Miata Mailing List: August 1993, Message #69
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   From: fischman@nynexst.com (Gary Fischman)
Subject: Re: After-market Grill Trouble
   Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1993 08:21:46 -0400


> Have any of you encountered problems with those nifty aftermarket
> grills that are sold to look neat and keep stuff from getting
> to the front of the radiator?
> These are expanded metal affairs that bolt into the grill opening
> using the mounting holes that were occupied by the tie down hooks.
> I had one of these and liked the way it looked but it definitely
> caused my temperature gauge to read hotter. In fact in climbing
> hills like those in the Santa Cruz Mtns the gauge would get all the
> way up to "H". The gauge would be about 3/4 of the way to "H" on
> summer days when the ambient temp was in the high 80's and above and
> I was traveling on the freeways.
> Removing the grill put things back to normal and the gauge doesn't
> get past the halfway point in these conditions now.
> -Jim
>
>
I have an aftermarket grill and haven't noticed *any* increase in temperature.
The only time my temp gauge climbs above the halfway point is when I'm idling
in bumper-to-bumper traffic on a 100 degree day with the A/C on.  Under those
conditions, the grill wouldn't make a difference anyway since the car is
standing still.  Maybe you have another problem. Maybe you need to replace
your thermostat - it might not be opening fully.  BTW, even in the adverse
conditions I described, it *still* never goes above the 3/4 point.

Gary J. Fischman
NYNEX Science & Technology
fischman@nynexst.com