First Morning with a Blocked Grill

Thanks for the good information on blocking the grills. The temperatures in the UK are mild at 10 C, about 50F. I have recently blocked off both upper and lower radiator grills with pipe lagging material. I managed a 90 mile drive without signs of overheating and that gave 66mpg UK (55 US), I might normally expect 63 in the winter.
I have started monitoring my shorter 7 mile morning commutes against outside temperature. First indications are that blocking the grill is giving 2mpg better FE, with the heater switched off. The 7 miles takes about 25 minutes and the engine doesn't reach full operating temperature.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Allannde @ Jan 31 2007, 01:49 PM) [snapback]383382[/snapback]</div>

Most commercial electronic components are rated from 0 C to 70 C (32 F to 158 F), while military spec components rated from -55 C to 125 C (-67 F to 257 F). 180 C operating temperate for components in the Prius seems a little high.

 

i agree, i think the optimum high end might be 180ºF. when i had CANVIEW, i dont think i ever saw more than about 140ºF even on the hottest summer days.

 

Lacey to the border gave me 85C on MG2 and MG1 was as usual going up and down. I saw from 85C to 97C depending on hills. I just consider it normal in the summer to be in the high 80's. Most oils start to break down when they get into the one hundred and fifty C range. With the thermistors buryied in the winding on the MG's, you will be pulling over to the side of the road when they tell the computer that you've exceded the limit.

 

I finally got around to doing this today (I've been driving around with foam insulation in my passenger seat for a week), and after only a days worth of driving, I must say, I'm a believer!

The first 5 minutes of each trip sucked as expected. But after that it shot up to just under 50MPG, and stayed there. , which is absolutely unheard of for my driving in winter. (Current tank is sitting at it's lowest reading ever - 34.4MPG). Now the current tank certainly isn't salvageable - as I've already got 300 miles of bitter cold driving on it.. But the next tank could well show some improvement...

I didn't do anything fancy - and it doesn't look half bad at all. I used two rows of 3/4 inch pipe insulation shoved above and below the chrome on the upper opening. And I used two rows of 1/2 inch pipe insulation across the bottom, covering about 3/4s of the opening. Were I to do it again, I'd try to find some darker insulation, as the gray foam I used does show a bit against the black body - but it's not bad at all...

-Ken

 

Hi Kdmorse,

Been cold in Chicagoland. 5 F (-15C) here in the western buuuuuurrrrrbs today. Temp stayed about the same all day. Cold front was moving in. Supposed be subzero in the morning the next few days. Mileage dropped to 44 mpg from 48, after a fillup the day before (about 115 miles on the tank). I have a 23 mile commute, mostly highway, that gets slow in few spots both ways. Then about 6 miles on local streets.

I think the real bummer is the shrinking gas tank. It only took 7.5 ga at 1.5 bars this last time with the temp about 15 f. If it stays this cold, it'll probably take only 6.5 ga next time at 1.5 bars. It took 8.5 bars the previous fillup with the temps in the mid-20's.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Dec 19 2006, 09:44 PM) [snapback]364425[/snapback]</div>

On my 2006 Prius I don't know where to find my engine temp. Can someone tell me?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(gasmizr @ Feb 6 2007, 09:07 PM) [snapback]386490[/snapback]</div>

You need something like a Can-View or ScanGauge to view the temp.

[EDIT] Looks like Evan beat me to it. Plus with links. Damn my slow typing 25wpm with 26 errors. <_<



I forgot to post an update on my tank. I filled up yesterday with 53mpg on the display. The average temp was 34deg. The temp was colder than last year but the car is also broken in and I know how to drive it better. I do think given the average temp of this tank the blocked grille helps a little. I will find out more this next tank. Because of the all the snow we got today I was stuck in traffic for a few hours on my 12 mile trip home from work. About 100 miles on this tank so far and the MFD is reporting a very sad 43mpg. Never have I had this low mpg this far into a tank. I hope I can pull it back up to the low 50s.

 

Tony !
what an easy thing to do! takes minutes! It took me longer to go to the store and buy the insulation
BUT- the top strip somehow popped out- is there anyway to anchor them without being unsightly or causing damage to the paint?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(barbaram @ Feb 17 2007, 01:26 PM) [snapback]392097[/snapback]</div>

What? You're just now doing it? Summer's almost here.

I'm just kidding, even though the temperature today got into the 50s (F of course), the engine/coolant temperature never got above 192F.

I will be watching it with CAN-View until I see coolant temperature approaching 212F though. Yes I know. Coolant won't boil at that temperature.

Anyway. The foam tubing insulation I used had a sticky tape on it. The end popped out once, but it stayed in after resetting it.

Dave M.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(barbaram @ Feb 17 2007, 04:26 PM) [snapback]392097[/snapback]</div>

Cutting the insulation in half, then folding that piece in half, the compression fit has kept mine in place. I only lost the first piece when I pushed too hard and it fell inside the grill. Have you considered the Poor Man's Block? Just pack snow in the grill. Plenty laying around now and it's free!

 

It happened again-!
This time I saw the top strip go flying over the top of the spaceship.... kinda like losing the booster rocket
I put another strip in, this time with double stick tape on the ends......

 

Cutting narrow notches half way into the foam along the back edge where it meets the vertical support vanes allows the foam to be pushed further back. This should help it stay out of the slipstream and less likely to act as a windscreen wiper. Good luck with the mpg.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(barbaram @ Feb 21 2007, 04:45 AM) [snapback]393829[/snapback]</div>

Are you cutting it in half to get a C shape, then squeezing them in so it becomes a V shape with the bottom of the V facing forward into the wind?

 

Some members are talking about block heaters. I had manifold heaters on my Dodge Cummins diesel truck which worked very well. Cummins does not use glow plugs. What kind of block heaters are available for the Prius and where would I find them.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(barbaram @ Feb 21 2007, 05:45 AM) [snapback]393829[/snapback]</div>

For the top I cut C sections to fit in each gap. They are rock solid and barely noticeable. For the bottom I use intact 1/2" pipe insulation which blocks the upper and lower (but not middle) gaps. Based on your experience I used 1 twist tie on each.

Since it sounds like you are fitting yours over the grill I would tie it down with zip ties or long twist ties. I'm leaving my insulation in place until I hear the fan rev up. If the MFD is to be believed I'm getting an increase of 8+ mpg on this tank.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tom 6850 @ Feb 22 2007, 12:02 PM) [snapback]394722[/snapback]</div>

there is a huge thread on block heaters here on PC. Just do a search with block heater in the box. You'll get probably a 700 post thread. Simple you don't even have to drain the block to put it in. Grease it up, stick it in the hole and hookup the cord and your done.