Cardboard on Grill?

[Andrew1990]

Well I was getting an Idea when I saw a semi with cardboard on the front of his truck. I assume the cardboard is to keep the heat inside the engine compartment as Diesels run better when warmer.

Would I get the same effect with a conventional gas engine? My heat is good when I am parked but when I start driving it gets less warm and my engine temp goes down to like 160F.

Would putting cardboard on my grill help with that or does that only work on diesels?

 

[Atty]

I'm not even sure it would work on diesels. :-|

 

[IcePickFreak]

Works the same way since you're basically blocking the radiator to keep the coolant temps up.

 

[Yowen]

its not like its a widespread thing to do on a gas engine though... I do notice my car running colder, but its never had me worried...

 

[boomerang]

Big rig radiators are oversized to handle the cooling needs of hauling 80,000+ pounds through the Mojave desert in July. That same radiator is too big for North Dakota in February so they block them off to reduce airflow. Reducing the airflow will lead to higher coolant temps.

Would it work in your car? Yes. But you'd be better off just replacing the thermostat because it sounds as though that is your true problem. Additionally, few cars actually draw air through the grill anymore. The grill area is just for looks. Most cars are cooled by air funneled in above the air dam. To block off air flow through the radiator, you would need to slide cardboard up through that opening and find a way to fix it in place. Also, it would be a trial and error proposition. You would need to find the correct amount of cardboard to allow for heating but not overheating.

Assume you get it right at outside temps of 25°, what will be the affect on a warm day of 40°? I don't know where you live, but a typical week of winter where I live might have high temps from -10° to 35°.

Replace the thermostat.

BTW, the pros don't use cardboard.

 

[desy]

Cardboard definately helps and I've done it many times on vehicles, twice it was recommended to me from the Dealers, a Chrysler minivan and a Civic.
The minivan due to its famous tranny cooler freezing issue and the Civic cause horizontally opposed 1.6l 4 pots have trouble generating enough heat when its -40.

That being said, I live where it gets damn cold regular and I don't do it on all vehicles.
Not my minvan cause its a 4l V6 and generates enough heat and not my Versa cause I can't figure a way of threading the CB in there cause everythings too tight. I'm not twist-tying CB on the grill. For many models of cars you can buy 'winter fronts or seasonal fronts' made specifically for your vehicle IE my Bronco and my Ranger I used to own and Dodge vans as well.

You should give more information, vehicle and engine also where as its really a severe weather thing

 

[Iron Woode]

Well I was getting an Idea when I saw a semi with cardboard on the front of his truck. I assume the cardboard is to keep the heat inside the engine compartment as Diesels run better when warmer.

Would I get the same effect with a conventional gas engine? My heat is good when I am parked but when I start driving it gets less warm and my engine temp goes down to like 160F.

Would putting cardboard on my grill help with that or does that only work on diesels?

it was more common here 20 years ago. I still see it every now and then, mostly on full size vans and trucks. The modern version is like a bra that covers the grill.

this is far cheaper than swapping out your thermostat.

This also helps keeps sludge from building up when using conventional oil, especially for short trips. The engine reaches optimum working temp faster and keeps it there.

 

[LTC8K6]

He probably needs a new thermostat.

 

[Gillbot]

He probably needs a new thermostat.

this is my thought

 

[thedarkwolf]

Thermostats start to open way before there set temps where they are open all the way. I have a 180 in my van and a real temp gauge and it runs 150-160 degrees in the cold while moving. I don't do the cardboard thing since its still warm enough for me but it certainly wouldn't hurt. Just remember to remove it when it warms up.

 

[futuristicmonkey]

The computer in my '05 Monte Carlo LT (3.8L V6) is set to go open-loop until the engine temp is 170F. While in the open-loop mode, the fuel-air ratio is set at a constant, rich value in order to get the engine up to operating temp faster. Once there, the computer goes into closed-loop mode, whereby the fuel-air mixture is regulated according to readings from various sensors.

