Page 4 of 5 FirstFirst ... 2345 LastLast
Results 31 to 40 of 42

Thread: DIY: Coroplast grill block

  1. #31
    Administrator Daox's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Germantown, WI
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    4,999
    Thanks
    2,892
    Thanked 1,804 Times in 1,017 Posts
    Good to know others are also thinking the same thing. I'll start a thread for that mod by itself instead of taking it on to this one.


    Custom Mirage products: Cruise control kit, Glove box light, MAF sensor housing, Rear sway bar, Upper grill block

    Current project: DIY Nitrous oxide setup for ~$100

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 47.2 mpg (US) ... 20.1 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.7 mpg (Imp)


  2. #32
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Alberta, Canada
    Country
    Canada
    Posts
    193
    Thanks
    121
    Thanked 64 Times in 48 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Daox View Post
    Good to know others are also thinking the same thing. I'll start a thread for that mod by itself instead of taking it on to this one.
    Link it once you start it, if you wouldn't mind

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 automatic: 36.9 mpg (US) ... 15.7 km/L ... 6.4 L/100 km ... 44.3 mpg (Imp)


  3. #33
    Administrator Daox's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Germantown, WI
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    4,999
    Thanks
    2,892
    Thanked 1,804 Times in 1,017 Posts
    Here you go!

    Sealing the hood gap
    Custom Mirage products: Cruise control kit, Glove box light, MAF sensor housing, Rear sway bar, Upper grill block

    Current project: DIY Nitrous oxide setup for ~$100

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 47.2 mpg (US) ... 20.1 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.7 mpg (Imp)


  4. The Following User Says Thank You to Daox For This Useful Post:

    Tyrelirwin (01-15-2019)

  5. #34
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Alberta, Canada
    Country
    Canada
    Posts
    193
    Thanks
    121
    Thanked 64 Times in 48 Posts
    Thanks!

    Don't suppose anyone has a printable template for doing the lower grill from coroplast?

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 automatic: 36.9 mpg (US) ... 15.7 km/L ... 6.4 L/100 km ... 44.3 mpg (Imp)


  6. #35
    Administrator Daox's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Germantown, WI
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    4,999
    Thanks
    2,892
    Thanked 1,804 Times in 1,017 Posts
    I can measure mine, but I don't have a printable template.
    Custom Mirage products: Cruise control kit, Glove box light, MAF sensor housing, Rear sway bar, Upper grill block

    Current project: DIY Nitrous oxide setup for ~$100

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 47.2 mpg (US) ... 20.1 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.7 mpg (Imp)


  7. The Following User Says Thank You to Daox For This Useful Post:

    Tyrelirwin (01-15-2019)

  8. #36
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2021
    Location
    Toronto
    Country
    Canada
    Posts
    1,028
    Thanks
    1,543
    Thanked 240 Times in 199 Posts
    Any updates on how this electronic grill blocks working? do you keep it on year round? does it open automatically? does it let enough air in during the summer months? Have you tried making one for a mirage?

    Im interested in faster warm up times but don't want to take a mail slot block on and off depending on ambient temperature and if im going on the highway. Thats too much thinking for me.

    I was also wondering if there was any particular reason that our grills are separated into two sections the mail slot and the lower grill other than aesthetics?

    Since in other posts you mentioned that blocking off the mail slot makes the biggest mpg gains because of the aerodynamics(air going over the vehicle instead of around). Is the MPG gains noticeable? Do you think developing a smart mail slot cover with a servo would make noticeable mpg gains?

    Im also interested in an electronic grill block because I feel (unsure if true) engine power is limited when the green coolant light is on, and because I live near a hill i go down regularly so im probably missing out on some DCFO MPG gains because I dont think DCFO occurs if the cold coolant light is on(again unsure if true).

    Quote Originally Posted by Daox View Post
    3d printing grill blocks is totally doable, but not very practical I think. To print something that would replace that coroplast piece I image it would take at least 24 hours of continuous printing if not more. Its simply a lot of material to lay down. Secondly, its a curved piece, and there isn't a great way of printing it, and that is assuming that it could be modeled accurately to begin with. How do you measure up the grill so that it can be modeled?

