You have to clean the area regularly.
grass catcher
Thread Starter
8th Gear
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Roseburg OR
grass catcher
so I am the new proud(poor) owner of a 2004 CE convertible.
Opened the hood the other day to show of to a friend, and noticed a large collection of grass sprouting at the top of the radiator. I though maybe a field mouse had moved in while I was on vacation. When I pulled the plastic top cover and air cleaner off, I found the top 10% of the area between the radiators stuffed full of grass clippings(mine) and even some old corn husks(Bud's Chevrolet in Ohio).
I am missing a screen or something from the bottom, or is there an add part I could purchase, or is this car just perfect for collecting grass clippings from the yard after my weekly mowing?
Any help?
Opened the hood the other day to show of to a friend, and noticed a large collection of grass sprouting at the top of the radiator. I though maybe a field mouse had moved in while I was on vacation. When I pulled the plastic top cover and air cleaner off, I found the top 10% of the area between the radiators stuffed full of grass clippings(mine) and even some old corn husks(Bud's Chevrolet in Ohio).
I am missing a screen or something from the bottom, or is there an add part I could purchase, or is this car just perfect for collecting grass clippings from the yard after my weekly mowing?
Any help?
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Some of the vendors do sell a mesh screen that will help keep debris from getting up into the radiator area. Since the C5 sucks up air from the bottom of the front end, it is not unusual for grass, leaves, plastic bags, etc to be sucked up into that area.
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I used to clean out my radiator area on a regular basis due to the crap that got sucked up. Cups, wrappers, leaves, etc.
After I installed my Callaway Honker CAI, which basically acts as an even larger bottom sucking vacuum, I installed an Elite Engineering protective screen. I have never had any overheating issues but I also installed a low temp stat as part of my earlier tune. As a result, it has really cut down on what gets sucked up into the radiator. Every time I change my oil and check my K&N Honker filter, I check the radiator and remove the small debris/sand that has worked its way up. However the larger junk is no longer a problem.
I know there are cheaper, home-made alternatives, however I really like the quality of the Elite Engineering screen.
After I installed my Callaway Honker CAI, which basically acts as an even larger bottom sucking vacuum, I installed an Elite Engineering protective screen. I have never had any overheating issues but I also installed a low temp stat as part of my earlier tune. As a result, it has really cut down on what gets sucked up into the radiator. Every time I change my oil and check my K&N Honker filter, I check the radiator and remove the small debris/sand that has worked its way up. However the larger junk is no longer a problem.
I know there are cheaper, home-made alternatives, however I really like the quality of the Elite Engineering screen.
Thread Starter
8th Gear
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Roseburg OR
Thank You
I used to clean out my radiator area on a regular basis due to the crap that got sucked up. Cups, wrappers, leaves, etc.
After I installed my Callaway Honker CAI, which basically acts as an even larger bottom sucking vacuum, I installed an Elite Engineering protective screen. I have never had any overheating issues but I also installed a low temp stat as part of my earlier tune. As a result, it has really cut down on what gets sucked up into the radiator. Every time I change my oil and check my K&N Honker filter, I check the radiator and remove the small debris/sand that has worked its way up. However the larger junk is no longer a problem.
I know there are cheaper, home-made alternatives, however I really like the quality of the Elite Engineering screen.
After I installed my Callaway Honker CAI, which basically acts as an even larger bottom sucking vacuum, I installed an Elite Engineering protective screen. I have never had any overheating issues but I also installed a low temp stat as part of my earlier tune. As a result, it has really cut down on what gets sucked up into the radiator. Every time I change my oil and check my K&N Honker filter, I check the radiator and remove the small debris/sand that has worked its way up. However the larger junk is no longer a problem.
I know there are cheaper, home-made alternatives, however I really like the quality of the Elite Engineering screen.
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From: The Sunshine State
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Good luck. BTW, the black fangs shown in my picture don't come with the kit. This was an earlier pic detailing the mods I installed one weekend. In addition to the Elite Engineering screen, I installed the fangs to protect the radiator support brackets.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
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I used to clean out my radiator area on a regular basis due to the crap that got sucked up. Cups, wrappers, leaves, etc.
After I installed my Callaway Honker CAI, which basically acts as an even larger bottom sucking vacuum, I installed an Elite Engineering protective screen. I have never had any overheating issues but I also installed a low temp stat as part of my earlier tune. As a result, it has really cut down on what gets sucked up into the radiator. Every time I change my oil and check my K&N Honker filter, I check the radiator and remove the small debris/sand that has worked its way up. However the larger junk is no longer a problem.
I know there are cheaper, home-made alternatives, however I really like the quality of the Elite Engineering screen.
After I installed my Callaway Honker CAI, which basically acts as an even larger bottom sucking vacuum, I installed an Elite Engineering protective screen. I have never had any overheating issues but I also installed a low temp stat as part of my earlier tune. As a result, it has really cut down on what gets sucked up into the radiator. Every time I change my oil and check my K&N Honker filter, I check the radiator and remove the small debris/sand that has worked its way up. However the larger junk is no longer a problem.
I know there are cheaper, home-made alternatives, however I really like the quality of the Elite Engineering screen.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 326
Likes: 23
From: Ohio
Living in the country I have to drive two lane country roads. The same roads farmers drive their equipment on, so the roads are sometimes covered with debris from the fields and pastures that my Vette could suck up. I installed a screen 6 years ago and have had no overheating problems and no major debris accumulations. IMO any screen is better than nothing.
Platinum Supporting Dealership
Joined: Jul 2014
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From: Rochester New York
These cars are "bottom feeders". I recommend checking the front of the radiator often for grass, trash, dead animals, etc... Sometimes you can get a build up of stuff between the radiator and condenser which is very difficult to see unless you pop off the upper radiator support.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2001
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From: Warrington Pa.
Every C-5 owner should clean both the radiator and udders at least once a year. Between grass in the summer and leaves in the fall. If this is done once a year at a minimum we would have less " my car is overheating" and "why do my wipers have a mind of their own" threads. 
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WCC and Southern Car Parts offer screens, but they are a different design.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,137
Likes: 51
From: Cartersville GA
Congrats on the "new" CE vert, I love mine....
I just did my annual clean out last weekend as they do suck up all sorts of crap and you will need to clean it out at least annually. First time I did mine I nosed it into the garage which made for a bit of a mess to clean up afterwards. This time I backed in, leaving the nose a little out of the garage so the crap stayed outside.
I just did my annual clean out last weekend as they do suck up all sorts of crap and you will need to clean it out at least annually. First time I did mine I nosed it into the garage which made for a bit of a mess to clean up afterwards. This time I backed in, leaving the nose a little out of the garage so the crap stayed outside.