[Mark M]

With the sudden cold streak here today I spent a little time reading TDI's post from two years back regarding blocking off the radiator to aid in faster engine warm ups so as to maintain greatest fuel efficiency and reduced EGR for those of you still using EGR.

I started digging around Euroland and found something that could be of interest to us.

http://www.etk.cc/bmw/EN/search/sele...75/51747173571

Notice parts 4 and 5. Appears this might be electrically operated radiator blind for the Euro 330i e90 LCI. I'm tempted to place an order for one and see if it can be retrofitted on our US 335d cars.

[TDIwyse]

Originally Posted by Mark M

With the sudden cold streak here today I spent a little time reading TDI's post from two years back regarding blocking off the radiator to aid in faster engine warm ups so as to maintain greatest fuel efficiency and reduced EGR for those of you still using EGR.

I started digging around Euroland and found something that could be of interest to us.

http://www.etk.cc/bmw/EN/search/sele...75/51747173571

Notice parts 4 and 5. Appears this might be electrically operated radiator blind for the Euro 330i e90 LCI. I'm tempted to place an order for one and see if it can be retrofitted on our US 335d cars.

Yes! Been meaning to post this at some point but too busy with other things ...

I've been running this Winter Cover 2.0 for the last couple winters. It's been working well. Fashioned from a cheap plastic container I was throwing away. With all the deletes the engine is so efficient that there's not much waste heat anymore and the engine takes a long time to warm up the coolant without keeping the winter cold from stripping the heat off.

We just broke a new cold record that was over 130 years old. Someone must've kicked Old Man Winter in the nads and he's pissed.

[Yozh]

May be our European friends can provide some of these options that may be installed on cold package cars there. I know homemade covers are popular in cold climates on larger diesels especially.

[Vreimann]

Originally Posted by Yozh

May be our European friends can provide some of these options that may be installed on cold package cars there. I know homemade covers are popular in cold climates on larger diesels especially.

I have the kidney grills covered and most of the intercooler. So far with anything colder than -4C I'm ok with a max inlet temperature of 23C.

My covers are nothing elegant, but since there is so much gravel, it also will protect the RAD and IC from the little stones.

[Puerto Rican 335d]

What cold weather its partly cloudy 85 degrees here in Puerto Rico

[BB_cuda]

I see a connector on part #4. We would either have find wY to manually command it, find way for computer to control it, or just set it by hand and find a method to lock it open or closed.

[Hoooper]

Looks to me like it blocks the lower grille doesn't it? Would prefer the kidney grilles since covering up the lower would also cover up the intercooler.

[Mark M]

Originally Posted by Hoooper

Looks to me like it blocks the lower grille doesn't it? Would prefer the kidney grilles since covering up the lower would also cover up the intercooler.

The way in interpret that schematic is that combined, 4 and 5 work to block the kidney grills. However looks like you'll also need the surrounding piece, part 1.

Cost benefit analysis, that puts it near $300. Looks like the lower cost solutions by kludging something out of plastic may be the better choice.

However the OE parts solution seems great if it could be controlled by the DDE.

[TDIwyse]

Originally Posted by Mark M

However the OE parts solution seems great if it could be controlled by the DDE.

That would be good, and not only would it help with winter, but also helps with mpg's. Something like what Ford is doing on multiple vehicles now.

http://www.edmunds.com/car-news/acti...fficiency.html

[Hoooper]

Originally Posted by Mark M

The way in interpret that schematic is that combined, 4 and 5 work to block the kidney grills. However looks like you'll also need the surrounding piece, part 1.

Cost benefit analysis, that puts it near $300. Looks like the lower cost solutions by kludging something out of plastic may be the better choice.

However the OE parts solution seems great if it could be controlled by the DDE.

I see what youre saying. When you click on the link its more clear since it says top and bottom pieces. In that case, we would only want part 4. If you click on the link, you can follow the front panel to the applications list (http://www.etk.cc/bmw/EN/parts/info/...3564/appliance) where it shows it fits pretty much every e90 LCI, so I would say you could make a small mod to the stock panel if it even needs to be modded at all. As TDI noted, grille shutters are a great may to save MPG, thats the reason I would care. Its been common for ecomodders for a while now and even MFGs are starting to catch on.

