dieselnewbie

Works great.

I wrapped a big piece of cardboard with duck-tape and tie wrapped it to the inside of my front grill.

Huge difference. Temp needle reached full temp much faster than before. I had good heat after just 7 minutes on the road.

Now I can ask my wife to buy me the factory winter front for XMAS.

DT.

John Faughn

You might want to rethink that , theres not to many mods that you can make yourself with cardboard , go for something like a race engine.

Mountaineer

Is cutting holes in the cardboard neccessary ? Does it have ill effect on the trans cooler and intercooler ? I put a sheet of it when below freezing between the intercooler and radiator and wondered if it was hurting anything as long as water temp was 190 or under .

Fisherguy

I do the same thing when it gets cold, cut about a, 8" cirlcle in the middle so there's some airflow for the fan to draw from.

Dynocon

I typicall put a piece of cardboard in on Thanksgiving. I slide down between the rads, cut in 5"x5" or so hole in the middle and away we go. No duct tape required. I use 1 piece of tie wire to keep it from sliding down.

Mountaineer

But does does the fan need airflow to draw from ?

and also, why the 5"x5" hole ?

For example, for the first time yesterday I put a full sheet in yesterday in front of the Radiator and never traveled more than 20 miles on any one trip and my temps never rose to 190* with the whole thing blocked off and no hole cut for airflow.
With that, I guess my question is, Unless your truck is running over 190* is there any reason to cut a hole for airflow?

Shovelhead

The hole is used to allow cold air to hit the fan clutch so it thinks it's cooold outside and doesn't engage the engine cooling fan, robbing power and mileage....at least on us 2nd genners......

Foxborough

I believe the hole in the middle is for the fan. If for whatever the engine gets too hot and the fan starts running, the fan motor will be baking between the motor and a 200* + radiator. I don't know how long the electric motor could run uner those conditions and I wouldn't want to experiment. I have the winter front from Mopar and it has something like 10" square opening with (4) flaps that adjust the opening. I usually have (2) flaps closed below 10*. FYI. P.S. Shovelhead has a better answer than mine but we get to the same point,. Have a great Thanksgiving.

Mountaineer

So the fan clutch has its own temp. sensor ? I thought it only kicked on when temp. was too high.



But what if you don't have 200* ? As in my post I blocked the whole thing off with no holes and still never reached 190*. I can read the coolant guage.
Happy Thanksgiving to you also.

robert78.5

You need the hole for some flow for fan, I have seen some guys suck there fans into rads when they had a solid cardboard.

Eat Beef

You should put that BETWEEN your intercooler and radiator. Intercooler needs the cold air.

Gypsyman

If it's attached to the "grill" there is plenty of air flow from underneath to cool everything. Sound like a poor mans Lund inserts. Sure wish they made them for the newer curved grills...

Festus

There are inserts for our trucks. Look in my gallery. The manufacturer name escapes me right now though.

I opted to purchase the Dodge winter front when the deal surfaced in front of me. If it wasn't a deal, I'd probably be doing the cardboard thing.

Gypsyman

I was talking about the Lund winter front grill insert covers. I can't find anyone who makes the plastic insert covers for the newer curved grills.

Festus

Lund doesn't make them for the newer trucks. Others do though. Plastic and stainless. Solid or punched.