Topic: Custom mesh grille

[Kelu]

So my initial grille was looking like this:
[attachment=1]
I wasn't happy about that grille for 2 reasons:
a) I don't like to show brand logo, also being so rare car around here majority of the people don't know what car it is if they don't see the logo.
b) it was blocking completly the airflow especially for the airbox.

After many months of searches for a custom grille which looks good decided to give up waiting vendors for a product and went to do my custom one.

I choose 2 types of mesh, i like clear grilles, i choose mesh to match them with the grilles from bottom of the bumper:
[attachment=2]
[attachment=3]

Removed the oem grille which is made out of 2 parts (pictures borrowed):
[attachment=4]

After that I discovered that the font bumper cover is continuing behind the grille (picture borrowed):
[attachment=5]

Went ahead and cut all that and kept the holes if I will decide to go back to the stock grille or somewhere in future I will buy a nicer grille:
[attachment=6]
[attachment=7]

Finished bumper slaughtering:
[attachment=8]

Now I faced an unexpected issue, if I would put a mesh in that place, the parts from behind were visible and they weren't good looking parts.
Decide to use both meshes, one on top of the other to make the things from behind not visible as much as possible but also to allow airflow.

Some pictures about airflow:
[attachment=9]
[attachment=10]

[Kelu]

Went ahead and cut the 2 mashes and mount them on the empty created area, also spot if I keep the hood up how all the things behind of the grille are visible  :
[attachment=1]

I used smallest zipties to tide the meshes using the slots from the previous grille, remember I left some holes uncut from the bumper cover.
Also if you can find a mesh very thick will solve the issue to hide what is behind the grille, something like this or even thicker or angled:
[attachment=5]

A closeup with closed hood, everything from behind almost disappeared:
[attachment=2]

With the hood closed (sorry for the light):
[attachment=3]

Daylight look:
[attachment=4]

Yesterday before I did this mod I did some HPT logs, hopefully I will repeat the logs and I will update here if I will get better values.
Except trying to help the engine to breathe more cool air from outside also the air entering in the engine bay from the grille can do only good, maybe I ruined aerodynamics with this mod but I don't care, I don't race or drive above 110 mph.

[Uranium-238]

Wow, that really looks pretty good. I'm going to have to try and find some mesh like that now...

[ASETech67]

Hey Kelu...
  I understand about the airflow...my only concern with your mod is now allowing water to enter the Airbox and get sucked into your engine...you have nothing to deflect it since cutting a rectangular hole in the plastic...anyone else seem to notice this...or is it that Im just being alil to paranoid about water or some kind of liquid being sucked into the airbox and subsequently the engine??

[Gentleman Jack]

Kelu,

Captin Creative strikes again!  Your grill looks great!  We would like to have 12 kits made and shipped in time for the Mod Meet next weekend.  Please get on it.  We will happily pay 5 dollars US to cover shipping.  Thanks

Really though, it looks GREAT!  Nice work.

GJ

[Sly Bob]

We would like to have 12 kits made and shipped in time for the Mod Meet next weekend.  Please get on it.  We will happily pay 5 dollars US to cover shipping.  Thanks

You been drinking again GJ? 

Looks fantastic Kelu. Nice work! 

[Kelu]

Uranium-238: I payed 8$ for each mesh and got it from the cheapest area for car accessories, generally there are turkish lousy products and me and my buddies always do funny remarks when someone is telling that he bought something from there for his nice expensive car.

ASETech67: I thought on that aspect, the intake of our airbox is in the lower half of the box and the air needs to travel towards up to pass the filter so there is no way water can do all that, besides that there is the filter for this purpose. I'm not sure if you understood my explanation, just open the airbox and you will understand.
I have friends with tuned cars and they use conic very permissive air filters for years mounted right in the airstream, some have them mounted behind lower bumper grille where is the most dust and water and I was scared too, but they are fine.
Thank you for bringing this, I forgot to mention that in my initial topic  

Gentleman Jack: Thank you for you kind words, I have worked with my friend for 2 days to do this, you do the math for the price and keep your 5$ for getting me a beer when we will ever meet  

Sly Bob When he isn't?   Tks  

[Gentleman Jack]

ok Kelu Ok. I will buy you a beer at MMM7 if you can make it.  I will start saving frequent flyer miles and send them over to you once I have enough.

