com One thing I didn't like about the Jetta's was no temperature display. I also use a ScanGauge II on the Golf even thou it has a temperature gauge.
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Geobmx4life
Veteran Member
Woke up to -27c ...2 min to put them on...
Cb33
Active member
^^^ Cracking me up with the barcode sticker still on the pipe insulation. I'm sure it will come off on its own and the foam looks just fine on there, though.
it was -30 when I put the insulation on....in the hardware store parking lot.....had other priorities. LOL!!!!
Cb33
Active member
Touché.
Lolas Dad
Veteran Member
Put mine on yesterday....30 secs at highway speed and its at 90c.....very nice and cheap.
That answers my question of which part gets covered in the foam.
brokaw101
Member
Just did it this morning! Beautiful feeling to have heat! 1.99 for 12 ft. Easy!
professorxjosh
Veteran Member
Just did mine today and I can immediately notice a difference. Paid $3 for the insulator at Walmart and took maybe 10 minutes. Found it a little easier to do by taking the upper grill out and measuring everything.
Definitely worth the $3 though.
Definitely worth the $3 though.
Dhide371
Member
Is anyone aware of any overheating or fan problems associated with covering the grill? What about the air intake I read somewhere that the right side of the grill is the air intake?
professorxjosh
Veteran Member
I can't speak for anyone but myself, I've has zero overheating issues. Nothing at all. It's been an average of 30 degrees these past 2 weeks and this has definitely sped up my warm up time.
I highly suggest it. I think as long as you don't leave it on when spring hits, you'll be fine.
scurvy
Good Ol' Boy
I've never had an overheating issue with it either, even leaving the foam on well into June.
I only take mine out when I notice coolant temperatures running noticeably hotter on my Scangauge. Naturally, there is zero difference shown on the dash idiot gauge...
I only take mine out when I notice coolant temperatures running noticeably hotter on my Scangauge. Naturally, there is zero difference shown on the dash idiot gauge...
kharmin
Veteran Member
There's a difference between "blocking the grill" and "blocking the air intake" - the grill-blocker (foam, cardboard, fancy vinyl dealie) only slows down the 70mph+ wind from going directly over the radiator and engine block (notice all the space around the ends of the foam). If you stopped up the air intake itself, *then* you'd probably have a problem.
I just did mine (for the 7th year, with no issues) last week - before it hit zero here!
RacerTodd
Veteran Member
I did the pipe insulation thing the last couple of weeks as we had a cold spell here in Seattle (low in teens, highs in mid-20s). As we warmed up I left the top and bottom grilles covered as temps warmed up to nearly 40F. No overheating at all in city or freeway driving. Removed the top grille covers as we started to get in the mid-40 to 50F range. No issues.
In cold weather (under 40F) the fans barely run if at all. The heater core provides all the heat rejection the engine needs. Note that the pipe insulation method doesn't completely block of the entire grille - there'll be some gaps that will let some air through.
If you run the AC, the fans also run and you'd want at least some of the covers taken off the grilles. AC won't engage below 35F or something like that.
The engine air intake is on the drivers side, above the top slat of the top grille (the one with the VW logo). You only put the pipe insulation in the middle and bottom gaps in that grille.
RockRockRock
Veteran Member
I doubt you could suffocate the engine with the grill blocked. Even if the engine started to wheeze, the spring loaded alternate air in the fender well would allow fresh air to the filter box.
Thirstyturtle328
Veteran Member
Did this to my MKIV last night. I ended up actually stuffing the pipe insulation between the upper grill slats as opposed to placing it over them. This way it doesn't protrude. But on the bottom it was a perfect fit and hardly noticeable. I'll have to tweak the top a bit as it's not very attractive.
It was only 40° F here this morning but it warmed up noticeable faster. However, it didn't run any warmer as I expected. My engine runs very consistently at 170° F in 30°-60° weather. Whether I'm rolling 70mph on the highway or stop-and-go traffic it sits within a few degrees of 170. That seems a bit cool to me...wouldn't I benefit from it running a bit warmer? The pipe foam didn't seem to effect the peak temperature at all.
It was only 40° F here this morning but it warmed up noticeable faster. However, it didn't run any warmer as I expected. My engine runs very consistently at 170° F in 30°-60° weather. Whether I'm rolling 70mph on the highway or stop-and-go traffic it sits within a few degrees of 170. That seems a bit cool to me...wouldn't I benefit from it running a bit warmer? The pipe foam didn't seem to effect the peak temperature at all.
NB_TDi
Vendor
This year I took a different approach.
