Barry, you have too much "coolant" in your cooling system

the water is what removes the heat,
the coolant protects the engine from the water

and you are getting less airflow because of the blockage of the front plate

1. more water, less coolant in your next replacement (to 70-80% water)

2. bend the plate corners to direct some air flow rather than flat to the
wind /\

3. get one of those swing up license plate mounts (diy now ? (see
miata.net))

4. mount the plate higher than the opening
-old solution was bend it up and store on dash

5. move to a less dracionian nanny state

from nowhere

barry > wrote:
>i should mention that i recently replaced the front license
>plate - have driven without it for eight years, finally got a
>(parking!) ticket, and the outside temperature has been in the 90's &
>100's most of the time - which i though might be a factor, but i've
>seen the temperature come back down to normal while at a dead
>standstill while cranking on the heat full blast.