I've tried several times to remove it but with no luck

 

 

Anyone removed there's, is there a knack to it.  I'm going to Mesh it to save my Concensor from stone damage

 

 

I would guess you need to remove the whole front bumper?

I would guess you need to remove the whole front bumper?

Not really, watch this video from 15.35, you can see how do to it.

Edited 16 September, 201411 yr by komtuur

I assume you remove the cable ties once its dry?

Not really, watch this video from 15.35, you can see how do to it.

Wow... real pro bodge job!

I agree with Nookiebear - why would you want to stick chicken wire held in place with sealant behind your grille!!!

I think that guy had worked on a Russian Tupolev plane I flew on a while ago. It appeared to have wallpaper stuck on the cabin walls & the seats were held together with Duck tape.

At least you know how to remove the grille now.

I think his next video will be the one where he sticks a V8 badge off an old Rover P6 on the back and carpets the dashboard!

You can get the smaller grill your wanting to fit behind the lower one by coming in from the top, as that's what I've done on mine. I cut the grill about 1 cm smaller all the way round than the the lower front grill, then just "fiddled" it in. Before dropping it through I put some small tie wraps on it where I was going to position it. Then with a couple of long screw drivers i managed to pull it forwards close enough to get at the 3 tie wraps, which were then secured around the lower front grill. There is obviously space around he outside but you'd have to be very unlucky to get a stone through the gap.

The only thing to be wary of is that if you have the right cold and wet conditions you can get ice build up on the mesh, with the consequent possible slight overheating problem! Never had it on any of my vRS's that I've done this too but did have it on a TVR once. It seems strange that the manufacturers don't put such a grill to stop damage but I think it's because of the possible ice build up that they don't.

I'll ask, why would you do this to your car?

I'll ask, why would you do this to your car?

 

The honeycomb grill on the Vrs has large holes in, these holes are ideal holes for stones to puncture your A/C Condenser, the price for a new condenser is around 5 to 6 hundred pounds. You could have a new on fitted today and tomorrow you get it holed by a stone, another 5 to 6 hundred quid.

 

Mesh the lower grill to try and provent stone damage.

 

Simples

sounds like paranioa to me!

I had to replace the condenser on my MkII due to stone damage, and it was better protected than it is on the MkIII

thats why its called paranioa! 

Paranoia... Our 94 mx5 had a good condenser and that just had a gapping hole in front of it around the same size as the octy one. Suppose its luck of the draw

Does anyone know if it is the same procedure for removing the lower grille on a MK3 Scout as described in the video above?

I've had it happen too, so probably worth being paranoid for how much it costs to replace the condenser. 

I hit a pheasant in Scotland yesterday and the middle beam of this grill has cracked in two with a few of the 'honeycomb' corners taken out too. Good to know I can replace it quickly and it stopped any major damage.

 

The pheasant wasn't so lucky.

Anybody know how to remove the same lower grill on an VRS?

Being paranoid......you only have to be proven right once to make it all worth while!!

The gaps are fairly big you can fit a few things through there!

The only two reasons i can think of why car manufacturers do this exposed design and that is either the designer is completely stupid or its done on a purpose just to have a laugh. I mean comon they come up with all sorts to make cars more advanced, reliable, safer but cant think of a way to protect the condenser by just using some mesh like in the video.

The absolute worst car ive seen for the exposed condenser is the nissan juke.

I'm going to Mesh it to save my Concensor from stone damage

I think it is a good idea! (With a better attention to the execution, that is). It will give extra protection for the radiator(s). The rather fragile lower grille will not withstand much. I've had stones flying through the air, smashing my front windscreen, even at motorways. I have also experienced big, icy chunks falling off the wheel arches from a passing lorry, sliding on the road towards me.

The only thing to be wary of is that if you have the right cold and wet conditions you can get ice build up on the mesh, with the consequent possible slight overheating problem! Never had it on any of my vRS's that I've done this too but did have it on a TVR once. It seems strange that the manufacturers don't put such a grill to stop damage but I think it's because of the possible ice build up that they don't.

Overheating is not a problem at all if the weather is so cold that ice can build up. In fact, it is advantageous to reduce the cold air flow through the radiators. The upper grille will let more than enough air trough. (In the hot Saudi Arabia the situation will be different).

I do have a concern though: will a steel mesh behind the honeycomb affect the radar that is fitted as a part of the adaptive cruise control system?

Edited 20 October, 201510 yr by fatzy

Overheating is not a problem at all if the weather is so cold that ice can build up. In fact, it is advantageous to reduce the cold air flow through the radiators. The upper grille will let more than enough air trough. (In the hot Saudi Arabia the situation will be different).

Wrong! It's the equivalent of having the thermostat fail shut. With a failed thermostat, if the water doesn't circulate then it doesn't matter how cold the weather is, the engine will overheat. It's the same with the ice build up, if there is enough ice to block the rad, the water won't stay cool enough. It all depends on the how much the airflow gets reduced by the amount of ice and you won't know until the temp starts to go up on a long run.

As you say a reduction is good, complete coverage by ice is bad.

Edited 20 October, 201510 yr by banksie

Wrong! It's the equivalent of having the thermostat fail shut. With a failed thermostat, if the water doesn't circulate then it doesn't matter how cold the weather is, the engine will overheat. It's the same with the ice build up, if there is enough ice to block the rad, the water won't stay cool enough. It all depends on the how much the airflow gets reduced by the amount of ice and you won't know until the temp starts to go up on a long run.

As you say a reduction is good, complete coverage by ice is bad.

I think you misunderstand (maybe it's my English). I fail to understand your reference to the thermostate and internal water circulation and how this is relevant to external air flow.

I was talking about the theory that the mesh on the lower grille will create ice build up. You will still having air flow through the upper grille, and radiator will have sufficient cooling. That is not wrong at all. In fact, I had on my Octavia Mk2 a lower grill cover (closing it completely, bought from Superskoda) fitted from October to april, in temperatures from +15 to -15 deg C. In addition, when temperatures was below zero I fitted a thin foam board directly on the upper part of the radiator to restrict the direct airflow (Superskoda sells a upper cover as well). Believe me, I monitored the temperature meter closely to see if it would rise. It didn't, it was steady 90 deg. The advantage I noticed was that I got normal coolant temperature quicker.

http://www.superskoda.com/Skoda/OCTAVIA-II/Octavia-II-09-11-Facelift-winter-grille-cover

So, the cooling capacity is much better than necessary in the cold climates we encounter during our cold seasons. It is exactly the same car that is sold to hot desert areas as to icy Arctic.

You won't get the coolant up to temperature any quicker with a blocked radiator as the thermostat doesn't open until the engine is up to operating temperature so no coolant flow is passing through the radiator anyway?

In extremely cold climates I can understand rad blockers to stop the radiator being superchilled whilst there is little flow in it but it shouldn't affect warm up times.

The cold air also cooles the intercooler, as well as the engine bay and block itself. I am not sure about the circulation in the intercooler circuit on a 1,4 TSI, it is a complex picture. I didn't take the time, but engine warmed up quicker and gave warm air sooner when my restrictions were installed.