This thing is a leaf vacuum! - pics
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 2,784
Likes: 1
From: Silicon Valley
This thing is a leaf vacuum! - pics
Every day I drive now in the Fall, this is the result. My area doesn't seem to have that many leaves, but it's the same everyday... after I park and shut down there's a new pile. I wonder if the radiator has reduced airflow while driving?
Does eveyone's car do this? Thanks
Does eveyone's car do this? Thanks
Pro
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 519
Likes: 1
From: Just North of Buffalo NY
Yep...It's a real vacuum. Try a screen under there. It stops the big pieces and is easy to remove when cleaning the radiator. They are offered in the major catalogs for some outlandish prices but I made one from some expanded metal purchased at Home Depot. The 2x4 piece I got is actually big enough to make 3. Sorry no Pics. Maybe next time it's on a lift.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 389
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas Nevada
Originally Posted by OUR97
Yep...It's a real vacuum. Try a screen under there. It stops the big pieces and is easy to remove when cleaning the radiator. They are offered in the major catalogs for some outlandish prices but I made one from some expanded metal purchased at Home Depot. The 2x4 piece I got is actually big enough to make 3. Sorry no Pics. Maybe next time it's on a lift.
Please share your pictures. I saw a sheet of newspaper and other junk stuck up there.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 427
Likes: 0
From: Chicagoland IL
This part solved it for me. Easy install and is a good quality part.
http://www.eliteengineeringusa.com/C...or_screen.html
http://www.eliteengineeringusa.com/C...or_screen.html
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 2,784
Likes: 1
From: Silicon Valley
Originally Posted by gja
This part solved it for me. Easy install and is a good quality part.
http://www.eliteengineeringusa.com/C...or_screen.html
http://www.eliteengineeringusa.com/C...or_screen.html
Looks great...thanks
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Pro
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Rochester NY
Originally Posted by gja
This part solved it for me. Easy install and is a good quality part.
http://www.eliteengineeringusa.com/C...or_screen.html
http://www.eliteengineeringusa.com/C...or_screen.html
I agree, an excellent product as all EE products are
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These cars do tend to suck up a lot of garbage into the radiator area. The screen mentioned above would help keep the stuff from going way up in there.
Race Director
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 14,542
Likes: 5
That is designed to function that way by GM.
You must not remove the leaves!
As the temperature gets colder, you need less airflow through your radiator to maintain poroper engine temperature in the winter time.
Trucks block off portions of the radiator in cold weather all the time.
Again, do not remove the leaves. That's what my Chevy dealer told me.
You must not remove the leaves!
As the temperature gets colder, you need less airflow through your radiator to maintain poroper engine temperature in the winter time.
Trucks block off portions of the radiator in cold weather all the time.
Again, do not remove the leaves. That's what my Chevy dealer told me.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,006
Likes: 0
From: Cincinnati OH
Originally Posted by EHS
That is designed to function that way by GM.
You must not remove the leaves!
As the temperature gets colder, you need less airflow through your radiator to maintain poroper engine temperature in the winter time.
Trucks block off portions of the radiator in cold weather all the time.
Again, do not remove the leaves. That's what my Chevy dealer told me.
You must not remove the leaves!
As the temperature gets colder, you need less airflow through your radiator to maintain poroper engine temperature in the winter time.
Trucks block off portions of the radiator in cold weather all the time.
Again, do not remove the leaves. That's what my Chevy dealer told me.
Is this a joke?
Why doesn't your car have a thermostat?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 19,003
Likes: 0
From: Call me, I'm single
Originally Posted by EHS
That is designed to function that way by GM.
You must not remove the leaves!
As the temperature gets colder, you need less airflow through your radiator to maintain poroper engine temperature in the winter time.
Trucks block off portions of the radiator in cold weather all the time.
Again, do not remove the leaves. That's what my Chevy dealer told me.
You must not remove the leaves!
As the temperature gets colder, you need less airflow through your radiator to maintain poroper engine temperature in the winter time.
Trucks block off portions of the radiator in cold weather all the time.
Again, do not remove the leaves. That's what my Chevy dealer told me.
Don't drive over a plastic bag! It'll get sucked against the radiator and increase your operating temp. I learned the hard way.
Advanced
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 75
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From: Louisiana
When I vacuum the interior, as part of my ritual, I vacuum the leaves and debris that had accumulated since the last cleaning. I found out about this problem by accident. I drove over a plastic bag, parts of it ended up here, the other parts ended up in my fan. Remember the days when you put a playing card on the spokes of your bicycle? Nice sound then, but not a sound you want to hear when driving to work in your Vette!!
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From: Lackey, my own dragstrip VA.
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Hard to see in the below pic........but the whole ground is FULL of leaves....at least 1/3 of a trash bag for damn sure!
This is after a 15 min run through the VA mountains during leaf season..........I know its time to stop and pull leaves out when the coolant goes to 220+