GJ

[LatinVenom]

Kelu,
Yes the baffles are at the beginning of the intake, but I would be concern about driving in a heavy rain and getting water all over the filter.
 

[Treeman]

Looks really cool!!

[Kelu]

LatinVenom: don't make me to start praying for rain in order to check this aspect.

Treeman: thank you

[kennysabarese]

there's tons of cars with hood scoops that go right into the intake and they don't have a problem with water. i wouldn't be worried

[1LILNDN]

Yesterday before I did this mod I did some HPT logs, hopefully I will repeat the logs and I will update here if I will get better values.
Except trying to help the engine to breathe more cool air from outside also the air entering in the engine bay from the grille can do only good, maybe I ruined aerodynamics with this mod but I don't care, I don't race or drive above 110 mph.
[/quote]

Kulu  That looks GR8  I hope the air works for you . Don't think it will harm Dynamics at all         

[Arabas]

Nice job Kelu, it looks great and at a good price! u have good friends over there!
i had thought of doing that too, but i was afraid of the water issue (rain and giving a good bath to my GT) that was mentioned earlier.
anyways, now that you did this and you allow air to enter, why don t you open the side vents too, so as to let the air go out more easliy too?

[Kelu]

Arab: you are referring to hood vents? I don't know how to do that.

1 LIL NDN: thank you sir

kennysabarese: that i was thinking too

[Arabas]

actually i was referring to the side vents of the fenders which have no hole at the moment. but u can always remove this part from the fender.

[nomead]

Hey Kelu...
  I understand about the airflow...my only concern with your mod is now allowing water to enter the Airbox and get sucked into your engine...you have nothing to deflect it since cutting a rectangular hole in the plastic...anyone else seem to notice this...or is it that Im just being alil to paranoid about water or some kind of liquid being sucked into the airbox and subsequently the engine??

A *little* water is not a problem, what you need to avoid is hydrolock (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrolock)
I had this happen on a VW GTI many years ago - It draws its air through an intake that opens to the bottom of the engine compartment and draws it up through the filter.
The filter got wet all the time in rainy weather, but I got into trouble running through 4" of water on the street during a particularly heavy rainstorm - the engine filled with water and the first compression stroke after that - didn't compress ;((

(Fortunately nothing broke)

[Treeman]

Wow - look at the rod on that sucker - that must have felt good!

Creating tall bow waves - in other words, slow down in deep water.  But the note about low air intakes is interesting here.

Kelu - ready for the grand experiment?????

[Kelu]

Treeman: No experiment, you do it there, you have a lot more water than me

nomead: thank you for you input

Arabas: no way, there I will have some light, no holes for me in the fenders

[Kelu]

Yesterday before I did this mod I did some HPT logs, hopefully I will repeat the logs and I will update here if I will get better values.

Re-logged the engine, as far as airflow, looks same so no stories here.

[kennysabarese]

Well then you better take it all off. Not worth the extra weight

[Yogi]

Grill looks nice, Kelu!

Thanks for the info on the logs!   I was wondering about that!   

[Kelu]

A feedback after some time. Even I got in heavy rains, no water in airbox. Spoke with a friend which had his turbo car with no air filter, just a 5" tube mounted in the air stream of the car for about 1000 miles and 0 issues, water dissipates because the air gets compressed by the turbo compressor and the chances that water might end up in the intake of the engine are low, besides that even if gets in the intake there is no problem, think about water/methanol systems which are mounted close to throttle body.

Airflow is dead same, I raced some drag races and logged with HPTuners, I even removed the oem airfilter, the value is still same (33 lbs/min).

[HAMMER DOWN]

That looks really GOOD, I like it better then OEM.

Here's what I did with my GXP, http://www.kappaperformance.com/forum/index.php?topic=1606.msg63276#msg63276

My last log with my scan tool (Actron CP9180), at 100% load, my MAP air flow GR/SE reads 224.63 = (29.712 lbs/min). Fuel psi was 14740 KPA. OAT was 91F, my IAT was 91F.


Mike

[Kelu]

100% Load? A turbo engine shouldn't be above 100% Load? Or is the TB?