NUMBER PLATE IN FRONT OF THE RADIATOR!

[espritpassion]

Hello Lotus friend

My car have the number plate in-front of the radiator and it's was handed like this (please see the photo attached), but I'm worried because I think the number plate takes off the air necessary to the radiator and the engine could be overheat.

Run I the risk of to melt the engine!!??!!

The most photos that I have seen on web have the esprit number plates up to the radiator, my have in-front?? why?? it's really ok?? could be calm?!!

HELP ME!!!!!PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for your reply

Alessandro

[islandbloke]

I'm not an expert Alessandro, but I imagine if you monitor your temperature guages and they stay within limits you'll be safe.

If I was driving in Nevada every day I'd probably fit the plate above the grille though.

[rens914]

I don't believe the lotus people have decided on the size of the radiators for the looks

i would fix the plate a bit higher

gr Rens

[WayneB]

That plate is blocking over half of your rad inlet appature!

I would move it (unless you live in Northern Siberia, and then I would leave it so the heater works better)

[Jonathan]

Alessandro - have you bought this car ?

Depends on the climate but thats's for front engine cars where the ice cold wind can cool the block down so they put something in the radiator.

Seen it on Elises as well - not a good idea imo.

On a mid/rear it has no purpose that I can see. At under the thermostat valve there is no significant flow from the radiator, so the pump is just moving water around the engine - when it gets to running temperature is when it starts to regulate. If the wind was so cold it would just keep the circulating around the engine - thats what the thermostat is for.

I would have thought this is a problem when you're at speed, becuase you're running high engine RPM and load the cooling here is significantly reduced. When you're stationary and the fans cut in they are also going to struggle to pull air through...

IMO it's NOT a good idea, I wonder if I might go as far to suggest you could create hotter areas on the radiator too ? Wonder what the effect on downforce is as well at speed, the radiator acts as a wind deflector angling air underneath the car (that's one fo the wind tunnel).

On the damage side I wouldn't have thought it'd run the car dangerously hot, depending on how it's driven - if it's been thrashed within an inch of it's life I'd be worried - if it's been used carefully in nothing more than a mild climate I'd be ok with it. As pointed out they run OK in hot climates such as western USA.

Check the fluid levels - if the engine has overheated for extended periods the coolant could be low as it is expelled through the pressure cap and into the expansion bottle in the inside wheel arch - when that gets full it dumps the coolant onto the road.

[Vulcan Grey]

That's basically how all Esprits in the US would be if they have their front plate on...

IMO it doesn't hurt the engine cooling, hasn't at all in my car.

[Jonathan]

They've done something similar to the car :

Instead of mounting the plate correcty on the bumper they've moved it down.

There is a US spec number plate plinth and it lifts the plate into the bumper similar to the UK, it doesn't protrude as far into the grill as this, neither does the SE :

Restricts airflow and looks like the car has rabbit teeth - No Brainer if you ask me, correct position is below :

[madmezza]

That is either a stunningly good picture, or Dermot's car has been superimposed onto the blurred road... I vote the second one Love the pic, though!

[Dermot]

That is real picture..... no photoshop in sight. It was a tracking shot done while driving about 10 feet behind by Golf at 50 mph. Matt Watlkinson took the shots, he was hanging out the back of the Golf. He now works freelance for EVO.

Dermot

[Gav]

Personally, I would go for a stick on plate and then you can mould it onto the shape of the front bumper. Looks better and gets it right out of the way of the rads...

[Paul C]

What about getting the letters/numbers bolted to mesh in front of the rad?

(like the old elans). Someone post up a pic, have STILL no tried fixing my

busted right click so can't do properties still...

[Jonathan]

There you go. Dunno how legal it is (certinaly not in the UK for modern cars)

Interesting compromise though.