Looking for AGS delete solutions

[Atcer2018]

Recently deleted all but the top and bottom row of my grill shutters. I noticed when I removed the unit to do the mod how clean the condenser and radiator fins were. I’ll assume the grill shutters contributed a great deal to the cleanliness. Any ideas or known solutions how to keep debris and bugs out now that the majority of shutters are gone?

 

[mikeru]

The only way to block bugs and debris from getting to the radiator is to install something in front it. And whatever that is will get covered with bugs and debris. IMHO the grille shutters serve that purpose as well as anything. Just curious as to why you removed the shutters (I promise, no judgement from me)?

 

[crash68]

As mentioned you probably need to put some screening in front of the radiator/condenser. Maybe some members from Florida will chime in what they use for the pesky Lovebug season.
Another option would be to more frequently rinse the condenser and radiator out with the hose/pressure washer

I promise, no judgement from me

I think there's a rule about Shutter Shaming.. LOL

 

[Atcer2018]

The only way to block bugs and debris from getting to the radiator is to install something in front it. And whatever that is will get covered with bugs and debris. IMHO the grille shutters serve that purpose as well as anything. Just curious as to why you removed the shutters (I promise, no judgement from me)?

Fair enough question. I have the 3.6 Pentastar and it has been an excellent truck for what I use it for. At 76k miles I noticed stains on my driveway. Crawled under the truck and found the transmission pan and both sides of the bell housing coated with an oily mess. I’ve read enough about the 3.6 to know it was most likely the plastic oil filter housing/cooler leaking in the valley of the engine. After using my little phone connected bore scope it was confirmed that it was leaking and liquid pooled then ran down the transmission. I replaced it and did the plugs, coil boots and PCV at the same time. Drained the old oil and coolant and replaced the oil with some Wallyworld oil and filled the cooling system with distilled water and a bottle of Rmi25 because of cross contamination from the leak. Filled the cooling system using a burp funnel and the bleeder valve on the thermostat. Drove the truck for 100 miles and noticed it was regularly running at 215-225 degrees which I never noticed before. Seems pretty high to me especially exiting the freeway it would climb to 230 and the oil temp was about the same. After I replaced the oil and flushed the cooling system again I vacuum filled the system and it still ran at the same temps. No other issues with the truck except high operating temps so I did the AGS delete and it consistently runs 195-210 including the oil temp. I live in the southeast and we don’t really have a winter season here so the AGS delete works for our brutal summer temps. If there was a way to change the electric fan turn on temps using AlfaOBD that would have been my go to solution but it doesn’t appear to be an option.

 

[Atcer2018]

As mentioned you probably need to put some screening in front of the radiator/condenser. Maybe some members from Florida will chime in what they use for the pesky Lovebug season.
Another option would be to more frequently rinse the condenser and radiator out with the hose/pressure washer

Thank you that is what I’m looking for. Someone with experience using some screening method that they have used and works. Don’t want to zip tie window screen to my grill lol

 

[mikeru]

Fair enough question. I have the 3.6 Pentastar and it has been an excellent truck for what I use it for. At 76k miles I noticed stains on my driveway. Crawled under the truck and found the transmission pan and both sides of the bell housing coated with an oily mess. I’ve read enough about the 3.6 to know it was most likely the plastic oil filter housing/cooler leaking in the valley of the engine. After using my little phone connected bore scope it was confirmed that it was leaking and liquid pooled then ran down the transmission. I replaced it and did the plugs, coil boots and PCV at the same time. Drained the old oil and coolant and replaced the oil with some Wallyworld oil and filled the cooling system with distilled water and a bottle of Rmi25 because of cross contamination from the leak. Filled the cooling system using a burp funnel and the bleeder valve on the thermostat. Drove the truck for 100 miles and noticed it was regularly running at 215-225 degrees which I never noticed before. Seems pretty high to me especially exiting the freeway it would climb to 230 and the oil temp was about the same. After I replaced the oil and flushed the cooling system again I vacuum filled the system and it still ran at the same temps. No other issues with the truck except high operating temps so I did the AGS delete and it consistently runs 195-210 including the oil temp. I live in the southeast and we don’t really have a winter season here so the AGS delete works for our brutal summer temps. If there was a way to change the electric fan turn on temps using AlfaOBD that would have been my go to solution but it doesn’t appear to be an option.

Thanks for the "brief" description LOL. Glad to hear that took care of your issue. I'm thinking adding a screen will help keep the bugs off the radiator, although some of the bug juice might still get through LOL. But then you'll have that unsightly bug covered screen to keep clean. If it helps the engine run cooler it's worth it though. Let us know what you end up doing.

 

[Atcer2018]

Thanks for the "brief" description LOL. Glad to hear that took care of your issue. I'm thinking adding a screen will help keep the bugs off the radiator, although some of the bug juice might still get through LOL. But then you'll have that unsightly bug covered screen to keep clean. If it helps the engine run cooler it's worth it though. Let us know what you end up doing.

