[jrmgkia]

I posted here last month looking for ideas to cover the low front radiator opening to protect it from grass, bugs, dirt, etc. No one had any ideas so I created my own hack of a solution. I just posted a video of the mod on YouTube if case anyone else is interested.

 

[grumpy]

That horizontal radiator mounted so low is certainly a matter of concern for any work truck. Your screen may restrict some air, but at least you now can get to the debris to clean it off. The screen will also stop the gravel which is a good thing. Is there access from below to backwash that radiator?

 

[jrmgkia]

Is there access from below to backwash that radiator?

I couldn’t see a good way to back flush the radiator, it is covered from both above and below. I also drive a lot of gravel roads and I was worried about rocks damaging the radiator.

 

[grumpy]

It seems Ford needs to have the air inlet raised to within the original grill area where there must be high pressure during driving. The air could pass thru a screen that can be cleaned when the frunk is openned. The air can then be directed down into the radiator.

 

[208]

Most vehicles on the road today have the radiator intake in the same location as the Lighting. My ICE F150 has it there, my Tesla has it there, the intake on my Caddy is much lower, pulling air right off the ground. This is simply not an issue. Seriously. No, you are not going to get "more pressure" from mounting it higher, there are a number of reasons you want to pull air from down low.

Depending on how warm it gets where you are, screening this opening could reduce the efficiency of the cooling system. Leaving it the way the manufacturer designed it it probably your best bet.

Here is a test for you. Go out to your drive and look low on all the rest of the vehicles you own. With almost certainty, you will find the "low intake". On a

lot of vehicles it is not obvious, but on most it is there. Have you ever had any problems with your other vehicles?

 

[grumpy]

Even with my Ford F53 motorhome with its radiators very high I backwash the radiators all summer to remove bugs. The ability to clean it regularly is the key.

 

[208]

Even with my Ford F53 motorhome with its radiators very high I backwash the radiators all summer to remove bugs. The ability to clean it regularly is the key.

If you were to take a poll, I would guess that the majority of respondents will tell you that they do not regularly wash their radiators. Most people do not do that, and most people never have an issue with it. Organic material such as bugs and grass tend to deteriorate in a radiator and never cause an issue.

Is it a great practice to do as you do, inspecting and cleaning your radiator? Absolutely. Put a screen over it and possibly reduce the air flow? I wouldn't. OEMs torture test these things when designing and building them. If they thought it needed a screen, they would have put one there.

 

[ChasingCoral]

I'm really surprised that the lower grill covers are open on the Lightning almost all the time. This is very different from the Mach E that usually keeps the covers closed when driving and open when charging.

 

[208]

I'm really surprised that the lower grill covers are open on the Lightning almost all the time. This is very different from the Mach E that usually keeps the covers closed when driving and open when charging.

To my point, that could be indicative of greater cooling needs. 😎

How are you observing the louvers? Do you have a camera down there?

 

[ChasingCoral]

To my point, that could be indicative of greater cooling needs. 😎

How are you observing the louvers? Do you have a camera down there?

No, just assuming that if I stop the truck and check before turning it off, the louvers won't have changed.

 

[grumpy]

Looking at the cavity and limited access to the radiator, how do you extract the plastic bag, mud, dead bird, or other road debris? Perhaps there is an cleaning port in the air shroud under the frunk liner? I see nothing in the owners manual how to maintain the efficiency of the only heat exchanger on the vehicle. Until there is a better solution I like the external screen of the OP (altho a larger mesh might be better for most of us), at least you will see the blockage as you walk by.

 

[208]

No, just assuming that if I stop the truck and check before turning it off, the louvers won't have changed.

The most common control algorithm for close-out louvers is for the "default" position to be open. They only close when conditions exist where closing them would improve efficiency. These conditions on most cars temp+speed. Example, speed is over 35MPH and additional cooling is not needed. In these cars, any time the speed drops under 35MPH the louvers snap open, as there is no benefit to closing them below these speeds. I never see them closed in a Tesla, Chevy or Cadillac for this reason (I am not looking at them >35MPH).

To satisfy my curiosity a few years back, I put a camera in the grill to observe the operation, since they are always open when stopped.

Interesting that the Mach-E does not follow this control mindset. The idea behind the "default open" operation is a fail-safe. If the system fails to operate, some efficiency is lost, but the cooling is never compromised. A "default closed" system would risk overheat if the louver actuator or control failed (all systems fail sooner or later).

 

[jrmgkia]

View attachment 4341

Most vehicles on the road today have the radiator intake in the same location as the Lighting. My ICE F150 has it there, my Tesla has it there, the intake on my Caddy is much lower, pulling air right off the ground. This is simply not an issue. Seriously. No, you are not going to get "more pressure" from mounting it higher, there are a number of reasons you want to pull air from down low.

Depending on how warm it gets where you are, screening this opening could reduce the efficiency of the cooling system. Leaving it the way the manufacturer designed it it probably your best bet.

Here is a test for you. Go out to your drive and look low on all the rest of the vehicles you own. With almost certainty, you will find the "low intake". On a View attachment 4341 lot of vehicles it is not obvious, but on most it is there. Have you ever had any problems with your other vehicles?

Yes we have problems on both our gas and diesel vehicles (which I already mentioned in the video), however the big difference is the radiators in gas vehicles sit up high and are vertical. The air intake in the gas F-150 you show does not have a radiator lying horizontally underneath the intake like the lightning does. The lightning is a completely different design that really can’t be compared the way your photo suggests.

 

[wsurf]

Here is another option. From the Radiator Grille Store.