Citroen "Cold climate screen"

[Sloppysod]

To all those that own a Diesel engine Citroen,

Not sure if everyone knows about these, but on every Citroen I have owned since the days of my first GS1220 club, ............phew that was a log while ago................

Anyway, what I am talking about is a plastic cover that clips onto the front grille to reduce airflow, therefore, speeding up the time the engine takes to get warm and maintaining the temperature easier, or Citroens description "VERY COLD CLIMATE SCREEN Removable protective screen which prevents the accumulation of snow at the radiator cooling fan" the other benefit is that it will stop road salt and grit getting to your radiator and a slightly better MPG - too, as the engine runs warmer

Well, I have just had one delivered for my C5 (X7) and will be fitting it when the ambient temperature on my journey to and from work stays below 10 degrees for a couple of days, next week probably, as I travel about 14 miles each way at either 6:45 and 17:00 each day.
Citroen instructions are "Do not forget to remove the very cold climate screen: - when the ambient temperature exceeds 10 °C, - when towing, - at speeds above 75 mph (120 km/h)."

[myglaren]

I do recall leather (ish) roll-up mufflers for cars ages ago - I think my dad's split-screen Moggy may have had one but not more recently that that and certainly never a Citroen, my GS didn't have one and I never saw mention of them.
Never seen them in Sweden either - where do you live, Siberia?

[Sloppysod]

Nope not Sweden, but Northwales, UK, the Citroen blurb says ambient temperature below 10 degrees, and as the temperature here mostly stays below 10 degrees between mid November and mid March........... I buy and fit.
Here is a picture showing a the GS type, from http://citroencarclub.org.uk/

[myglaren]

Hells Bells, is North Wales still in the ice age?
Isn't the Gulf Stream supposed to run past your front door and keep you warm?

We used to get -40°C (not all the time but is was rarely over -15°C) and never saw anything of that nature - although most cars did have an electrical tether for an engine heater to keep them from being too cold to start in a morning.

[Richard_C]

Early 1979, the yellow Dyane complete with its muffler fitted. Hadn't been above freezing for days on end, we got used to putting extra coat and hat on when we got into the car after a walk. Now it was dark, -18C and here we were driving from Manchester into North Wales, taking it in turns to use the ice scraper on the inside of the windscreen ...... those were the days.

How much did your X7 cold climate thingy cost you, and where from? Does it fit inside or outside the engine compartment? I've seen it mentioned in the handbook but never worked out what it was and it doesn't show up in the accessory listing on the UK website.

[c.morewood]

I use a bit of the black central heating pipe insulation slipped on to the outside of the grille. Unless you're within 2 feet, it looks just like what the Peugeots have on their grille. And when,it regally gets cold, I'll block off the lower part of the grille with some silver pipe insulation, leaving just the small opening in the bonnet. It seemed to work well last year and has the advantage that you just pull the insulation off if the weather warms up for a couple of days.

[dnsey]

These blinds are a sensible accessory for aircooled engines, but surely the thermostat (and fan control) take care of things in the case of watercooling.
ISTR that the GS also has an induction butterfly which can be set for preheated air in cold conditions, but there's also a warning in the owner's manual about snow buildup preventing cooling airflow. Quite a lot to think about as winter approaches!

[xantia_v6]

The handbook for the 308 says that the purpose of the cold climate screen is to prevent snow build-up on the radiator cooling fan.

[Sloppysod]

How much did your X7 cold climate thingy cost you, and where from? Does it fit inside or outside the engine compartment? I've seen it mentioned in the handbook but never worked out what it was and it doesn't show up in the accessory listing on the UK website.

.

I got the part number from the on line parts catalogue and ordered it through my 'Friendly' Citroen agent, delivered was just over £30. When I ever order a part I give them the part number and ask them to check that it is the correct part, now I was a bit surprised with this one as it only covers about 80% of the lower grille, it does not cover the air conditioning cooler on the left of the radiator.

Answering some of the other comments above, "The Diesel engine" requires heat to work efficiently, and a lot of it, so, if the ambient air temperature outside is 10 degrees, and your are travelling a 60 mph the wind-chill factor will be something around -3, see the chart below, this cold air blowing through you radiator and over your engine will have a very good cooling effect.

Fords, advertise their New focus with a Active grille shutter for quicker warm up and as a method of reducing drag see
Wind
(mph) Temperature (Celcius)
10 5 0 -5 -10 -15 -20 -25
10 5 -1 -7 -13 -19 -25 -31 -37
20 0 -6 -13 -20 -27 -34 -41 -48
30 -1 -9 -16 -24 -31 -39 -46 -54
40 -2 -10 -18 -26 -34 -41 -49 -57
50 -3 -11 -19 -27 -35 -43 -50 -58
60 -3 -11 -19 -27 -35 -43 -50 -58
70 -3 -10 -18 -26 -34 -42 -50 -57
80 -2 -10 -17 -25 -33 -40 -48 -56
90 -1 -9 -16 -24 -31 -39 -46 -54

[GiveMeABreak]

I've been after one of these for the C5 X7 - always referred to in the manual, but never available as an accessory on the main Citroen Accessories Website section strangely. Do you have the part no please? Also in Wales (West) where we can easily get snowed in at times - twice having to abandon car in 2 bad winters. The other danger area is the snow accumulation under the wipers - that's circa £250 for each new wiper motor you don't want to be paying out for!

[Sloppysod]

GMB - The part number is 7429G7 - Grille Screen, I use a Citroen dealer in Chorley for most 'waitable' parts, good service & postage and competitive.

I hope that helps, I have not fitted mine yet, still too warm, but won't be long.

I hope the link is allowed?

hummmm, thanks for the warning about the wiper motors - ouch!!!

Screen info -

[RichardW]

Windchill is irrelevant - that is an effect invented to demonstrate how increasing wind speed increases the rate of cooling from a human body.

Blanking part of the radiator on a modern car may help it to heat up a bit quicker, and in very cold conditions it may help to prevent the air flow from excessively cooling the block, but the stat will take care of most of that. The engine is rejecting nearly twice as much heat as it is making in useful work, so even if you are tottling along with a low load of say 10kW on the engine, it is chucking 20kW out of the radiator - the stat is almost certainly going to be open. Personally I don't bother with a screen. My Dad's a bit old school and sticks a bit of ply down the back of radiator - maybe I'l try it and see if it makes and difference to MPG.

Blanking plate on air cooled air is essential however, as there is no thermostat. If you've blowing cold in it might never warm up properly. I once left the blanking plate in a 2 cylinder Visa when it came back into use in the summer. Was thinking it was smelling a bit hot, then remembered it was probably still in - stopped and took it out, then kept going, but up a steep hill shortly after (Up from Blackwater towards Rookley for DeanXM !) it gradually slowed down. I was thinking it was going to seize then just before the top it suddenly picked up again and was alright after that!

[old-un77]

remember "fitting" kitchen foil blanking off part of the grill of my singer vogues, in the 70's
Bob

[RichardW]

We did that with GS's, then gradually poked holes in the foil as the weather warmed up!