2010 Prius Grill Blocking strategy

I am sure others have mentioned the heat loss.

Aerodynamic: About a third of the aero drag is due to the air flowing through the engine compartment and creating turbulence (according to SAE paper by Volvo engineer).

 

I blocked 3 slots the other night, mostly since I only had enough foam available for that. It was a good start. But then snow was forecasted! So, I finished by blocking that last slot on the lower-grille. Now, all 4 are blocked. And sure enough, it did indeed snow.

That meant photos a whole lot sooner than expected...

.



Total blocking down below and open on top is the approach I'm sticking with this year. It seems like a good plan and looks surprisingly nice. Larger photos are available on my album.
.

 

Very interesting

 

r u not blocking the top grill?

i see the recommendation for no more than 50% blocking of the top, but i block 100 % of both in temps below 60º and have done so for years. am i realistically looking at problems down the line?

 

I live in the Washington DC area. I suppose I am too far south to benefit from blocked grills. Any advice would be appreciated. What do you think?

 

I bet you could benefit. I put the blocking in and noticed an increase of perhaps .3 - .5 mpg increase. Not fully quantified mind you but I was having problems reaching 53 mpg the last couple of weeks and as soon as I put the blocking in, I reached it no problem. I guess it can cut down on the air drag into the engine comparment. From other suggestions here, I would suspect you would only want to block the lower grill though.
I am hoping in the near future a thirdparty vendor like Lund will create a nice looking grill block I can run all year.

 

well its clear that the radiator is separated into upper and lower sections im guessing. cant really see all the feeds to it. so the inverter cooling is a completely separate system?

wow, not being able to monitor that temp is a bummer. well, i took a closer look at the block on top and i am guessing i am only blocking about 90~% or so.

 

TYFI, Ken. sorry for Segway, but i have done 100% grill block on SPM. now granted, not air tight, but have seen many Water temps in upper 200's, 206 is common. have done this for years. soo

does inverter coolant have a maintenance cycle?
will its effectiveness be reduced if its been "hot" several times?
should i get it checked for any possible negative long term effects?

 

Inverter coolant is the same stuff as engine coolant. It doesn't suffer from heating any more than engine coolant. It's the electronics that can suffer. The longer you run them hot the shorter will be their life expectancy. I doubt anyone would notice however. I suspect they will outlast the "other wear parts" 3 to 4 times.

 

Is that the 1/2 inch foam in your photos? Thanks.

 

And just in case anyone wants to take it to the next level:

Winterizing your Hybrid Vehicle blocking tables and other tips are included

Cheers;

MSantos

 

Yes as noted on page 2 of this thread.

 

Its my understanding that the 2010 Prius needs very little air through the engine (in terms of intake), and that a warmer engine is a more efficient one. That said, is there any YEAR ROUND grill blocking that can be done on a car in southern california? Perhaps just some of the bottom and leaving the top untouched?

My main goal would be a year round solution that would reduce the drag forces of the air entering the engine area, and to a lesser extent (since i live in sunny LA), provide a means to warm up the engine a little faster than it does now.

If 100% blockage equates to a down-parka for one's engine, I'm looking for a light cardigan.

 

My 2010 Prius is my first one and I really appreciate all the information shared on this site. I'm in SE Michigan and don't have a ScanGuage (yet) and am wondering how much grill block I can/should do at what temps, or should I not risk it w/out a SG. Any suggestions? Daytime highs are now in the 40s and 50s but it won't be long and they will be in the 30s.

Also, if you block your grill and have to go to the dealership (thinking oil changes) do you remove the block before you go? I can see them advising of problems and voided warranties blocking the grill.

 

My dealers never had a problem with the grille blocking (Toyota or Honda). Some have asked but I always pointed them toward the scangauge and the coolant temp reading in it. After a little chat they would realize that I am keenly aware of the safe operating temp ranges and their concerns would vanish soon after.

Frankly, If I was them and I had a customer coming in with a fully blocked grille and no means to keep it under watch and safe.... I too would be concerned. Its just common sense.

Cheers;

MSantos

 

Should we rely on temperature tables to know how much grille blocking is safe? Could that be risky without a ScanGauge to monitor the temp?

As I don't have one, I plan to block the bottom and keep the top opened all winter (gets to -20°C here).