My first mod: grill block

[GasSavers_BEEF]

I have found that comfort can play a big part in how long you keep a car too. my car heats up relatively quickly so that isn't an issue.

my car has always made noise on the corner where it was wrecked (before I got it) that noise has increased here lately and has really started to bother me. I talked to my uncle about it and he told me (and showed me) that it was my strut. knowing what it was made me feel better but the noise was still there. I bought a strut from amazon.com and it is on it's way. if I can just make the noise go away, I would be fine. I am sure the car could use them all the way around but for now, it is just the one.

(at least related to the topic...maybe)

[Jay2TheRescue]

I would recommend doing both front struts, not just one. Having one new, one worn may cause unpredictable handling in emergency situations.

[GasSavers_BEEF]

it's actually the rear strut. the rear is on a swing arm assembly (best description I can come up with).

I am pretty sure the one that is on it now is completely shot. it rattles as if the shaft is lose within the housing but it seems to do it more at certain times like during breaking (and I had the brakes redone about 2 years ago and the noise didn't change)

it is a strut with the spring on top of it. this will be a new experience for me but I feel like the other one is fine...probably worn, but fine. my car was totalled about a year before I got it. it was hit in the rear passenger side. the guy I bought it from owned a body shop and the more I found out about him, the less confidence I had in the car. his shop has since been sold and he now works at wal-mart in the automotive dept. selling tires. if it was anything mechanical, he didn't fool with it.

also, I want to see how this goes. never dealt with suspension stuff before. compressing springs tends to scare me a bit. I like my fingers.

[i-DSi]

Originally Posted by trollbait

I've never been a fan of automatic climate controls in cars. I'm usually happy, weather permitting, with just ambient airflow through the vents. Most auto systems I've come across don't let me do this without risking heating the air, or turning on the compressor to cool it. It's great that your system waits for warm up.

Hi Trollbait, I'm not a fan neighter of auto climate controls. But the one in my Civic seems to be exceptional. Not only does it wait to start warming up the cab in 'auto' position until 50?C coolant temp, you can also simply take one 'part' out of the auto-system. I e.g. take out the airco compressor if i don't need it. The system keeps on doing its thing totally automatic, but will not use the compressor (except, again, for safety matter: defrosting window), not even if it would become extremely hot in the cab.
Other things you can take out (till nothing's left automatic): airrecirculation, fanspeed and airventopeningschoice. I like this one.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Sorry, for some reason I thought we were talking about the front of the vehicle. Still, I feel if suspension or brake work is done, do the same thing to both sides of the car.

[GasSavers_BEEF]

if it were the front, I would probably change them both. being that it is the rear and they are already uneven (being that one is completely shot), I am going to try it with just the one.

all that being said, if it drives funny or gives me any concern, I will replace the other one. it was only $40 shipped so if one won't do it, I can do the other one.

[dkjones96]

Originally Posted by i-DSi

JoeBob, I think it's because :
- the way I drive. I don't waste much energy
- the very efficient engine (the more efficient an engine, the slower it warms up)
- freezing weather: the cab heater takes the heat from 50?C on (than the fan comes on for the cab).
In warmer conditions (18?C ambient) and some sunshine I reach 85?C much quicker (less than 10 minutes) => no cab heater on.
Without grill block, I didn't even reach 85?C after 30 minutes.

First of all, I like the clean look of your block, very nice and hidden.

Secondly, that still doesn't sound normal. Running heat on med-hi in the mornings(will only bring in fresh air at the floor setting), temps below 20, and a mostly downhill drive I get the engine up to full temp(190) within 10 minutes, 15 tops.

It didn't used to do that but when I was changing out my water pump I went for a new thermostat as well. The old one only had 50k miles on it but I changed it out since the gasket was leaking and instead of barely cracking 140 at the freeway I'm up to full temp a couple of miles from that same freeway. This is on a vehicle with zero grill block and a mechanical fan that even fully released still moves a lot of air through the radiator.

[i-DSi]

Originally Posted by dkjones96

First of all, I like the clean look of your block, very nice and hidden.

Secondly, that still doesn't sound normal. Running heat on med-hi in the mornings(will only bring in fresh air at the floor setting), temps below 20, and a mostly downhill drive I get the engine up to full temp(190) within 10 minutes, 15 tops.

Hi Dkjones, thanks for the comment !
If I'm right, you're suspecting my thermostat is broken? I thought about that to, but to be sure I should take it out and heat it up in water.
And I doubt it's broken:
- the engine heats up quick in warmer wheater (not freezing) to full temp, not using the heater.
If I'm talking about 'full temp', I really look at the time to the second exacteley to reach 85?C. This means it drove already several minutes around 83..84...etc.
- I also see clearly on the recordings that from the moment on the cab is heated, and the auto heating switches to lower fanspeed, only than the engine reaches 85?C.
- The way I drive there's really not much heat left for the engine to warm up!
=> look at my absolute fuel consumption. And what is left is needed for the cab heater in winter.
Just an example: I drive in such a way that sometimes the engine temp drops 1 or 2?C when I leave the highway or see red trafficlights comming. And that's normal, as fuel is cut off but waterpump still supplies water to the cabheater. This is in situations where the engine is not fully warmed up yet.

[i-DSi]

Hi all. Some updates for those interested.
I decided to leave 60% grill block on, even in summertime. Can sound stupid, but I did this based on the facts that the first testing in winter showed that there was no difference at all in engine temps or warming up speed between 60% block or nothing. I'm quite conscious and prudent for what happens under the bonnet and will definitely notice it if a problem might occure (fans keep on blowing or temp indication going up).
So, to cut a long story short. Yesterday was one of the hottest days possible in Belgium (+ 30?) and thus some time for new recordings of engine data with the 60% block while driving my daile commute (30 minutes, approx. 20 miles, of which 5 miles highway)
Result:
- because of airco use, the airco fan forced almost constantly air through both condensor and radiator... engine temp was very constant at normal 85?C.
- Just for experiment I switched of the airco and after 5 to 10 minutes engine temp rose only 1 to 2?C. Nothing to worry about. Airco back on = exactely 85?C.
- Warming up speed of the engine was very quick (only a few minutes and 85?C was reached, so all is normal with the thermostat (there was a small doubt by dkjones96))
- Air intake temp reached peak value of 62?C in the end when parking the car, no problem. Was 45?C when driving.
- Oil temp reached a peak temp of 92?C (in winter hardly 80?C on commute and 90?C on highway driving). 92 is no problem at all.
=> I will continue with this grill block of 60% all year round exept if I would have to make a very long trip in very hot wheater (but I have no plans).