    That all being said, I have 3d printed a grill block insert lets call it. Its even automatically servo actuated as the OEMs are doing. It is a clip together design and mounts inside an existing grill block. I currently have this installed on my 2000 Honda Insight.

    There is tons more info in my thread on EcoModder, but here are a few pictures.

    The basic frame. The pieces snap together to make it larger if necessary.





    Here is the door. Again snap together.





    The full design with servo.





    Actual design printed up.





    And, here it is installed on my Insight.





    Test program being run on it.


  9. #37
    Administrator Daox's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Germantown, WI
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    4,999
    Thanks
    2,892
    Thanked 1,804 Times in 1,017 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by mohammad View Post
    Any updates on how this electronic grill blocks working? do you keep it on year round? does it open automatically? does it let enough air in during the summer months? Have you tried making one for a mirage?
    I never moved this grill block to my Mirage. And, shortly after getting it setup on the Insight I took it off the road for some repairs. Its still not back on the road.


    I was also wondering if there was any particular reason that our grills are separated into two sections the mail slot and the lower grill other than aesthetics?
    I'm pretty sure its all aesthetics.


    Since in other posts you mentioned that blocking off the mail slot makes the biggest mpg gains because of the aerodynamics(air going over the vehicle instead of around). Is the MPG gains noticeable? Do you think developing a smart mail slot cover with a servo would make noticeable mpg gains?
    I do think the MPG gain is noticable. I do not think making a mail smart mail slot cover is worth it. The lower grill is much larger and the air is right in front of the radiator, not just the very top part of it. There are lots of ways for air to go around the Mirage's radiator and locating the intake nearest the center is likely the best.


    Im also interested in an electronic grill block because I feel (unsure if true) engine power is limited when the green coolant light is on, and because I live near a hill i go down regularly so im probably missing out on some DCFO MPG gains because I dont think DCFO occurs if the cold coolant light is on(again unsure if true).
    I do not believe DFCO works until the engine is warmed up. I'm not sure exactly what temperature that is at, but at least according to my scangauge it does not work at some lower temps.
    Custom Mirage products: Cruise control kit, Glove box light, MAF sensor housing, Rear sway bar, Upper grill block

    Current project: DIY Nitrous oxide setup for ~$100

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 47.2 mpg (US) ... 20.1 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.7 mpg (Imp)


  10. #38
    Junior Member Hypermiler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2022
    Location
    British Columbia
    Country
    Canada
    Posts
    3
    Thanks
    12
    Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post
    Thank you Daox, some incredibly important things learned here on grille blocking, as well about tire/wheel sizes for mpg from Top Fuel, and a lot of knowledge from other reputable posters here. I had to join this awesome community after reading days worth of postings here. Thank you all.

  11. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Hypermiler For This Useful Post:

    Fummins (01-28-2022),MetroMPG (01-29-2022)

  12. #39
    Senior Member Dark Magenta's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Minneapolis, MN
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    195
    Thanks
    29
    Thanked 55 Times in 48 Posts
    I made and used this my first winter. I didn’t put it on last winter, but it’s back now. Name:  14301328-0BD0-41FC-AA7D-A441CD2BF9AE.jpg
Views: 398
Size:  96.4 KB

  13. The Following User Says Thank You to Dark Magenta For This Useful Post:

    Hypermiler (01-30-2022)

  14. #40

    Mirage is too efficient ... NEEDS a grille block in winter

    My '14 Mirage has a full upper & partial lower grille block.

    I just drove it for nearly 30 minutes after a cold start at -20C = -4 F, and the engine never quite got up to normal operating temperature (low 190 F range). The highest I saw was 183 F (ScanGauge II).

    If I ran the heater fan on the highest setting, the temp actually dropped a few degrees, to the high 170's.

    Now, this all happened under pretty efficient conditions: mostly level country road cruising at 70-75 km/h = ~43 mph, which is not very demanding on the engine. It wasn't quite generating enough "waste" heat to keep up with the heater.

    An automated variable lower grille block would have helped. I wonder what the oldest & most common cars are that had this OEM feature... might be able to scavenge parts at a junk yard.


        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •