Mesh Over Radiator Grill Intake

[gavinwibrow]

I do a fair bit of country travel, and already have a fine collection of bugs on the radiator front face.

Has anyone done any research or has anecdotal information on the effect on engine cooling if I put a fly-screen type mesh either just in front or just behind the grill?

I'm sure it would be fine for normal driving, but potentially a bit concerned of the operating temperature effect when towing the brick with my 3.0L TDV6.

[DiscoJeffster]

There is material out there about how mesh of various thicknesses limit airflow. I’ll see if I can find it. I wouldn’t, unless you were going through plague levels of bugs

[Graeme]

I have the standard nylon type flyscreen mesh against the radiator of my 4.4 TDV8. The hoppers don't get strained, instead falling off and out the bottom. Don't use shade-cloth as it is very restrictive.
I tow a 2.5T van at posted speed limits even in hot weather and haven't had any overheating issues in the 5 years that the mesh has been fitted.

[whitedisco]

I have always used flywire between the grill and the radiators, D2, D4 and now D4.

On the D4 it is the aluminium wire as it seems to be a little more open.

Regular long-distance heavy towing with no issues - monitoring temperature with ODB and the Torque app.

I figure that after a short time the lack of bugs imbedded into the fins is beneficial and better than no fly wire.

cheers

[DiscoJeffster]

I have always used flywire between the grill and the radiators, D2, D4 and now D4.

On the D4 it is the aluminium wire as it seems to be a little more open.

Regular long-distance heavy towing with no issues - monitoring temperature with ODB and the Torque app.

I figure that after a short time the lack of bugs imbedded into the fins is beneficial and better than no fly wire.

cheers

A coarse mesh like aluminium would be good. Open enough to let through the air, small enough to trap large bugs. Flatscreen is very restrictive. You simply have to stand in an open window with a breeze flowing with and without the fly screen to notice the impact.

[Eric SDV6SE]

Have always used flyscreen on long trips, including towing. no effects noticed on temps. I zip tie to the bull bar uprights and around the top horizontal bar and down over the licence plate. I guess there's enough airflow around and underneath. Protects radiator a bit more from larger bugs.

[gavinwibrow]

Have always used flyscreen on long trips, including towing. no effects noticed on temps. I zip tie to the bull bar uprights and around the top horizontal bar and down over the licence plate. I guess there's enough airflow around and underneath. Protects radiator a bit more from larger bugs.

Ta Eric and others. New wheels don't have a bullbar, hence the interest in fore or aft of grill.

Concensus seems to be OK to do, and I use my GAP Tool in instrument mode when towing, so now feeling confident all will be well, but will try the fan trick suggestion from Disco Jeffster first as I have a quite tough aluminium version to try out.

[350RRC]

I use fly screen, no issues whatsoever..................

However if you have European wasps in your location then expect heaps of them around the front of the car feasting on the other bugs strained by the mesh.

DL

[gavinwibrow]

Ta Eric and others. New wheels don't have a bullbar, hence the interest in fore or aft of grill.

Concensus seems to be OK to do, and I use my GAP Tool in instrument mode when towing, so now feeling confident all will be well, but will try the fan trick suggestion from Disco Jeffster first as I have a quite tough aluminium version to try out.




Made up and fiited a mesh this afternoon, hidden behind the grill. Now to remember to file back the protruding anchoring screws before I rip the ends of my fingers off if I get around to washing the old girl.

[feraldisco]

A coarse mesh like aluminium would be good. Open enough to let through the air, small enough to trap large bugs. Flatscreen is very restrictive. You simply have to stand in an open window with a breeze flowing with and without the fly screen to notice the impact.


I agree with this...the type of aluminium mesh that the fastnfurious crowd use is perfect. It doesn't restrict airflow much but very few bugs make it through intact, and just deflecting/breaking/up/reducing velocity of most bugs is enough to avoid issues with various cooling radiators behind the grill. I think flyscreen would be quite restrictive...it would have to affect high speed airflow quite severely (volume, velocity, direction).