So who else did the less airflow mod?

been mostly dealing with f350 or larger, which don't have it, but the few f150 spec trucks through 2023 have had the active shutters. f350 uses the same grille molding, just without the shutters and gearing installed.

 

yes. Probably EPA thing.
Potentially more aerodynamic
and faster warmup strategy. Closed at cold start = warm up faster = pollute less

new Audis have them and they break. At least the motor does. Expensive and hard to access.

other stuff too for the same reason. Newer cars coming with a bunch more valves that eventually go bad. To restrict coolant flow at the engine in a small area so it warms up faster. A more restricted closed loop.

Eastern European cars had shutters for a while. Not sure what temp it’s necessary. It’s probably a big block off plate manually put in or turned on by hand.

 

It definitely helps with heating up. At -14°F this morning it warmed up just as fast as it does when it's 30!

 

-43 damn. Is your truck parked in the garage?

 

Was it still the old pushrod 4.0 in 2002 or the SOHC 4.0. Maybe that’s why?

 

i believe it was the SOHC 4.0. at least that's what i recall from the fancy plastic engine cover. my dad had a '96 ranger with the 3.0, and it warmed up at about the same rate.


of course, i ran out tonight for some dinner, it was -8. truck wasn't happy, never warmed up further than the line. i'm already regretting not covering the grille for this upcoming week...

 

I wish, my truck's been parked outside it's whole life.

Atleast with working nightshift in the field for the last two weeks i'm already cold when I walk to my vehicle after work so it's less of a thermal shock

 

Every winter. Bug screen in summer.

 

One last thing:
If you’re just covering the grill section then no big deal but if you’re covering right in front of the rad., I’d cut about a 4” diameter hole so it’s dead centre of Fan. Especially if you’re using a clutch type fan. It’s a pressure thing that’s hard on the clutch should it decide to engage.

 

That thing will last another 100 years.

 

I bought it new and used it for 10 years on my 1984 Nissan 720. It then sat on a shelf for 16 years and has been on the Taco since 2010.

 

This time of the year my truck never seems to get hot...

 

When the thermostat is closed you still have all that below freezing air flowing through the radiator into the engine bay, keeping the engine cold.

 

Western Maine mountains, start it up back it out of the garage within 1 mile I'm warm. The days of warming up vehicles has passed decades ago modern tech knowledge is a wonderful thing.

 

-30 degrees WC last night. Started, backed out of garage and truck was warm within 2-3 minutes. Maintained temp on a 30 mile highway roundtrip.

Happy about that for sure.