Thanks cardinal. I'm going to search for other sources for better prices.

 

Also see Two Ways To Prevent A/C Damage from Rocks DIY/Photos (AS manxman POINTED OUT)
I used the JC Whitney aluminum grill material in Blue Diamond to match my Blue Sensation GE8 (which conveniently was on sale for $19 when I bought it) It is a very nice anodized aluminum.

 

I tried to get that first, but they only had a few colors left.. No black, which is what I wanted at the time. When I called they said they would not be restocking it.

Thats why I went with the Gutter Guard.

I'd love to see a picture of the blue on your Blue Sensation though.

 

Here ya go>>>> The color is real close to the body color... especially in place.

 

Looks Great. If I didn't have red, I'd of gotten this blue.

 

That mesh grill from JC Whitney looks an awful lot like the wire mesh used in some construction applications. If I remember correctly that stuff came in 3'x6' sheets for about $4, I think I still have some extra in my garage.

I'm gonna just paint it and try that; probably do a few different colors and see which one looks better, maybe alternate them for a while. I think black, and silver would look nice and do the job of protecting the condensers, radiators, etc...

 

My thought, too. That pic of the perf aluminum looks to me to be about a 50% restriction. I'd use a wire mesh if I wanted more protection without cutting flow.

 

I got 2 of the same blue diamond grille at jc whitney.... Can't wait to install it... It was on sale plus i got 15% cash back from live search and free shipping. AZEqualizer - how did you install the grille on your car? Can you post some pics? Hopefully I get them by the end of the week.

 

Not much too it really .... Take the upper grill and latch cover off the front inside of the engine compartment -Like you would to replace the horn.
Then pop out the lower grill < 4 push locks and some tabs to remove it>.

The aluminum is easy to bend and shape. I used some tin shears but that is because I had one - so it was like cutting paper. Cut to shape the inside of the grill ... don't forget about the couple of bumpies you have to cut or shape around.

Next after you matched the inside of the grill it's time to drill some holes in the plastic grill. Use a grill slightly larger than the black plastic zip ties, 4"-6" long, that you bought don't worry if your holes are sloped just make sure they are at least a 3/8" to a 1/2" away from the edge of the inside of the plastic grill to keep the plastic grill strong.

The aluminum grill generally has enough diamonds close by that even if you discover you didn't make enough holes you can drill some more after you have already zip tied them. Remember you are mounting this on the inside. You get extra lea way if you make minor mistakes - no one will see them.

Press on the grill from the out side after you are done zipping ... to see if you need any more. Cut off the excess from the ties.

Reverse mount everything ... and put in a new horn while you are at it.

 

Nice write-up. I'll give it a try soon.

 

This material looks like it might be a good match for the upper GE grill in appearance: Mesh grille, Universal 33.75"x16" black ABS: Electrodyne, Quality Motoring Accessories
Has anybody tried this? I'm tempted to get a sheet and see how it goes.

 

It is pricey.........

 

I just bought the alum. gutter guard from Home Depot. I have the Fit Base. This JUST covers the opening because on a Base the opening is bigger than on the Sport. On the Base, I found that there are 2 post with screw holes in them, extending out from the back of the bumper cover on both sides. I just screwed the the gutter guard to these post and that seemed to hold well. I used 2 zip ties to hold the top section steady. Nothing on the bottom.

The guard does not butt up against the bumper cover. There is about an inch gap from the bumper cover. Can a rock get thru? Maybe, but this looks good installed this way and any rock getting thru the gaps will have it's velocity highly diminished and you see no zip ties with no damage to the paint.

 

I was bored at work tonight and walked over to the gutter supplies and kinda was thinking about zip ties + summer/engine heat, and im not sure if this is such a good idea with only zip ties cuz when they get hot they sag and perhaps a hard enough pot hole could = disaster if the gutter guard falls off :/

 

Order some stainless zip-ties

 

I used the same grille material as neteng101 and it was perfect for this application. Black 8" zip ties hold it in place and are only noticeable from within about 2-1/2ft, which is about the distance shown here.

I was contemplating primer with flat black paint, but decided against it since anything short of powdercoat will probably chip over time and require constant maintenance. This material is galvanized, so it won't deteriorate much in our Southwest dry climate.

It meets my needs, which are to look decent while protecting a very expensive OEM radiator, and be quickly removeable, should I want to return it back to factory condition. A quick local drive on a warm day, monitoring coolant temps via Ultragauge showed it normal ... between 174* to 179* F in stop and go conditions.

Between this grille and the entire front of the Fit being covered in 8 - 20mil 3M clear film (lights, fogs, front bumper, 3/4 hood, leading edge of roof, a-pillars, mirrors, and top of rear bumper, this vehicle should be covered.

It met the ultimate test ... my wife said it looked good.

 

I put several ties on my grille. The chance of them all failing, much less at one time, is slim to none. You just have to check them on occasion.

 

There's no way it could not restrict airflow. That's why I've avoided doing this. I figure the cooling system in modern cars is already marginal.

How about it? Anybody who's done this have any problems with overheating? Loss of A/C efficiency?

 

I'm running this vehicle in AZ heat. Today's temps were nearly 100 degrees and it ran just fine. Coolant temps varied between 177 - 185 degrees with only one instance at 204, because I stopped for a few minutes idling w/no movement, which would have been the same even without the grille guard. It will soon be well over 100 degrees daily, so if the Fit cooling system can handle this environment, you should have no issues in NY. A/C ran just fine with plenty of airflow to both the condenser and radiator.

I'm not sure what data this is based on but where do you think manufacturers are hot-climate testing their vehicle cooling systems? I'll give you one guess. If they can stand up to the environment down here, they will have more than enough capacity and efficiency for the remainder of the country. Trust me. That's based on 14 years of first-hand experience in this climate.

 

I say, airflow restriction depends on what you're using.

The TurboManGT's grille seems more like a sheet with holes... where as what I put in my Fit is "chicken wire" or... more like a hole with wires.


something like this will reduce airflow, but should be marginal.