Grill Gaurd Causing Overheat?

[HeavyMetalFox]

So I have a Dirty Acres grill gaurd. I’ve had it two years now. My first summer with it I was overlanding and travelling up a very steep mountain pass with a fully loaded down Jeep and my radiator blew up! I off road it lots and have Overlanded it in the mountains while loaded down without an issue. But last summer I was travelling through the desert when it happened. At the time I got lots of feed back saying the new roads with the plastic components are notorious for overheating. It was replaced but now when I push it hard off roading even in the winter, or idle for a while outside my kids dance class I can start to smell rad fluid. I’m starting to suspect it could be because of the grill guard. I’ll try to post a pic of it. Anyone else had issues with their newer rad with plastic components over heating? Is it just typical and I need to upgrade to aluminum? Or did you also put in A grill guard and had similar issues?

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[6th Floor Mule]

It’s Friday night and I’m several drinks in, but I don’t see how anything could breathe through that grille. Those small holes probably create more turbulence than airflow. I’d start there.

 

[lowmpg]

Didn't say which motor you have but 3.6's run hot as it is, fan is constantly on, so putting anything in front of the grill seem inherently bad.

 

[Low speed high drag]

My friend had a grate just like that which constantly caused overheating on the trails. Not so bad on the road. So I guess I can vicariously confirm that it is at least part of the problem.

Best of luck keeping cool out there!

 

[HeavyMetalFox]

Dang. I was afraid of that. Be super sad to loose it but I guess I have to ?

 

[Wabujitsu]

Dang. I was afraid of that. Be super sad to loose it but I guess I have to ?

It looks like it’s “redruming” your radiator…

 

[Dyolfknip74]

So I have a Dirty Acres grill gaurd. I’ve had it two years now. My first summer with it I was overlanding and travelling up a very steep mountain pass with a fully loaded down Jeep and my radiator blew up! I off road it lots and have Overlanded it in the mountains while loaded down without an issue. But last summer I was travelling through the desert when it happened. At the time I got lots of feed back saying the new roads with the plastic components are notorious for overheating. It was replaced but now when I push it hard off roading even in the winter, or idle for a while outside my kids dance class I can start to smell rad fluid. I’m starting to suspect it could be because of the grill guard. I’ll try to post a pic of it. Anyone else had issues with their newer rad with plastic components over heating? Is it just typical and I need to upgrade to aluminum? Or did you also put in A grill guard and had similar issues?

Why don't you take it off for a few days and see what happens?

 

[HeavyMetalFox]

It looks like it’s “redruming” your radiator…

?

 

[Bandit59]

So I have a Dirty Acres grill gaurd. I’ve had it two years now. My first summer with it I was overlanding and travelling up a very steep mountain pass with a fully loaded down Jeep and my radiator blew up! I off road it lots and have Overlanded it in the mountains while loaded down without an issue. But last summer I was travelling through the desert when it happened. At the time I got lots of feed back saying the new roads with the plastic components are notorious for overheating. It was replaced but now when I push it hard off roading even in the winter, or idle for a while outside my kids dance class I can start to smell rad fluid. I’m starting to suspect it could be because of the grill guard. I’ll try to post a pic of it. Anyone else had issues with their newer rad with plastic components over heating? Is it just typical and I need to upgrade to aluminum? Or did you also put in A grill guard and had similar issues?

[/I have a USMap so far not a problem but summer hasn’t started yetQUOTE]

 

[MauiSteve]

at one point in my past I did some ventilation testing and balancing with some cool instruments.
that grill is restricting air flow……….a lot!!

 

[HeavyMetalFox]

Thank you! I’ll be sad to see it go but I think it’s time it came out

 

[mwilk012]

What do you mean by “newer” radiators with plastic components? Has it been 40 years since you bought a car?

when you say it is overheating, what do you mean?

 

[Maverick909]

The easiest thing to to remove and go for a drive. You are restricting 40+% airflow with that setup. Just think the JK’s didn’t have grill Guards at all

 

[Kracka]

More like 80%+ restriction. Let your poor Jeep breath!

 

[Muddiver]

One other option is to add hood vents and possibly side fender vents. But I agree that putting a sheet like that across the grill area is blocking the required air flow through the radiator.

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