[Mark M]

Originally Posted by TDIwyse

That would be good, and not only would it help with winter, but also helps with mpg's. Something like what Ford is doing on multiple vehicles now.

http://www.edmunds.com/car-news/acti...fficiency.html

TDI, do you recall from poking around that area, is there by chance an unused wire harness plug that might be for such a shutter? If I have time Sunday I may remove my front grill to brainstorm ideas.

[BB_cuda]

Originally Posted by Mark M

T

However the OE parts solution seems great if it could be controlled by the DDE.

That was my earlier point. The Euro 330i E90 LCI may have programming that we don't in terms of actuation of it. Secondarily, do we have the connector on our harness to interface with it. Please don't take my comments as sour grapes. I would be another big fan of this though PR and I would not get to close the shutters near as much. South Texas back into 70s°F after briefly hitting mid 30s°F.

[Hoooper]

Originally Posted by BB_cuda

I would be another big fan of this though PR and I would not get to close the shutters near as much. South Texas back into 70s°F after briefly hitting mid 30s°F.

I dont think thats true really, you might see more benefit than you might think. The shutters could be closed at all times except when coolant temp is high, think of it like the cooling fan, where the shutter only opens when the fan is at high speed. You probably wouldnt be able to use it at all during the peak of summer when A/C is at max every time youre in the car, but you could likely have it closed most of the time on the highway at temps below like 90. That would be the advantage of the computer controlled version, it could just be closed all the time except when it absolutely needs to be open to get enough airflow. Would have to be open a lot more around town, but aerodynamics obviously have a much lower impact at 30mph than 80mph.

[WreckerX5d]

How much more efficient are we talking about? Is it 1mpg, or 5+?

[TDIwyse]

Originally Posted by Mark M

TDI, do you recall from poking around that area, is there by chance an unused wire harness plug that might be for such a shutter? If I have time Sunday I may remove my front grill to brainstorm ideas.

Sorry, I wasn't really looking for a harness when fussing around in this area. But I have noticed unused harnesses in other locations of the car... Let us know if you find something.

[BB_cuda]

Originally Posted by Hoooper

I dont think thats true really, you might see more benefit than you might think. The shutters could be closed at all times except when coolant temp is high, think of it like the cooling fan, where the shutter only opens when the fan is at high speed. You probably wouldnt be able to use it at all during the peak of summer when A/C is at max every time youre in the car, but you could likely have it closed most of the time on the highway at temps below like 90. That would be the advantage of the computer controlled version, it could just be closed all the time except when it absolutely needs to be open to get enough airflow. Would have to be open a lot more around town, but aerodynamics obviously have a much lower impact at 30mph than 80mph.

That would be cool if the computer can decide when the shutters need to be open. My take is if the A/C is on at all, the shutter should be open or at least trimmed (say 1/2 open). Unsure if control is only full open/full closed or if it is what we engineers call "proportional control". A knob in the cabin would be cool (no pun intended).

[Mark M]

I'm definitely curious to try options for blocking the grill. With the cold snaps this week my mileage is down by 2 to 3 mpg.

[Mark M]

Part one. I installed custom fit polycarbonate plastic in dark smoked color behind each kidney grill.

Part two. I plan to make a stencil of the lower grill and make a removable piece of smoked polycarbonate that I can easily install or remove. Still working on this part.

[Mark M]

Pics

[TDIwyse]

Originally Posted by Mark M

Pics

Was there supposed to be some pictures on your post? I'm not seeing any "Pics"...

Also, we went from 4F back up to mid 50F in a day. Driving on the interstate I noticed my coolant temp creeping above 190F with the front covered. So at my first errand stop I slid open the sliders on my kidney covers. Return interstate trip showed temps back in the normal 183-185F range.

If you start covering up the cooling paths it would be wise to monitor your coolant temps with BMWhat or Torque or something that shows you data on what your vehicle coolant temp is doing...