Cool feature from Dodge (active grille shutters)

[Canoehead]

One of the lesser-known eco-mods seems to be grill blocking - the covering of openings on the front of the car, as with tape or stiff plastic or some such.

Just saw a TV add from the Dodge Dart which shows that it has automatic adjustable grill blocking. Pretty darn cool if you ask me. Although, if you asked me follow-up questions I would likely be pessimistic about how well this would work with winter and ice and freezing rain, all of which would call for a blocked grill anyway.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/...lp-improve-mpg

[Back-space]

I wonder how well this grill blocking works. For myself, I would block the grill to make it flush with the front of the car. I don't understand the physics behind creating a wall 3-4" past the front of the car. Isn't the idea to have the air flow past(over, under, beside) the car smoothly, not slam into a solid wall? Just wondering

[R01k]

I wonder how well this grill blocking works. For myself, I would block the grill to make it flush with the front of the car. I don't understand the physics behind creating a wall 3-4" past the front of the car. Isn't the idea to have the air flow past(over, under, beside) the car smoothly, not slam into a solid wall? Just wondering

It works pretty good. This guy even removed the wiper blades and tapped the ends for a mpg competition and achieved 74.1 mpg.

[ahintofpepperjack]

Nothing new, the Chevrolet Cruze eco has had active grille shutters as long as it has been here in the USA (2011). The grills are already significantly blocked off on our cars, and the added cost of grill shutters probably isn't worth the very minor fuel savings.

[Ares]

Agreed. Cruze was the first (IIRC) to mass produce AGS. Lots have followed now.

[Charlie]

Just thought of this, but another situation that this would be helpful for is when you suddenly drive through an area with huge insect swarms buzzing around!

-Charlie-

[GrnBn]

The air essentially forms a solid wall as it builds up in front of the vehicle. Some air will fill in that few inches gap, but the rest will get packed up behind that and flow around the car.