I went to the dollar store and bought some for-sale signs, they're made out of this:
Bought 2 large ones and made a few "breathing" holes. Blocked the entire rad off. Also installed my cold weather kit ontop. I find it works even better now.
I went to the dollar store and bought some for-sale signs, they're made out of this:
Bought 2 large ones and made a few "breathing" holes. Blocked the entire rad off. Also installed my cold weather kit ontop. I find it works even better now.
you need a new t-stat.
Thirstyturtle328
Veteran Member
Could you possibly elaborate? Maybe explain how my explanation had led you to believe this? I don't doubt you, it may be bad, although it was replace 50k miles ago with T-belt job.
well i guess it could be your commute, but if youre going 70mph, the temp should get up to 195 in about 6 miles. im in a colder climate and thats about how long it takes mine to warm up with the blocked radiator.
the highest my temps would get when my t stat went bad was around 170.
the highest my temps would get when my t stat went bad was around 170.
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RacerTodd
Veteran Member
Was it an OEM Volkswagen part or aftermarket? The OEM thermostat is rated at 87C (about 190F), that being the temperature when it begins to open.
You may have a perfectly functioning thermostat, but one that opens at a lower temp. In warmer weather you won't see much of an issue, but in cold weather you'd see a drop in coolant temp. Aftermarket items may come in a variety of different temps for different engines. Unless you put it in yourself you don't have much a way to know what temp rating the thermostat had.
That being said, if you have a correct 87C thermostat installed and your temps are running low there are two things that could be going on.
1. The coolant temp sensor is reading low. The coolant sensor actually has two sensors inside - one reports to the ECU, one to the gauge in the cluster. One check is to us VCDS/Vag-Com to check the temp as reported to the ECU. If it reads way different than the gauge, then the sensor should be replaced.
2. Thermostat is opening too early. When the thermostat opens at too low a temp, you get lower coolant temp readings. This is what my old one did. A new thermostat raised coolant temps about 10C.
As a comparison, check this thread of mine: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=391412 It features a log of temperatures during a cold start in 40F weather, then a run down the highway. This was with my old thermostat. Note the coolant temp (orange line) moves right up to 90C and stays there.
steffen707
Veteran Member
I'm curious too. My 01tdi always runs at 170 on my ultragauge, the needle is pointed at 190 on the dummy gauge on the dash. Should it be higher than 170 on my ultra gave?
scurvy
Good Ol' Boy
Agreed, wholeheartedly.
My thermostat started getting lazy and the car wouldn't run higher than 75ºC; a replacement Stant and it's back up to 90ºC easily.
Never trust the dash gauge, it has a well-documented dead spot in its response curve starting at about 73ºC. Only trust the reading you get from VCDS, Scangauge, Ultragauge or similar.
steffen707
Veteran Member
I only had a few overheating incidents, and that's when I was towing about 1000 lbs at 70mph. No big deal I pulled over, pulled out one side of insulation, hit the highway and the temp dropped instantly. You'll be fine.
Thirstyturtle328
Veteran Member
Thanks for all the information.
For reference, this summer in 80+ degree temperatures towing a 2,000lb trailer on level ground at 65mph I got my highest temp ever of 188 degrees F.
So I guess maybe my thermostat is messed up? I doubt my coolant temperature sensor is wrong as I've replaced it 3 times and the most recent one is OEM and alleviated all other issues that were caused by the faulty ones.
Is this a big enough deal to replace the thermostat NOW as opposed to in a year or so when the next T-belt is due? I haven't done it on this vehicle but it was NOT a simple job on my old 4Runner. Any adverse effects to running a bit cold? (not like 170 degrees is COLD really anyways).
For reference, this summer in 80+ degree temperatures towing a 2,000lb trailer on level ground at 65mph I got my highest temp ever of 188 degrees F.
So I guess maybe my thermostat is messed up? I doubt my coolant temperature sensor is wrong as I've replaced it 3 times and the most recent one is OEM and alleviated all other issues that were caused by the faulty ones.
Is this a big enough deal to replace the thermostat NOW as opposed to in a year or so when the next T-belt is due? I haven't done it on this vehicle but it was NOT a simple job on my old 4Runner. Any adverse effects to running a bit cold? (not like 170 degrees is COLD really anyways).
jayoldschool
Veteran Member
Yes, your stat is opening early. It will cost you mileage, so the sooner you change it, the sooner you will start saving cash.
VeeDubTDI
Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
170 is too low for outdoor temperatures that are above freezing. You should be able to hit mid-180s pretty easily (certainly within 10 miles of driving on the highway).