The wife doesn’t let me talk at home so I had to be “brief”. LOL

 

[RamDiver]

If there was a way to change the electric fan turn on temps using AlfaOBD that would have been my go to solution but it doesn’t appear to be an option.

I'm still scanning AlfaOBD options but did stumble on this gem.

This device looks like it will accomplish what you want and more but avoiding CELs and keeping your truck from pestering you might be a challenge.

Dakota Digital PAC-2800BT Dakota Digital Electronic Fan Controllers with Bluetooth | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Dakota Digital Electronic Fan Controllers with Bluetooth with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Fan Switches at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

.

 

[Atcer2018]

I'm still scanning AlfaOBD options but did stumble on this gem.

This device looks like it will accomplish what you want and more but avoiding CELs and keeping your truck from pestering you might be a challenge.

Dakota Digital PAC-2800BT Dakota Digital Electronic Fan Controllers with Bluetooth | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Dakota Digital Electronic Fan Controllers with Bluetooth with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Fan Switches at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

.

Thanks Ram, I’ll look into that.

 

[Different Drummer]

Anxiously waiting to see if the electric fan "on" - "off" temperature thresholds are identified. I have been curious about this parameter for some time now.
I also have AGS shutters removed and I do in fact find that the bugs commit suicide at the radiator. I have also found that it is not terribly difficult tp gently flush them out periodically. In fact isn't there a product available just for that purpose?

 

[PaleFlyer]

Anxiously waiting to see if the electric fan "on" - "off" temperature thresholds are identified. I have been curious about this parameter for some time now.
I also have AGS shutters removed and I do in fact find that the bugs commit suicide at the radiator. I have also found that it is not terribly difficult tp gently flush them out periodically. In fact isn't there a product available just for that purpose?

The fan temps per my understanding are controlled by the ECU, which Alfa does NOT have access to (or at least per my understanding.), plus your ECU has to be unlocked if it's a 2013 or newer (again, per my understanding). HBTuners offers it for like $600, but that is JUST the unlock, you still need to buy a tuner/get it tuned.

I asked a local guy about adjusting the E-Fan temp on my Hemi, and disabling MDS, and he quoted me $2400... I damn near swallowed my tongue reading the text 2 years ago.

But my '18 came with the fins factory deleted, and my Rad in the South East seems fine. IE it has a bit of crap, but not enough that I care to even try to clean off. (I do need to look at the AC rad though, as it's underperforming, and I wasted $85 on an AC coolant refill kit, to find my pressure is "max good." (IE it's just below the top of the "correct" pressure band, but not into the overpressure area.)

 

[Atcer2018]

The fan temps per my understanding are controlled by the ECU, which Alfa does NOT have access to (or at least per my understanding.), plus your ECU has to be unlocked if it's a 2013 or newer (again, per my understanding). HBTuners offers it for like $600, but that is JUST the unlock, you still need to buy a tuner/get it tuned.

I asked a local guy about adjusting the E-Fan temp on my Hemi, and disabling MDS, and he quoted me $2400... I damn near swallowed my tongue reading the text 2 years ago.

But my '18 came with the fins factory deleted, and my Rad in the South East seems fine. IE it has a bit of crap, but not enough that I care to even try to clean off. (I do need to look at the AC rad though, as it's underperforming, and I wasted $85 on an AC coolant refill kit, to find my pressure is "max good." (IE it's just below the top of the "correct" pressure band, but not into the overpressure area.)

I have run across the same info as you pertaining to the ECU controlling the radiator fan. I’ve looked through AlfaOBD but found nothing about temps and the fan. Some of the entries are cryptic so I could be overlooking a change that may work but I’m not willing to experiment. Interesting that your 2018 doesn’t have the AGS. I’ve read that the Rebels and Warlocks don’t have them and they use the same engines so I assume no problem deleting the AGS on other models. Without the AGS I’m running consistently 195-205 on the highway with the OEM thermostat. City currently runs less than 215 but it’s only in the 60’s low 70’s outside temp. I’m curious how it will perform when it’s hot as hades in July and August. Like you I will not pony up a grand or more to get access to the cooling fan.

 

[PaleFlyer]

I pulled my grill for a headlight bulb change, before I found the "good" (Read - NOT Fiat Chrylser) instructions that show how to do it without.

I DO have the AGS system, just without the shutters actually installed. I got the truck with under 300 miles new from the dealer, and it was one of the first '18's off the truck. (Local dealer got like half a dozen Rebels, and Express/Tradesmans as the first '18's they got for some reason.)

I think a couple guys have "bootlegged" it, and basically rigged the e-fan to a relay with a thermocouple off the 12V line. Lots of guys on here have deleted the AGS. From what I can gather, the ONLY "benefit" is your engine will heat up faster when it's cold. Kinda like Semi's do in winter with the cardboard, but "automated", so it doesn't get TOO hot, until the cheap chinese actuator fails, or something manages to get through the grill and jam the fins, or they start breaking as they are cheap plastic in front of a hot engine...

