D.I.Y Radiator / Air condenser bug screen - How too

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Re: D.I.Y Radiator / Air condenser bug screen - How too

Both Darren and Michael make some good points. No doubt that the screen will reduce air flow (and 40 ~ 50% is about right) but whether that becomes a problem or not is the question. The manufacturer 'should' design for a series of worst conditions. High ambient temperature, full A/C load, high alternator load, vehicle stationary AND full engine power and the cooling system should be able to cope with some margin. These are conditions that are very unlikely to be seen for extended periods so it is probable that the cooling system is ok. When was the last time you asked the engine for maximum power for more than a minute or two? Coming off the beach or up a sand blow but then straight after the engine has a chance to relax. Also remember that Toyota do sell a screen as a dealer fit accessory so Toyota must have some confidence in the capacity of their cooling system.

The downside is that once temperature starts to rise the cooling system wont be able to respond as quickly as it would with unrestricted airflow (and that includes lights, bar, screens, bugs etc). I can't say I would bother fitting a screen but then I haven't had many instances of bug swarms that I had to clean up and the bugs accumulated in our normal driving are easily dealt with.

On a lighter side most tractors are fitted with some form of prescreen which is obviously designed into the system but I know of one case where a large paddock of long grass was slashed and afterwards the operator hosed the outside of the bonnet to remove the dust and seeds etc and give the tractor a bit of a birthday. The tractor was unused for a few weeks and the next time it was fired up it overheated in minutes just idling around the farm. Opening the bonnet found a lovely green radiator! The grass seeds had been forced into the warm radiator, lots of lovely water, enough light and time to germinate. Hydroponics on the farm. That is not something you want to happen!!!! Verrrrrry Expensive.

[Auto-Craft Inactive Find all posts View Profile Close Auto-Craft]

Re: D.I.Y Radiator / Air condenser bug screen - How too

Both Darren and Michael make some good points. No doubt that the screen will reduce air flow (and 40 ~ 50% is about right) but whether that becomes a problem or not is the question. The manufacturer 'should' design for a series of worst conditions. High ambient temperature, full A/C load, high alternator load, vehicle stationary AND full engine power and the cooling system should be able to cope with some margin. .

When vehicle manufacturers are wanting the slipperiest shape they can make, with minimal frontal area to aid fuel economy, and drag, they certainly wont be building in a 50% margin on engine cooling, but what they do is build a temp gauge that only moves when it see's more than 10 deg C coolant temp change, so its already about to boil when it is hot. Add to this the ECU removing fuel, to get coolant temp down, and you dont get full power, even if you wanted it, and you get the extra expansion, and contraction extra heat brings into components that dont have suitable airflow, fan hubs working harder more often effecting fuel economy as well, and an intercooler that isnt working as efficiently, when you put mesh over it = higher inlet temps, which the engine monitors, and less power, = more fuel to achieve the same thing, so economy suffers agin, when it thinks its hotter than it really is .

As for full power, mining applications up and down the mine, low range, full of people, you seen see full power, high rpm, low air flow, worst conditions, it fair to say, for many km uphill in some mines :wink:

Just because you dont use it often, doesnt mean the vehicles dont see the application in the hands of others.

[switched Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close switched]

Re: D.I.Y Radiator / Air condenser bug screen - How too

Does anyone roughly know the dimensions of the flyscreen needed for the D4D? I will hopefully pick some up this week. Thinking about doing this mod, just recently crossed the hay plains and wished I had done this sooner :cry: I pulled out about 10 bees, 2 dragonflies and a few other roadkill out of my intercooler.