The bottom line is if you're running cooler than your engine's operating temperature, you're burning more fuel than necessary.

 

[EightySix Four]

The computer in my '05 Monte Carlo LT (3.8L V6) is set to go open-loop until the engine temp is 170F. While in the open-loop mode, the fuel-air ratio is set at a constant, rich value in order to get the engine up to operating temp faster. Once there, the computer goes into closed-loop mode, whereby the fuel-air mixture is regulated according to readings from various sensors.

The bottom line is if you're running cooler than your engine's operating temperature, you're burning more fuel than necessary.

Eh, when an engine is running rich it runs cooler, when it is lean it runs hotter. For example, when my car detects the cat is overheating (it is turbocharged) it runs rich causing the EGTs to lower and the cat to cool back down.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Is this a Papa John's pizza thread?

 

[EightySix Four]

Is this a Papa John's pizza thread?

Domino's is worse.

 

[alfa147x]

I like pizza

 

[PhoKingGuy]

I like calzones more

 

[Andrew1990]

wow, I tried to do the card board thing today but at first I was like wtf, no radiator? Then I looked underneath the front of the car and it seems like it is there instead. I gas I am too use to trucks and vans, lol.

Of course it was a tight fit and I didnt have enough time to crawl down there before work....

 

[soydios]

IIRC, a cooler running engine is a more powerful/efficient engine, within reason (it should be at the proper operating temp for mechanical expansion and lubricant viscosity). something about the maximum efficiency of an engine is the difference between its hot and cold stages. also something about direct injection being advantageous for this reason because it cools the cylinder down.

truckers do it because their radiators are way overkill in the winter when they're towing nothing or empty.

 

[StageLeft]

Unless you're in the arctic there is something wrong with your car if it's losing heat while driving. I've only seen this trick on old junkers.

this is far cheaper than swapping out your thermostat.

It's crazy-ghetto, though, and also pretending that the driver with a piece of cardboard can better regulate engine temp than the thermostat. A thermostat replacement is generally not very expensive.

 

[jlee]

Unless you're in the arctic there is something wrong with your car if it's losing heat while driving. I've only seen this trick on old junkers.It's crazy-ghetto, though, and also pretending that the driver with a piece of cardboard can better regulate engine temp than the thermostat. A thermostat replacement is generally not very expensive.

This. A Toyota thermostat for my Tundra is 15 bucks...

 

[Iron Woode]

Unless you're in the arctic there is something wrong with your car if it's losing heat while driving. I've only seen this trick on old junkers.It's crazy-ghetto, though, and also pretending that the driver with a piece of cardboard can better regulate engine temp than the thermostat. A thermostat replacement is generally not very expensive.

it is kinda ghetto, but if you do it right it works fine.

yeah, thermostats are cheap but the average person is not going to swap one out twice a year like they did back in the 60's. Today's cars are complex and most people don't want to pay for that unless the thermostat is defective.

 

[StageLeft]

it is kinda ghetto, but if you do it right it works fine.

yeah, thermostats are cheap but the average person is not going to swap one out twice a year like they did back in the 60's. Today's cars are complex and most people don't want to pay for that unless the thermostat is defective.

Which it clearly is if he has to use cardboard to keep his engine at proper operating temp!

 

[desy]

Could be a open thermistat AND there are engines and confgurations where a winter front will help get it warmer faster. The block may be one temp due to regulation however the rest of the engine compartment will be frigid as HE 2X hockey sticks
Again what kind of car and engine? and where, if you only get down to about zero F and not any lower I doubt I'd bother

 

[thedarkwolf]

His thermostat is working fine. If his thermostat was stuck open it would be running much much cooler than 160 degrees. The problem is he most likely has a 180 degree thermostat instead of the stock 195ish one. A 180 degree stat will start to open around 160 or lower and that is why he is running at 160.