This has bothered me since first seeing the front end of the MCS.
Does it bother anyone else that the radiator (if that is what it is) shows so prominently through the front grill work?
I hope that in person that isn't so prominent. I suspect that it's the result of the flash but it seems to be visible on most frontal shots.

Why wasn't the radiator painted black - it would not have been visible at all then?
Is it possible to do it afterwards or would that be problematic?
If I add the JCW aero at some point I might do that as long as it isn't going to clog the works.

 

it doesnt bother me, but I'm pretty sure it will be visible when you look at the front, even without flash

 

I believe it is supposed to look more aggressive?

 

Paint can reduce the heat transfer but a small amount would likely not cause a problem though it may raise concerns if you had an engine issue related to overheating. Also if you do paint it will stick better before a layer of oxidation builds. Peeling black paint would look worse.

It may bother me to look at but I won't be painting mine.

 

This application (above) is intentional and looks as though it is. There isn't anything accidental about it, but the current R56 application does not look intentional. If it was meant to be more aggressive as a reult I would think the JCW grill would have been designed to show it off more, instead their promo pics have been retouched to eliminate it.

I'm not convinced that I'll paint it but it if the JCW grill helps to eleminate the see-through I'll probably be adding that piece. It just seems like a detail that was missed.

 

That would be bad, as you would be insulating a part that needs to transfer heat. If you must make it black, get something called a "thermal dispersant coating" good news is it's flattish black, and improves heat transfer a bit.

I think you'll also find that the effect is lighting dependant. The higher in the sky the sun is, the less this effect will happen.

Matt

 

It's not as obvious as the pics in post #1 would suggest.

 

As with all the new cars i've had, put a piece of screen in front of the radiator. It keeps the bugs from clogging it up and hides the aluminum color pretty well.

 

That is a very good idea. Once that screen gets full of bugs you can clean it or just toss it & put a new one on.

 

Its just another part of the R56 that just doesnt look right.

 

FWIW, the intercooler also shows up. It's the strip at the bottom of the lower grille, just below the bottom of the license plate.

 

This seems brilliant. It's a standard window screen (in black ?) taped with electrical tape all around? Is that what I'm seeing?

Anyone know if this set-up will cause heat transfer issues?

 

Now doesn't this look better?

 

If you think this is bad, have you looked at the new Honda's lately? The AC condensors are completely exposed on them. I had an Element and the popular thing to do was use either a Cloudrider grill cover, or a home depot black plastic gutter gaurd mod (which I did). From what I heard from a Honda rep, lots of warranty claims have neen put in for damaged condensors.

 

 

I don't think that the radiator gets hot enough to actually melt/ burn a screen. Something I think I will consider, It really bothers me to see the fins of a radiator get all mangled from bugs.

 

Keep in mind my shot was taken with two strobes to light up the front end and they are casting light through the grille. Lacking that, the area behind the black plastic grilles didn't seem to stand in person.

 

Thanks. I have never had to clean the screen. Once the bugs get dried out and brittle they just fall off. I have had that screen on my car since I bought it.

Thank you as well. It is regular nylon type window/door screen. No tape, I just removed the two nuts on either side of the radiator, cut a slot in the screen to fit over the bolts, and put the nuts back on. I also used the two black plastic rivets near the top of each radiator tank. The M7 APD also helps hold it too, but after you've driven with it on for a while the screen just kinda forms in place.
I have had no issues with heat transfer.

Here's a little closer view of how the screen is held in place...

 

I guess I'll see what it looks like once I have my new S. I'm sure this whole issue will be much less of an issue once I get to drive it around. Also cameras and eyes are different even without a couple of flashes. A camera tends to "look" for metal and tends to make them look more prominent. I'm glad there's someone out there smarter than me that has a solution in case my concerns are founded.
Thanks all -- especially Partsman! One less thing for me to obsess over for 2 weeks.

 

LoLers. Thanks for showing what the r53 radiator looks like.

I don't see much difference.