Mesh grilles? Overheating?
Turbo Mini Forums

Just a quick question about these mesh grilles you can get from minitrailers etc. They have less slats than usual and some mesh behind them.

I quite liked the look of them but i read somewhere that they are bad for overheating? Is this true? I would have though that if anything they would have made the bay cooler?

Cheers.

i think a mate had one on his supercharged mini and was getting overheating issues, removing the mesh helped alot apparently.

the mesh would hinder flow

Hmmmm, thats not such a good thing. Would be good cooling with the mesh removed.lol

That mesh would not affect cooling at all.

Erm......ok. Who is right?lol

Hi,
If you look in the bible, you'll find out about edge effects. This basically is caused by air going through a hole with a sharp edge, this causes turbulence around the edge of the hole reducing air flow.
This is why carb ram pipes are flared at the end.
Multiply that by the number of holes in that mesh and you'll see you're not going to get a lot of air through there
Cheers,
Gavin :)

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Ahhhh, that explains a lot. Thanks.

Wont be buying one.

It's air you people. On Minis, the grille is facing 90 degrees on the airflow, air will ALWAYS get it.

Don't buy it still, it looks like shite.

On 2nd of Dec, 2007 at 09:58pm Bat said:
Hi,
If you look in the bible, you'll find out about edge effects. This basically is caused by air going through a hole with a sharp edge, this causes turbulence around the edge of the hole reducing air flow.
This is why carb ram pipes are flared at the end.
Multiply that by the number of holes in that mesh and you'll see you're not going to get a lot of air through there
Cheers,
Gavin :)

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1/4mile in 13.2sec @ 111 terminal on 15psi

Hi,
Matty ... It's always been a free for all on here, join the party lol
Cheers,
Gavin :)

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wooo vegard is WRONG

I actually thought that the one with black mesh looked alright. Not too sure though. Think im just going to get an 8 slat cooper one i think.

Hasn't Jim got one of these on his car? I'm fairly sure he has, and also fairly sure his car doesn't overheat.

theres a few permutations in this as well tom ........some peeps may have a block whats a touch OT to cooling etc...........

in the end an inspired guess is that it would reduce air flow by some 20%

it does not help matters when some of our motors have in excess of 180++++++ bhp
its ok for say a 90 bhp motor but... when the powers upped we need all the flow we can get


anyway it looks shite!.......lol

In the 13's at last!.. Just

OK, Proove it. I want actual technical scientific proof.

Vegard, you are CORRECT (imo)
Common sense will tell you that the open area in the mesh grille is greater than that of either a cooper grille or any other factory fitted grille.
If as said in above post that it improved cooling by removing the mesh grille then I would suggest that there was a serious problem in the first place and ask what grille if any did it replace.
Has anyone thought how grass track and rallycross cars manage to stay cool with virtually all the grille blanked off?
The mini cooloing sytem depends on the low pressure area under the wing, and the air to pass through the rad can enter the engine bay from below the car without a problem.
While we are on the subject of cooling, I am amazed at the number of crap intercooler and radiator installations there are on minis, no regard is given to directing airflow through the matrix, intercoolers are fitted and a couple of holes drilled in the bonnet and that's it, I would be suprised if they were operating much above 30% efficiency.
Front radiators are the same with great gaps at each end! The air is supposed to go through the matrix not take the easy way round it.
With proper ducting in and out it would be possible to use much smaller units which, in a mini can only be of benefit.
Anyway, rant over.
Regards
Dave

I'm with vegard on this one.

I see both sides. I don't think the grill is enough to cause over heating but I can see how it wouldn't be the best grill for flow of air due to said edge effects.