canzoomer

You are probably correct.
Those guages are really just dressed up idiot lights.
They have 2 positions: Off and running.

canzoomer

Hey Doc!

Are you *******s brother?

JVSpiller

I installed the same walmart mesh that was on this thread and was concerned about the open area. I went to the local hardware chain (Lowes in my case) and bought a roll of black mesh that is used to protect gutters from leaves. It has a much greater open area than the Walmart mesh and is similar in design to the grill. The roll cost me $2.69. It comes in a 20' roll. The only downside is that it is about 1/2" more narrow than the cooler, but you can't see that once installed and it doesn't look like it will fall out.

mikeb

pics please

JVSpiller

Gutter Guard Material

JVSpiller

Installed in the cooler panel

mikeb

thanks, that looks good

RX-8 Zoomster

Thanks JVSpiller. How about a distance shot further out so we can see the entire front end?

JVSpiller

I'll be glad to, but it will have to wait a few days. I flying out of town for a business trip in a couple of hours.

Omicron

Looking at the front of my 8 the other day (something I do every chance I get) I noticed that when the factory installed the fog lights with the Grand Touring package, they removed the grill covers completely that used to fill those holes. So I got down and peered in there, and noticed that the oil coolers are not protected at all with these sub-grills removed, and even with only ~500 miles on my car, they were already full of bug guts! AHHHHHHhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!

So after picking them all out with tweezers, a tooth pick, and needle nose pliers (grin!) I got to thinking about putting some sort of mesh into these cutouts, or possibly buying the factory non-fog equiped covers, and cutting it to fit around my fogs.

Anyone done this yet? Or are there any kits out there anyone's heard of?

Thanks...

mikeb

yes, many have bought mesh from auto or hardware stores and custom made their own covers.

I know doc did his first

Spin9k

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...ht=oil+coolers

Omicron

I had a feeling I wasn't the first person on this board to notice the exposed oil coolers. Thanks for the link and info!

Omicron

Well, I did this today, using the exact mesh JVSpiller did. I worried though that the oild coolers might get hot enough to melt the mesh, so I decided to try and anchor the mesh so it was flush with the front of the spoiler opening. By cutting a semi-circular opening on one end of the mesh to fit around the fog light, I got it in place.

Looks pretty darn good too, except that I wish I could anchor it more securely. Unfortunately there is not much to hook to... I would up putting a screw into one of the holes in the top of the opening where the standard non-fog light equipped grill used to be mounted, and hooking a wire tie over it and through the mesh. Now the mesh won't fall out, I just wish it was a little better anchored at the bottom.

Ah well, I'll keep tinkering and post pics when I have a result I'm happy with.

Thanks Doctorr and JVSpiller for all the great ideas!

ranger4277

I have used black aluminum 1/4" mesh from a craft store, bolting it onto the provided three tabs at the front of the oil cooler. (2 top, one bottom used to fasten the rubber shroud) It sits about 1/4" from the cooler fins and is very well anchored. Bugs and rocks just bounce off. It is the most professional solution I have seen yet.. it looks like it came installed from the factory. I will post pics and more instructions if anybody is interested.

It did require the removal of the front bumper (not hard) and replacing the three plastic pins per cooler with bolts.

The nice thing about the aluminum is no heat concerns nor rusting.

canzoomer

It is also a good idea to protect the radiator.
After I did my oil coolers I looked and saw that I already have some dents in the rad too, so I took the same plastic gutter guard and ran a strip of it behind the air intake area at the bottom of the nose..

Cut to fit, undo the plastic snap screws underneath so I could get hands in behind, positioned it and secured with black plastic zip ties.

If anyone has problems with visualizing this let me know and I can post a pic..

pmacwill

I would appreciate that

ranger4277

Ok, I went and found some black aluminum mesh at a craft store.. it is the flexible kind used for flower arrangements or as a wire skeleton for paper mache' or model train landscapes. It is quite sturdy yet pliable and easy to form. (unless it is taut like it should be in your oil cooler vent)

Removed the front bumper per instructions I found here on the board, removed the rubber grommets/shrouds from around the oil coolers and rough cut a couple squares to cover the coolers. I just eyeballed for size leaving some extra material for the top and bottom to fold over onto itself for added strength when mounting to the cooler tabs. I folded it over one time for double thickness.. it seems to be adequate.

After shaping the mesh to the way I wanted it I used a screwdriver to widen the mesh where the bolts would fasten it to the cooler assembly. There are three tabs, two on the top.. one on the bottom. I considered making a fourth hole in the rubber shroud beneath the foglamp for extra anchoring.. but it wasn't necessary. I found some scrap nuts and bolts and used them in place of the plastic push pins originally holding the rubber thingy to the oil cooler. It isn't totally clear in the images.. but the mesh isn't touching the cooler, it is about 1/4" away perfectly parallel.

It was a very easy operation I thought.. gave me an excuse to take off the front bumper Here are a couple photos... I didn't take any of the install.. but these are of the final product. The mesh is quite sturdy and tight across the front and should repel just about everything but air!

(yes, my car needs a bath)

ranger4277

another with better view of the upper mounting.

mikeb

great pics
thanks

OmegaBob

Plz post one (or more...). I've hoping someone would come up with a way to protect the radiator. thx!

Omicron

Thanks, ranger4277, that looks excellent! But one question... it looks as though this could be done without removing the bumper, as the screw holes (at least on the top) look clearly accessible. Am I right?

Thanks...

Gord96BRG

There's another thread somewhere where a forum member in Australia has posted pics of a radiator guard - black stainless steel mesh. It looks great, and he's planning on developing a kit.

Regards,
Gordon

ranger4277

Omicron,

It might be possible to do it without removing the front bumper cover.. I think it would be very difficult (if not impossible) to remove the plastic pins and then properly tighten the bolts down without easy access to the outer edges of the oil cooler. I wouldn't have the courage to try it with the cover on with the risk of scratching paint. The mesh would have lost its form squeezing it into the opening too.. it might have come back ok once tightened down. It was a little more effort removing the fascia.. but the end result was worth it.

As for radiator protection, that would be a great idea. It isn't quite as endangered as the oil coolers with the oblique angle.. but still exposed. Has anybody else been annoyed with leaves and other debris collecting up against the radiator? That splash guard has water drainage, but the holes aren't big enough for larger foreign objects. Hopefully a solution would place the protection far enough forward to stop that crap from collecting in my splash tray.

canzoomer

I added plastic gutter guard mesh to the back of the grille opening at the bottom.
I removed the plastic screw pins from underneath so I could reach in, slid in the mesh, and zip tied it to the vertical bars on the grille opening.
I made it long enough to tuck in at each side.

I could be fancier, take off the bumper and screw from the back, but as it is essentially invisible, why bother?