[msacks]

Hi Everyone,

Just thought I'd pass on that Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman Front Radiator Grills are now available from RGS. These are available and shipping today. The current price is $79.99 US.

So now we have a less expensive alternative to the uber expensive Rennline and Zunsport alternatives.



Disclaimer, I'm not affiliated in any way with RGS, just saw that they posted this in the Rennlist forums and thought I'd share.

 

[SonicSid]

Wow, that's a much better price! I'm just waiting to see the install write up because I'm not seeing how they can be installed without pulling off the front bumper clip.

 

[718S]

Wow, that's a much better price! I'm just waiting to see the install write up because I'm not seeing how they can be installed without pulling off the front bumper clip.

Ahhh... so if you look at the website they have a bunch of pictures. Those pictures give you an idea of how that grill is installed. Looks like you slide it in via the top. The new grill is attached to the front factory 'slots' with wire tires... not the most elegant but I guess it would look ok... maybe.

 

[greywing]

Thanks for this msacks. Actually the pic's on their website show how the installation is accomplished and it is done without bumper removal. Installation looks like it may be a little fiddely but clearly can be done. They're apparently held in with black plastic cable ties which should be adequate to the task.

 

[SonicSid]

Ahhh... so if you look at the website they have a bunch of pictures. Those pictures give you an idea of how that grill is installed. Looks like you slide it in via the top. The new grill is attached to the front factory 'slots' with wire tires... not the most elegant but I guess it would look ok... maybe.

Thanks, took another look and saw the photos this time. Umm, zip ties to hold it on?!?! Seems more of a Jezza mod than I'd like rather than a James May proper mount. Shame too as the front clip isn't that hard to remove, it's only the $300 competitors want for their front screens is the difficult part.

 

[GregW]

I made some from black gutter guard and zip ties. Cost--$12.00
The ties are basically invisible and have worked fine for almost 30,000 Km.

 

[johan]

They dont have for GTS?

 

[msacks]

I ordered a set, I’ll post pics as soon as I get them.

 

[don]

They dont have for GTS?

Not yet, but I actually sent Eric some templates from the ones I made for my car. He said he has them ready but would like to test fit on a local car first or I pay to have them shipped to me. They do look nicer and the way they fit is nicer than Zunsport.

The sides are easy to install but the center one is very tricky.

Here are mine FYI:

 

[hume]

I'm interested in getting these. I have a slight concern that the grills will impede airflow to the radiators since the cars were not designed with them in place. Has anyone noticed higher engine temperatures or any other airflow issues with these?

... I suppose the airflow would be worse with all kinds of leaves clogging your radiators anyway, so probably better to install these in any event!

 

[SonicSid]

... I suppose the airflow would be worse with all kinds of leaves clogging your radiators anyway, so probably better to install these in any event!

After the cleanouts I've had to do, yes, you are correct!

 

[JazzCatGab]

I'm interested in getting these. I have a slight concern that the grills will impede airflow to the radiators since the cars were not designed with them in place. Has anyone noticed higher engine temperatures or any other airflow issues with these?

They really don't impede air flow at all, or that is to say, I haven't seen any related increase in coolant temps. An interesting question for the physicists in the group would be if the grills disrupt laminar flow of the air stream, and if that helps or hurts efficiency at the radiator fins.

 

[GregW]

I've noticed no difference when driving in a spirited manner in 42°C+ (107°F).

 

[hume]

An interesting question for the physicists in the group would be if the grills disrupt laminar flow of the air stream, and if that helps or hurts efficiency at the radiator fins.

Well, I am a physicist, my expertise is not fluid dynamics, but I work at a place with a lot of wind tunnels and they all have slatted grills at their entrances to increase laminar flow. So it may help in that regard. I would suspect laminar flow would help in cooling but the slats on the wind tunnels are quite large, and not a grill pattern. Little grills like that might actually cause more turbulence and less flow. Air pockets might form around the tiny grill openings forming a buffer to airflow. But I'm way out of my area of expertise here.

