Radiator Cooling Plate/Panel

[SIKHILUXSURF]

Hey Guys,

just wanted to let you guys in on a project i am working on for my self and any others that want to try this part out. Coming for a Aero Performance Company i decided to use some of my knowledge aquired in the past few years working with my Company APR Performance. we do functional aerodynamic Pre-preg dry carbon parts for a variety of vehicles.

me seeing that many cars on the market benefit from cooling plates/panels. i decided to make one for my own vehicle. i have never seen one done for an suv before let alone the 4runner. and since the front area between the upper grill and upper front radiator support have wide openings it causes are to lift and go over the radiator instead of into the condenser and radiator which would in theory work more efficiently. so i have set out to make my own cooling plate/panel to help the air flow channel into the radiator more efficiently as the plate would act as a barrier to force the air pressure into the condenser and the radiator by keeping it from traveling upwards and over.

i will have pictures tonite of my first and second drafts of the plate/panel. i would definatly think that the S/C guys would benefit from this as well as this will help the radiator cooling work better allowing the S/c to also work better.

Best Regards,
Tony

Update as promised.

first and second drafts on the vehicle.

the first draft was cardboard so it was rough but i needed to do it on the cardboard as it would flex but at the same time still be rigid enough to hold shape in the spots i needed it to as paper would never do that. but the cardboard had some cons as well. the 2 black dots are where i plan to drill mounting holes for the piece. the lines are supposed to symbolize the 2 grill mounting brackets to the vehicle.

the second draft is on paper. an there is a good reason for this as where the cardboard was to rigid the paper was flimsy enought to let me located and trace the front line of the plate to follow the grill shape so that the hood can still be closed properly. this way i could integrate the cardboard template with the paper template to create the part. i still have a few things to finish on the second template before i can start on the final part.

Update 8/23

the final piece is done but needs some tweaking to match the shape.

a test fit on the vehicle. needs some fine tuning.

Update 8/24

i used riv nut inserts to secure the plate to the grill

here is the panel secured to the grill/vehicle

 

[hugo2go]

Put me down for one Tony

 

[SIKHILUXSURF]

cool will do. these will not be made in pre-preg carbon but cut from carbon sheet with Fiberglass mat backing. nothing crazy because i have the sheet readily available so that is what i plan to make it out of. it is the easyest way without having to create a mold.

 

[Stick Figure]

Interested for sure ... even if it isn't carbon at all since my truck really isn't for show.

I've always been kinda surprised that Toyota left the top and bottom of the grill to radiator area wide open like that.

 

[SIKHILUXSURF]

Interested for sure ... even if it isn't carbon at all since my truck really isn't for show.

I've always been kinda surprised that Toyota left the top and bottom of the grill to radiator area wide open like that.

Hey Brandon good seeing you at the show Yesterday. glad we got a chance to catch up. i know your about function over form sometimes im same here my truck isnt for show those days have come and gone for me. but yeah ill get working on it.

 

[4-Ripcord]

Sub'd. Interested to see what you come up with.

 

[SIKHILUXSURF]

updated with some pictures

 

[Edubsam]

Looks like it shouldn't be too much work at all.

Clean truck, btw. Nice.

 

[ryankmasuda]

I'm interested. BTW your engine bay is too clean

 

[IanB]

Sub'd. Interested to see what you come up with.

X2, are you planning any sort of before/after testing? If yes, how do you plan on doing the test?

 

[A.Wilson013]

Put me down for one Tony

Me too =)

 

[SIKHILUXSURF]

Looks like it shouldn't be too much work at all.

Clean truck, btw. Nice.

nope not to much work should be fairly simple

I'm interested. BTW your engine bay is too clean

sounds good. the truck doesnt see much offroad time anymore with my crazy schedule and work so it stays fairly clean. and i try to keep it clean as well.

X2, are you planning any sort of before/after testing? If yes, how do you plan on doing the test?

honestly at the moment i am basing this off a common theory. i am not even sure how to test this piece to tell you the truth.

Me too =)

defiantly will keep you guys in mind.

 

[IanB]

honestly at the moment i am basing this off a common theory. i am not even sure how to test this piece to tell you the truth.

Well the stock temp gauge isn't accurate enough to tell you anything, but a scangauge2 might be. Alternately you could mount a temp probe somewhere and do before/after measurements, but placement would be key, as you don't really want to measure the engine bay temp, but rather the coolant temp, correct? The big factor will be keeping all other variables in check, so test will have to be done back to back over the same route, etc. Interesting project.

 

[Pikeman]

I am interested in one and I run the SG II so can give some temp changes if any.

 

[SIKHILUXSURF]

the test can definatly be done back to back as i drive the same route every day monday through friday. I will Keep any eye on the scangauge and and see if it does yield any differences.

 

[Nelsonmd]

Neat idea, and looks like pretty easy implementation, but what is this really going to do for pressure build-up in front of the radiator?

I understand your explanation, but it seems that this is only going to be advantageous at speed, and only if you have this kind of seal all (or at least most) of the way around the condenser.

You've got some big factors contributing to flow interruption (like the bumper blocking flow, the bottom side of the radiator being open, etc.) it seems like they could make alot more bang for your buck if you could mod them.

Not trying to bash it, I think it will do exactly what you are thinking it will as far as keeping flow from blowing over top, I just question whether this will make any effective difference unless done all the way around the radiator.

Also, I don't remember off hand, but how sealed is the condenser to the radiator. Maybe you could make another thin one to seal that gap as well. After all, you want to keep your engine cool with this, not increase A/C efficiency slightly.

 

[SIKHILUXSURF]

Neat idea, and looks like pretty easy implementation, but what is this really going to do for pressure build-up in front of the radiator?

I understand your explanation, but it seems that this is only going to be advantageous at speed, and only if you have this kind of seal all (or at least most) of the way around the condenser.

You've got some big factors contributing to flow interruption (like the bumper blocking flow, the bottom side of the radiator being open, etc.) it seems like they could make alot more bang for your buck if you could mod them.

Not trying to bash it, I think it will do exactly what you are thinking it will as far as keeping flow from blowing over top, I just question whether this will make any effective difference unless done all the way around the radiator.

Also, I don't remember off hand, but how sealed is the condenser to the radiator. Maybe you could make another thin one to seal that gap as well. After all, you want to keep your engine cool with this, not increase A/C efficiency slightly.

As stated this is a theory that i based off of what other vehicles have used in the past. i drive my vehicle Hwy mostly so i do see speeds of 70-80 on the Hwy. yes the bumper blocs flow but you will need to keep in mind the lower and upper grill sections have openings where air is coming though if the bumper was completely blocked of we would be overheating now wouldn't we? also i don't think it is necessary to do a thin strip between the condenser and radiator as we have a fan behind the radiator pulling in air so the air would actually in theory flow better. i am not saying this is going to work 100% but i do thin it will work better than nothing at all. i completely understand your not bashing and appreciate your 2 cents.

 

[SIKHILUXSURF]

some updates in 1st post.

 

[IanB]

some updates in 1st post.

I don't hate the look of that final product, nice work! I'm very interested to see if it works!

 

[SIKHILUXSURF]

i wish i could make it out of a thin sheet metal, but i just dont have access to that type of material and a tool to shape it. im trying the best i can haha.