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BMW 5-Series (G30) Forum Engine, Exhaust, Drivetrain, Tuning Modifications Anyone has remove the Active Grille Air Flaps ?

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      03-17-2019, 10:38 PM   #1
bludblu
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Anyone has remove the Active Grille Air Flaps ?

Hello all,

Anyone has been able to dismantle the Active Grille Air Flaps' Mechanism while keeping the motor in place connected to avoid a Check Engine Light ?

If yes, please tell me if you were able to access the system from the top or if it needed the complete removal of the front fascia ?

I want to remove those Air Flaps in the front grille for full time cooling.

I know other car like Porsche for example have this set up of air flaps as well for aerodynamic purposes, meanwhile I have preferences on radiators fully ventilated.

Thanks
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      03-18-2019, 01:39 AM   #2
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I thought the whole idea behind these was that the car will control these to maintain optimum cooling , warming up and aerodynamic effectiveness?
If the car needs decides it needs to cool the engine it will open the grills.
Unless I'm missing something if you remove surely it will take longer to warm up?
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      03-18-2019, 10:35 AM   #3
TselaG80
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i find the active grilles to be pointless. F90 M5 does have them or any other true M model at that.
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      03-18-2019, 05:30 PM   #4
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Others on the forum have removed them entirely. I don't think it will ever show an active fault (mine failed and were always open, never had an alert). Seems to be a shadow code indicating there's a problem. That said, why? The B5x engines were setup with this in mind for optimum fuel efficiency and aerodynamics. The engine stays warmer for longer after shut down, i.e. it returns to operating temperature shortly after driving (depending on the temp of course). It's an automatic system that is.. well, smarter than we are. It opens/closes to maintain optimal engine temperature while also being smart enough to care about aerodynamics and airflow. I wouldn't modify it for the hell of it -- certainly not for aesthetics.

I like to let my engine warm up to the happy point before giving it WOT. It is parked for 7-8 hours in a garage at all day. When I drive home, within a minute or two we're good to go. Don't know why you'd need to modify this unless you're running an extremely modified setup where the shutters closed are causing you heat soak. They seem to be open more than they are closed.

This is an entirely automated system and the vehicle has both mechanical and electric cooling pumps. Once parked, it will run the fans and pumps with the shutters open, until it returns to a programmed temperature and shuts everything off/closes the shutters.
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      03-18-2019, 05:35 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TselaG30 View Post
i find the active grilles to be pointless. F90 M5 does have them or any other true M model at that.
... you may find them to be pointless, but clearly the engineers did not. The M5 is an entirely different beast. Additionally (please correct me if I'm wrong) but the other M's - i.e. M2/3/4 are all pending replacement. So the F90 M5 may not have them, but it's possible the next M3/M4 etc will.
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      03-18-2019, 06:02 PM   #6
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I do not want to start a debate on the added values or not of those air flaps.
Thanks. I respect your point.

As I wrote, I want to remove those Air Flaps in the front grille for full time cooling.
I am just asking if someone removed them and if he can share the proper steps to do it.
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      03-19-2019, 02:50 PM   #7
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Pull fuse 203. Worked on G01 when I pulled it to keep flap open. No errors
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      06-19-2021, 11:49 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Swampman View Post
Pull fuse 203. Worked on G01 when I pulled it to keep flap open. No errors
He is talking about FRONT grill. Not exhaust flap.
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