 

[JazzCatGab]

Well, I am a physicist, my expertise is not fluid dynamics, but I work at a place with a lot of wind tunnels and they all have slatted grills at their entrances to increase laminar flow. So it may help in that regard. I would suspect laminar flow would help in cooling but the slats on the wind tunnels are quite large, and not a grill pattern. Little grills like that might actually cause more turbulence and less flow. Air pockets might form around the tiny grill openings forming a buffer to airflow. But I'm way out of my area of expertise here.

Thanks @hume! I've seen pictures/video of wind tunnels and the slats you reference and your reasoning makes sense. Perhaps the "slats" nature of the radiator fins refocuses the air into a laminar flow? I haven't seen any adverse effects affecting the cooling with the grills. They don't improve the cooling, but don't seem to retard it.

 

[DriveInHouston]

Keep in mind that the situation with the car is the opposite to the wind tunnel.

In the wind tunnel the fans push the air to a certain speed and this rushing air is by definition turbulent. Slats help 'condition' not to a laminar flow, but to a smaller scale turbulence flow.

The car on the other hand is rushing into practically still air thus when we consider the car as a coordinate reference, the flow is laminar. The grills will introduce small scale turbulence, however, that scale is larger than the distance (turbulence scale) of the radiator fins. Whether this (turbulent flow) is an advantage or disadvantage to cooling, I can't tell. Heat exchange in laminar or turbulent flow is above my pay grade...

 

[hume]

Heat exchange in laminar or turbulent flow is above my pay grade...

It's above my pay grade too. I would first think a fast laminar flow would allow more air molecules to pass by the surface to be cooled, hence more heat exchange. On the other hand, laminar flow is parallel to the surface to be cooled, whereas turbulent flow would have more molecules moving in random directions causing more molecules to directly hit the surface to be cooled (instead of just passing by), hence more heat exchange. So... either/or in my mind. There must be someone where I work who knows the answer...

 

[DriveInHouston]

It's above my pay grade too. I would first think a fast laminar flow would allow more air molecules to pass by the surface to be cooled, hence more heat exchange. On the other hand, laminar flow is parallel to the surface to be cooled, whereas turbulent flow would have more molecules moving in random directions causing more molecules to directly hit the surface to be cooled (instead of just passing by), hence more heat exchange. So... either/or in my mind. There must be someone where I work who knows the answer...

My line of thinking exactly!!...

My gut feel says that turbulent flow would be more efficient in heat exchange, as it brings new (cold) air particles in contact with the fins,

...but I wouldn't take it to the bank... (Civil Engineer specializing in wave hydrodynamics (i..e. ideal fluids) when I was working).

 

[msacks]

I installed them yesterday. The install is pretty straightforward, the grills slide behind the top slat in the opening, and are held in place with zip ties. There are full instructions on how to install on the RGS website. The only issue I had was that I had a hard time keeping both zip tie ends where I could get to them. Tip: if you use some painters tape to hold the two ends of the zip ties together, it makes the job so much simpler. It took me about 30 minutes to install the first one until I figured that out, the second one installed in just a few minutes.

Impressions, the grills are made of metal and there are no rough edges to cut your hands. However, because they are metal, the instructions from RGS recommend you use painters tape to fully protect the area where you slide the grills in (which I did). They appear to be professionally finished and should last for the life of the car. I do expect that I'll have to replace the zip ties over time as they will fail at some point. Overall, they look great and are a fraction of the cost of Rennline and Zunsport.

Some of you may be put off by the zip ties, as you look through the images you'll notice that unless you are extremely close to the car, you can't see them, they just blend in. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[718S]

I just checked my radiator opening... I can see how this install would work- doesn't look too tricky. Radiators look good now but some large bugs in there! LOL. I wonder is Porsche would have any issues with it- say engine warrantee issues down the road? That bing said they just did a recall for doing similar to the side engine intakes.