I am wanting to put a square of cardboard over the radiator of a car & compact truck. Radiator dimensions are 24 3/4" x 15 3/4" for the car & 23 5/8" x 15" for the truck. What percentage of coverage would allow the car/truck to stay in a safe operating range while in travel & stopped? Wondering how you folks up north handle this cold weather.
- Thread starter Rob Mo.
- Start date
I'm not up-north just sideways to the East in IL. I put two pieces of card board in front of the radiator and intercooler of my Dodge diesel. I have to stop after 20 miles or so on the interstate, and take one out. But is just right with it all covered driving to town 12 miles. Won't stay warm without something over the radiator.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Since it's an experiment, try covering the bottom half, and see how warm it gets. I see the big trucks often have a canvas cover, that covers the corners of the rad opening, and you can increase or decrease the amount covered, by adding or subtracting a corner or 2.
Fordfarmer
Well-known Member
I don't cover the radiators. I do keep the coolant good to at least -30 though. If you do cover the radiators, keep the opening round and center it. Won't make the fan flex that way. 8" to 10" at a minimum.
old
Well-known Member
- Location
- Camdenton Missouri
As long as you have a temp gauge you can cover it all or a little bit as long as you keep your eye on the gauge to make sure it does not over heat. I have covered the whole radiator at times on some and when it is as cold as it has been here in MO you some times need that just for heat in the car.
teddy52food
Well-known Member
Make sure you have a good 195 thermostat in it. The cab heater will almost keep up with it. On a school bus with the heater in front and back, the stat never opens in weather like this.
old
Well-known Member
- Location
- Camdenton Missouri
Stop and go bad but if mostly highway speed no problem. In that case I would cover the lower half and leave to upper half open. Or close off half of one side.
Janicholson
Well-known Member
Your idea is good but needs to be modified (as others pointed out) the fan can be vibrated to self destruction when it is blocked unevenly. They fatigue, and explode. The corner coverage of the trucker examples cause much more centric fan loading. I have seen them cracked, and seen them blow holes in the hood, and eat radiators. Jim
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
I wouldn't worry about it, most likely it has an electric fan to cool it, they don't run all the time, I think it should be fine. Unless it is a Volkswagen diesel! Just my thought, Tom
Most of my vehicles have dedicated winter fronts that I can adjust. When I don't have one I cut a piece of cardboard the size of the radiator and then cut a V in the cardboard, maybe 20-25% and put right in front of radiator. If it's not possible to get it directly in front of the radiator then just do your best to cover the grill. You still want some airflow. My wife drives a Pontiac car and a jeep. Both have grills way out in front of the radiators so I cover the whole grill. There's still plenty of air flow coming up under the bumpers on each vehicle. I don't get excited till it's down below 0*.
Casey in SD
Casey in SD
Since you're only traveling 2 miles in the truck you should be ok covering the whole radiator but I doubt you'll notice any difference.
I wouldn't cover the car rad since it's going 40 miles.
I also wouldn't worry about covering the rad evenly so the fan loads evenly. There's no way the airflow is even through the rad and across the fan at different speeds. Aerodynamics don't work like that. Plus it isn't air flow that causes the fan to flex. It's centrifugal force from engine RPM's.
You probably just need to replace your thermostat.
I wouldn't cover the car rad since it's going 40 miles.
I also wouldn't worry about covering the rad evenly so the fan loads evenly. There's no way the airflow is even through the rad and across the fan at different speeds. Aerodynamics don't work like that. Plus it isn't air flow that causes the fan to flex. It's centrifugal force from engine RPM's.
You probably just need to replace your thermostat.
Nathan (SD)
Member
Ditto. My 94 w/6.5d will cook me out of the cab on even the coldest days. My S10 crew cab has a sorry heater. Heater core is too small.
Determined
Well-known Member
For your short trips it shouldn't be any big deal, but make sure if you hook up a trailer you loose the cardboard, many a person while trying to stay toasty in the cab fail to remember they have also blocked the air flow for the transmission cooler and lacking a tranny temp guage dont notice the problem until its too late.
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