Boy this car likes the warmth I Blocked front grille to experiment

Pipe insulation... so that is the product I should be looking for at Home Depot or some other such place?

 

In a word, yes. There are cheap and light weight, and there is thicker and heavier.

Plumbing section, I think.

 

That is what I use. works great, just push it in there no need to tape or glue or anything.

 

I wonder how doing this modification would affect cars in really cold temperatures. Winter is fast approaching in the Midwest and I would be curious if someone would be able to do that modification so that I may be able to see the improvements. Alas... I wish that I had a c so that I would be able to do it myself . It sounds like a really awesome way to improve mileage as winter dawns. Cheap and easy to DIY. However, are there really no downsides? I understand to take them out during the summer, but any possible downsides for the winter? Engine exhaust perhaps (I am by no means a mechanic as you can tell)?

 

Someone mentioned the location of the INVERTER RADIATOR... but that was a liftback driver, I believe, and not a C driver. Can we confirm once and for all that there is no danger in this sort of total grill blocking?

Obviously, the piping would want to be removed once the temperatures started to rise again (can't see the need to grill block when the outside temp is 115 degrees, after all). Any other advice, comments, etc.

Given how inexpensive this should be, I'd be willing to buy the piping this weekend...

 

Seems like a coolant temperature gauge would be nice in this situation. What are the chances of the coolant getting too hot and causing an overheating problem? Wish I had a Scangauge so that I could try this out.

 

Boy this car likes clear weather! The remnants from Sandy have been killing my MPG the past two days. The combination of cold and big winds getting seem to be slashing my fuel economy by about 20% versus last week!

 

For my morning drive, my MPGs seem to matching the temperature almost bang-on. At 55 I can deal with that, but I am very much not looking forward to even colder mornings.

 

was 42F this morning on my way to work. About 21 miles of mixed city bumper to bumper and suburban roads. scan gauge temp read at its peak 197F. about a week ago it was 80F and on high way temp got to 204F. this is all after total grill block. Be for grill block max temp I saw was 188F. Not a huge difference. To add to my case that total grill is ok to do, I was in my asst. Mgr car today a 06 PT curser and hooked my my scan gauge. His avg temp was 207-210.

 

I am told the inverter radiator is at the bottom portion of the grill. Anyhow, in Minneapolis and I have the upper portion completely blocked and the half of the lower. Once temps get a little colder, I will do a complete block of the lower as well. Using the foam pipe insulator as well.

 

Those are encouraging temp. numbers. What mileage benefit did you notice (if any)?
I'm interested in trying this out as it's such an inexpensive mod, however, I'm not clear on what the exact benefits are. I do a lot of highway driving (65-70+ mph) and currently get ~47-50 mpg avg. driving it like a non-hybrid - would I notice any benefit from blocking the upper and/or the lower? If so, what benefit would that be?

 

The best I can guess, and it is just that a guess, about 5-10 mpg better at cold temps. I base this guess and my everyday drive to work. As it got colder my mileage dropped, blocked the grill and its back to where it was befor the colder mornings. That being said I'm sure it will still drop once its 3F and not the 35-40F it's been. Only time will tell.

The other thing I want to throw out there is that's its all %s. Basically the more mpg you the more it will help. If I get 70 mpg then grill block it helps me more than some one else who gets 45mpg.

 

I have a '06 Prius, with a scan gauge. I've been using foam pipe insulation every winter for the past 6yrs. It improves my winter fuel consumption an average of 4-5mpg. Engine temperature is always between 180-190F. Bear in mind that I live in San Diego, where we seldom see temps below 40F in winter. The car definitely warms up more quickly, and the ICE shuts down more often below 39mph. I'm a firm believer in this technique.

 

Colors are at Dollar Tree. A buck a stick. Guess I will give it a try also.
Dan

 

I think the black or charcoal grey piping will look good or just disappear on the blue streak. My hubby says "well, if you want to ugly up your car, i guess that's your business..." Sigh.

 

If you make it "ugly" enough, maybe he won't drive it?

Tom

 

LOL - Tom, nice idea, but he usually drives it after dark so that probably won't matter. Could keep him out of it on weekends, though.

 

Unless you say something he likly won't notice it. No one has noticed mine, and I know others that have done it and to has gone unnoticed.

 

Just installed the lower grill block and ordered a scanguageII for my C. Have noticed that it is warming up almost as fast as it was when temps where above 70+. See previous post for more info.

Grill blocking on the C | PriusChat

 

Haven't seen any improvement with lower grill blocking with pipe insulation. Will try full block next.