I want to say I have seen someone truly remove it, but that was not fun, as they had to either build a "faker" to fake the signals, or they had to find the function in the ECU to "actually" turn it off. So most people just pull most of the fins out. I think it's the top, bottom, and middle that have to "stay" to clear the sensors, all the others can be removed, but again, mine was "factory deleted", so I didn't have to.

 

[Hardracer]

"don’t really have a winter season here"

+1 on that winter season comment down here(at least Tampa or lower)
I'll chime in about the love bug thing though...
I zip tied the window screen on the brush guard before to see if that would help my rad.I instantly saw my temps go up,screen not even clogged up.By go up I mean 212-220 area not all that alarming by any means but I didn't like it when I'm use to seeing 203-206...I took it off temps went back to normal(for my eyes anyways).
Can't comment about the shutters...truck didn't come with that feature.

 

[PaleFlyer]

+1 on that winter season comment down here(at least Tampa or lower)
I'll chime in about the love bug thing though...
I zip tied the window screen on the brush guard before to see if that would help my rad.I instantly saw my temps go up,screen not even clogged up.By go up I mean 212-220 area not all that alarming by any means but I didn't like it when I'm use to seeing 203-206...I took it off temps went back to normal(for my eyes anyways).
Can't comment about the shutters...truck didn't come with that feature.

NC barely gets it most years. We get a couple DAYS where it is really "cold". (like sub-freezing) the rest of the "cold" days are like low 40's.

I wonder if we could find a "coarser" screen mesh? IE bigger holes? Catch the bigger bugs, but let the smaller ones, and more importantly, more airflow, in? Maybe find a balance where the temps only go up 1-3 degrees, instead of 9-17, and might even work for those of us who can't get the Accountant to approve of a brush guard.

 

[Hardracer]

^^^^^^
I hear ya.....if I remember right I think I had the largest square opening..porch/pool screen I think it was...I believe those are larger...1 of them hurricanes tore my back porch screen(luckily that was all)so I fixed it and used whatever that was on the guard....
I doubt I would ever purchase a guard for a truck but it came on it when I bought it used.....and it kinda makes it look "tougher"....lol

 

[CaptCurt]

Recently deleted all but the top and bottom row of my grill shutters. I noticed when I removed the unit to do the mod how clean the condenser and radiator fins were. I’ll assume the grill shutters contributed a great deal to the cleanliness. Any ideas or known solutions how to keep debris and bugs out now that the majority of shutters are gone?

I put metal screens (like a screen door in your home) in front of all my radiators on all my vehicles (they're all gas engines) but they work perfectly fine. I pull them out every spring and hose them off, and put back in vehicles. Hope this helps.

 

[Atcer2018]

I put metal screens (like a screen door in your home) in front of all my radiators on all my vehicles (they're all gas engines) but they work perfectly fine. I pull them out every spring and hose them off, and put back in vehicles. Hope this helps.

Thank you. Just the type of info I was looking for.

 

[04fxdwgi]

I pulled my grill for a headlight bulb change, before I found the "good" (Read - NOT Fiat Chrylser) instructions that show how to do it without.

I DO have the AGS system, just without the shutters actually installed. I got the truck with under 300 miles new from the dealer, and it was one of the first '18's off the truck. (Local dealer got like half a dozen Rebels, and Express/Tradesmans as the first '18's they got for some reason.)

I think a couple guys have "bootlegged" it, and basically rigged the e-fan to a relay with a thermocouple off the 12V line. Lots of guys on here have deleted the AGS. From what I can gather, the ONLY "benefit" is your engine will heat up faster when it's cold. Kinda like Semi's do in winter with the cardboard, but "automated", so it doesn't get TOO hot, until the cheap chinese actuator fails, or something manages to get through the grill and jam the fins, or they start breaking as they are cheap plastic in front of a hot engine...

I want to say I have seen someone truly remove it, but that was not fun, as they had to either build a "faker" to fake the signals, or they had to find the function in the ECU to "actually" turn it off. So most people just pull most of the fins out. I think it's the top, bottom, and middle that have to "stay" to clear the sensors, all the others can be removed, but again, mine was "factory deleted", so I didn't have to.

I did the complete removal of the shutters and made a small aluminum bracket to install on the sensor / motor to simulate the shutters are still there, since the sensor / motor does a calibration cycle on start up. Moved the sensor / motor to behind the radiator support (the harness for it is quite long) to keep water off it and the wire connections.
Also removed the rubber "air dams" on sides of damper housing and Gorilla Taped them back in to force the air thru the radiator, instead of bleeding out around the sides.

Have had zero problems with it, temps stay at / or below 195 and get no codes.

 

[Wild one]

I used to build a bug screen that bolted into the bottom bolts of the rad support,and then used push pins to hold it in place at the top. I gave the pattern to a welder,but he lost them.I quit building them,as i didn't even break even on them. They had basically 2 frames,one bolted to the other,so i could remove it if i ever needed to replace the screen,the main frame had expanded metal welded into it. The one on my truck needs a repaint as it's 11 years old now,and has been on 2 trucks,it was the original prototype from my old 13.They fit trucks with or with-out the shutters,my 13 never had shutters,but the 14 did