I've been using the Fia winter front for two years. This winter, I've used it, both "nostrils" closed, for ten weeks in a row now (warmest daytime temp was 28 for a couple of hours. Some observations.

My heater heats up in about one mile. Even though I plug in with a timer, the heater never really did all that well when the ambient temp was less than 20F. My fuel mileage improved about 1 MPG. The temp gauge never goes above the midway point. Given the heater efficiency and the improved mileage the winter front has been a success.

I haven't measured intake or air or exhaust temps, but its cool to cold here, and the overall driveability of my CRD is a tad better with the winter front on, fully closed.

_________________
2005 CRD Limited, ARB bumper, Frankenlift II, ORM, Aero Turbine 2525, Suncoast+TransGo, InMotion ECU reflash, RockLizard, Cragar Soft 8's, Green Diamond Icelander A/T 265/70/17's, Gibson snorkel, fording extensions on diffs n transmission.

Install my Fia winter cover last night. Drove today and it seemed to warm up a lot quicker than normal. This should really help the MPG's cause when it's cold it takes 4-5 miles before the tranny warms up enough to go into 5th gear or what ever we call it. Now I can take the white plastic off of my aux tranny cooler.

_________________
08 Elantra SE daily driver
2001 F-250 powerstroke

The FIA came last week and I installed it tonight in preparation for my wife's commute to work in the snow tomorrow. Like a previous poster, I also removed the entire front grill assembly and brought it up into the house where it was warm enough for the adhesive to install properly. No tools are needed - simply lift up on the clasps along the top of the grill, then pull the top towards you and pull up. The entire grill will come off.

I ran tan masking tape vertically just inside the two slats which line up with the snaps. The masking tape is visible through the screen and acts as a guide. I installed the top two center snaps on either side of my masking tape guides, keeping the distance equalized. The snaps are positioned just below the top bevel where the grill flattens out. Once the top two center snaps were installed, I installed the lower two snaps - again using the tape as a guide. Then I did the two top outside snaps, and the two bottom outside snaps. By starting in the middle and working my way out, it was very easy to keep the screen evenly tensioned.

Hopefully my wife will notice an improvement in warmup time tomorrow!

- Chris

_________________
Used to own:
2006 CRD Sport
Suncoast TC, Transgo shift kit, Inmotion, ORM, EHM, Magnaflow SS exhaust, Fumoto valve, EVIC added, Hensley TruControl brake controller, Pirelli Scorpion ATR LR-D in spring/summer/fall, FIA winter front and Blizzaks in winter

Just bought a new grill from a guy on ebay for $12.00 that repalced his with a chrome one when he first bought his Libby. It is the same color as mine, white, and is off an '07. I figure that, if I don,t like the screen in the summer, I can just swap the grills out since they do swap so easily and don't have to worry about the snaps that are stuck to the grill. Keep you eyes open at the bone yard too.

So far, I really like my fia blanket. It does warm up much quicker and trans and TC oil warms up much quicker and looks pretty cool at the same time.

_________________
White Sport '05 Libby CRD - born on date: 6/3/2005, FIA Grill Blanket, Fumoto drain plug, 2.8 CRD Turbo Diesel hood decals, Jeep windshield bug & stone deflector, Molded tire cover with custom JEEP & Liberty CRD decals, Cummins Lift Pump, Pro-vent, GDE Eco no limit tune, Odyssey 34R drycell battery, Meziere in-line stat, ETecno1 glow plugs